• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

thoughts on my budgie's food diet?

harum.t

Meeting neighbors
Joined
11/14/21
Messages
53
Real Name
harum
Hi guys :)

I'm a little new to understanding what is the proper diet for budgies as I know lots of people do it differently, so I wanted to get an opinion on whether I'm giving too much or not enough for my budgie Aster as he has fatty liver disease and I want to meet his needs diet-wise since I think that is what caused his fatty liver in the first place.

Most of these brands were recommended by my vets: I use Dr. Harvey's natural daily food for his seeds which I know has a lot of irrelevant ingredients in it, but there is some stuff that it seems Aster really enjoys from the bag so that's why I have stuck with it since he doesn't show any dislike towards it. I try to at least fill up the bottom of the bowl with it and take a bit out because my bowl is pretty big so I don't want him consuming too much as he was once a seed addict and I'm trying to get him to love his pellets more. I add this Harrison's mash onto the seeds and mix it in so when he's eating the seeds, he's also getting some pellet mash on it as well.

I then add Roudybush pellets on top of the Dr. Harveys seeds with two spoonfuls of it so it takes up a decent amount of the diet since my vet emphasized him being more on the pellet side versus the seeds (so the seeds are there but he has to really work/dig to get to the seeds by eating the pellets first). I think it has been doing well since I have been seeing him eat the pellets and the seeds? but can't tell if he eats them equally as he should. I think I might just use a separate bowl during breakfast/lunch/dinner time with just pellets in it to make sure he's eating them but I think he has been eating both so far.

After that, I then put this avian milk thistle for birds powder into the bowl (i only put it in once based on the size of the mini spoon/cup it comes with) and mix it around the pellets/seeds so its all over that to ensure Aster is eating the powder bits. My vet also recommended getting flex seeds oil into the diet as well as that can help too, but my mom actually recently got me these flaxseeds (like literal seeds) and I thought that was interesting but I'm worried it might not be safe for him to eat. Should I send a picture of the flaxseeds to know if its budgie-approved for them to eat?

Of course, after the powder, I then start adding veggies on top of the pellets. I have done lots of trial and error when first introducing my budgies to veggies, and it only seems they like it best when it is mixed with a pellet/seed bowl. So I give chopped-up broccoli/kale/spinach/carrots and spread them around the top of their bowl. These are the veggies my budgie seems to enjoy the most so I usually consistently put those into the bowl, however, if i see some other vegetable that i want to throw in, i would just test out if Aster likes it by throwing it in the mix too, but he hasn't shown interest in the others as much as the current veggies he consumes so I have been sticking with those veggies for the most parts.

Also, does anyone know ways to prevent vegetables from rotting so quickly? I noticed that my kale always seems to spoil a bit quicker than usual and I do keep it fridged so I'm not sure if there's another way to delay from spoiling or other alternatives I could do because it's a shame when I have to throw away the kale when there's so much of it but it got spoiled.

But that's it for the most part. This is what his usual diet is, my vet said it was pretty good but I just want to make sure if there's more I need to do for Aster to keep him on the right path with his diet. If you guys want me to send pictures of what I specifically do, I can do that as well as I know through words it's probably hard to wrap up what I am actually doing. Thank you if you took the time to read this!
 

Winn

Jogging around the block
Joined
4/21/22
Messages
602
Also, does anyone know ways to prevent vegetables from rotting so quickly? I noticed that my kale always seems to spoil a bit quicker than usual and I do keep it fridged so I'm not sure if there's another way to delay from spoiling or other alternatives I could do because it's a shame when I have to throw away the kale when there's so much of it but it got spoiled.
I make chop for my budgies and freeze it in ice cube trays. When it is frozen I store it in a Ziploc bag in the freezer and pull some out to thaw (in the fridge) each afternoon to be used the next morning.
I let it warm outside the fridge for a while before I give it to them.

I chop each veggie separately in a food processor and then stir them all together in a bowl before I freeze the chop into the cubes.
 

Feathery

Sprinting down the street
Joined
4/24/22
Messages
390
Location
United States
Real Name
Nichole
Also, does anyone know ways to prevent vegetables from rotting so quickly?
I've used these Green Bags with leafy stuff and it works well to lengthen the life. They can be rinsed and used multiple times also.

Or you can either buy "living" greens (sold with roots in water). Or even plant some st your home if you have the area.

Debbie Meyer GreenBags 20-Pack (8M, 8L, 4XL) – Keeps Fruits, Vegetables, and Cut Flowers, Fresh Longer, Reusable, BPA Free, Made in USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I4V1U06/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_S1RSMK3308K6PYNX6KGR
 

harum.t

Meeting neighbors
Joined
11/14/21
Messages
53
Real Name
harum
I make chop for my budgies and freeze it in ice cube trays. When it is frozen I store it in a Ziploc bag in the freezer and pull some out to thaw (in the fridge) each afternoon to be used the next morning.
I let it warm outside the fridge for a while before I give it to them.

I chop each veggie separately in a food processor and then stir them all together in a bowl before I freeze the chop into the cubes.
that sounds like a good idea! will try out that method thank you :D
 

harum.t

Meeting neighbors
Joined
11/14/21
Messages
53
Real Name
harum
I've used these Green Bags with leafy stuff and it works well to lengthen the life. They can be rinsed and used multiple times also.

Or you can either buy "living" greens (sold with roots in water). Or even plant some st your home if you have the area.

Debbie Meyer GreenBags 20-Pack (8M, 8L, 4XL) – Keeps Fruits, Vegetables, and Cut Flowers, Fresh Longer, Reusable, BPA Free, Made in USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I4V1U06/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_S1RSMK3308K6PYNX6KGR
oh that’s awesome! thank you for linking that! i will see if they work :)
 

Winn

Jogging around the block
Joined
4/21/22
Messages
602
that sounds like a good idea! will try out that method thank you :D
Wasn't my original idea. Something I saw online researching before I adopted my flock.
I currently have 3 bags of chop in the freezer (with different veggie mixtures). I pull 2 cubes a day. It's a random mix & match which gives the birdies something different each day..
 

Winn

Jogging around the block
Joined
4/21/22
Messages
602
I've used these Green Bags with leafy stuff and it works well to lengthen the life. They can be rinsed and used multiple times also.

Or you can either buy "living" greens (sold with roots in water). Or even plant some st your home if you have the area.

Debbie Meyer GreenBags 20-Pack (8M, 8L, 4XL) – Keeps Fruits, Vegetables, and Cut Flowers, Fresh Longer, Reusable, BPA Free, Made in USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I4V1U06/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_S1RSMK3308K6PYNX6KGR
I have heard of the green bags but haven't tried them. The organic kale we have access to here usually comes shredded and pre-prepackaged in a sealed bag.. ( no whole leaf or "living greens" available.) :(
 
Top