Questions about Budgies' Diet

[Jenna64]

Hi everyone!

I have a couple questions about pellets, and bird diets in general. I'm going to get a pair of budgies soon and I'd like to feed them the right diet. I've beed reasearching and now I'm confused. I know I shouldn't feed them a seed only diet. I've read that you should feed birds pellets so they don't pick out there favorites, but I've also read that you should feed birds veggies and fruits so that they get a veriety. Wouldn't the birds pick out there favorite vegitables like they would pick out there favorites from a seed and pellet mix?

I was looking at the ZuPreem® FruitBlend Small Bird Food because I've heard those are good. The first three ingredients are ground corn, soybean meal are ground wheat. Those sound like filler ingredients, and like they wouldn't be that healthy for budgies.

I've also heard that budgies need more seeds in their diets than most birds. So if I get pellets should I get some seeds to feed with the pellets and fruits and vegitables? Won't the budgies just pick out the seeds?

Sorry that post is longer than I thought it would be! I hope it makes sense! To summerize here are my questions:

1. Why aren't veritey mixes as good as pellets. If a bird picks out the their favorites from a veriety food mix, won't they pick out there favorite vegitables too?

2. Are pellets with the first ingredients of ground corn, soybean meal are ground wheat, are the actually healthy?

3. Do budgies need more seeds than other birds? And how do I give them seeds so that they will not pick out the seeds and leave the pellets?

I'd love to hear what you feed your birds, and how you do it, especially if you have budgies! Thanks for any help or advice!

 

[sunnysmom]

@PoukieBear ? @cassiesdad ?

 

[Shezbug]

I mix the pellets with seed for my budgies.
I don’t offer my budgies a lot of chop anymore because they don’t touch it but they do love florets of broccoli, strips of carrot and capsicum, baby spinach leaves, lettuce, fresh grasses etc hanging from the cage bars by a peg. They also love sprouts- quinoa sprouts are my budgies favourite.
So far the fresh grasses and broccoli florets have been my budgies most devoured fresh foods.

 

[Lady Jane]

I stay away from foods that have fillers such as corn. Goldenfeast does not put fillers in their bird foods.

 

[Monica]

1. Why aren't veritey mixes as good as pellets. If a bird picks out the their favorites from a veriety food mix, won't they pick out there favorite vegitables too?

Birds can and do pick favorites! I don't like feeding pellets with dyes in them and one reason is due to them picking favorites! If you feed a pellet that's dye-free, then it's all the same!

But when you feed fresh foods, that's kind of inevitable.

2. Are pellets with the first ingredients of ground corn, soybean meal are ground wheat, are the actually healthy?

That's a great debate! I feed Harrison's. Some people feed TOP's. There's Goldenfeast, Tropican, and other brands out there as well.

3. Do budgies need more seeds than other birds? And how do I give them seeds so that they will not pick out the seeds and leave the pellets?

Short answer is yes.

If I'm feeding dry seeds, then I feed pellets on one day and seeds the next, so technically it/s 50/50 of their diet. This along with fresh foods. You don't *HAVE* to feed pellets, but this means that you *MUST* ensure your budgies are eating a varied, healthy diet. Seeds are a must, but you could feed sprouted or soaked seeds over dry seeds. The fresh foods are also a must!


Unfortunately, not many budgies are raised on a healthy diet, so they are more likely to eat poorly and you'll need to 'teach' them to eat a healthier diet. (or trick them into it!)

 

[Ripshod]

Budgies in captivity lead a relatively sedentary life in captivity compared to their wild cousins, so feeding some fillers is a no-brained unless you want a chubby budgie. Yes there are healthier pellets out there designed for our captive birds but will your budgies eat them? There's a common saying around hear that goes "The best pellet is the pellet they'll eat", and that is so true. Don't look upon the brightly coloured pellets they're eating with disdain, they're eating pellets. Food colouring is not bad, though it can make us worry when we see those bright yellow or red poops. Don't worry about them selecting a certain colour either, all the fruitblend pellets in a pack are the same other than the shape and colour. Yes they have colour, but they're getting eaten.
Getting them to eat vegs and fruit is as easy as getting them familiar with it by continuing to offer it. Yes they'll pick favourites, but that is natural behaviour they show in the wild and just like us they'll swap and change. They'll likely eat something for a couple of weeks then something else.
Hang something new close to where they spend most of their time, so it's easier to nibble on that than cross the cage for their seed. They'll soon catch on.
Keep a separate cup in the cage. As they get used to a veg add it to the mix in the cup. You'll soon have a good little salad going that they'll eat.

 

[Jenna64]

Thanks so much for all the help! I've been looking and it is very hard to get good pellets where I live. I'll keep looking and hopefully I'll find something!