What diet should I feed my bird?

[Jiffy]

Hello, I'm going to be having a baby Red-Belly in my home 6 or so months from now. I know the basic things like they have to eat fruits and veggies, pellets, and not so many seeds. I know what they shouldn't eat too. I could look it up, but I want recommendations, and personal advice rather than an essay online. So what I'm asking is, what pellets should I feed them, how many, and how many fruits and veggies should be in their diet, should seeds be a treat?

-Elliana

 

[expressmailtome]

Bump.

 

[Jas]

Congrats on your soon to be new feather baby!!

Don't have any personal experience with a red belly.

The best pellets are the ones your bird will eat, though not All pellets are cReated equally avoid ones with added sugars or dyed. Roudybush, Harrison's, tops (not complete) and zupreem naturals (some added sugar) seem to be the most popular. You can get free samples and see which the baby prefers.

Veggies are more important than fruit. My chop that I make fresh is; (you can make them in batches and freeze but my birds won't eat it when I've froze it).
1-2 dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, broccoli)
2-3 green (peas, sugar snap peas, pepper, green beans, celery, cucumber)
1-2 orange-/red (carrot, butternut squash, sweet potato, pepper)
1 small handful of an avian pulse mix that contains grains like rice and lentils as well a variety of cooked pulses.
1-2 different fruits 3 times a week (mango, berries, melon, kiwi, pineapple)

Seeds I either sprout or use for foraging or training (around a teaspoon) and nuts are used for foraging (I give 1-2 nuts a week.

 

[Mizzely]

Really depends on the bird. Here is a list of pellets with highlights on if they are fortified/ complete, dyed, sweetened, etc.

Small Parrot Toys by Lil Monsters Bird Toys

Most will send samples, so contact the companies to ask.

Start with the pellets the baby is being weaned onto, and then go from there.

Your avian vet can give you guidance too, but I believe usually you'll want to aim for 50 to 70% of the diet being pellets, then the rest veggies, grains, and a little fruit (not much fruit). They also love nuts as a treat.

 

[Jiffy]

Really depends on the bird. Here is a list of pellets with highlights on if they are fortified/ complete, dyed, sweetened, etc.

Small Parrot Toys by Lil Monsters Bird Toys

Most will send samples, so contact the companies to ask.

Start with the pellets the baby is being weaned onto, and then go from there.

Your avian vet can give you guidance too, but I believe usually you'll want to aim for 50 to 70% of the diet being pellets, then the rest veggies, grains, and a little fruit (not much fruit). They also love nuts as a treat.

I heard that meats are good for birds too, obviously not much, but it’s a source of protein.

 

[Mizzely]

I heard that meats are good for birds too, obviously not much, but it’s a source of protein.

There are lots of protein sources for birds that require no meat. Quinoa, for example, is a complete protein. It's not a vegan stance; it's just that animal proteins actually can lead to heart diseases for our captive birds so a lot of vets are recommending against them now. Birds really don't need that much protein; like only 12 to 15% of the diet needs to be protein. Even without pellets, there are tons of places they get protein from - beans, legumes, peas, seeds, nuts, and grains.

 

[Jiffy]

There are lots of protein sources for birds that require no meat. Quinoa, for example, is a complete protein. It's not a vegan stance; it's just that animal proteins actually can lead to heart diseases for our captive birds so a lot of vets are recommending against them now. Birds really don't need that much protein; like only 12 to 15% of the diet needs to be protein. Even without pellets, there are tons of places they get protein from - beans, legumes, peas, seeds, nuts, and grains.

Thank you for mentioning that. I didn’t know vets are going against it now. I’ll ask about that next time I’m at the avian vet.

 

[BirdManDan]

Elliana!

THE I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE AVENUE!! WE'RE A BUNCH OF ANIMAL LOVERS HERE!! HOPE YOU FIT RIGHT IN!!

 

[BirdManDan]

on your upcoming addition.
and
We feed our flock a varied fresh chop in the morning then TOP's pellets in the evening. I primarily use seeds and nuts for treats, foraging toys and treats for training.

 

[Jiffy]

View attachment 279912 on your upcoming addition.
View attachment 279913 and View attachment 279914
We feed our flock a varied fresh chop in the morning then TOP's pellets in the evening. I primarily use seeds and nuts for treats, foraging toys and treats for training.

Thank you

 

[Jiffy]

Does anyone have any opinions on Lafebers Parrot Pellets?

 

[Mizzely]

Thank you for mentioning that. I didn’t know vets are going against it now. I’ll ask about that next time I’m at the avian vet.

Does anyone have any opinions on Lafebers Parrot Pellets?

I know my own as well as Dr. Scott Echols recommends against it, at least!

They are fine Mine didn't care for it.

 

[Jiffy]

@Mizzely The person I'm speaking to (Jean Pattison) says I can name any pellet and she will wean the baby onto it. I'll keep looking into the different brands

 

[Jiffy]

The pellets don't have to be super flavorful and mouthwatering do they? Because I can give them flavorful things as snacks, but if I find a really healthy pellet brand, and it's not flavorful, I'll still get it. So I hope it's not too much f a barrier.

 

[Mizzely]

If the baby is weaned onto it, it doesn't matter. If a bird has never seen a pellet, then the sugary ones are more appealing because it entices them. None of them are particularly flavorful to be honest lol

 

[Jas]

Birds dont taste like we can, they have very few taste buds compared to Humans.thats why they can eat hot peppers without sticking their head in a glass of milk.

 

[iamwhoiam]

My red-bellied babies were weaned onto Volkman Avian Science Super Hookbill, Zupreem fruit pellets, mixed veggies, apples, pears, bananas (didn't like bananas except their stuffed toy banana that they would like on and a few other fruits. Decided to take them off the Zupreem a few yrs ago. Now they get the Volkman Hookbill, Caitec Oven Fresh Bites medium size, mixed veggies & fruit, and for treats Avicakes, unsalted/roasted cashews, in shell almonds and pine nuts, Lafeber popcorn, and Avian Organics baked treats. I've tried berries, cherries, broccoli, and some other fruits and veggies as well as mashes, quinoa and birdie breads and they won't eat any of those.
All of my Pois except my Senegal like the Oven Fresh Bites.

 

[Mizzely]

Birds dont taste like we can, they have very few taste buds compared to Humans.thats why they can eat hot peppers without sticking their head in a glass of milk.

They do have a much smaller amount of taste buds - 300/400 to our 9000 Do parrots have taste buds?

| Science Focus Project Beak: Adaptations: Senses

BUT the heat of peppers has nothing to do with taste buds! It's actually because their bodies don't react to the capsaicin in peppers. Are birds immune to hot pepper, enabling them to eat vast amounts and spread the seeds? – The Straight Dope Evolution at it's finest!

 

[Jas]

Some neat stuff!!