Vetafarm B-Calm Pellets - Thoughts?

[AussieBird]

Came across these the other day and now I am curious about them. Thoughts and opinions from all you knowledgeable people pls!

Vetafarm Parrot B-Calm Bird Pellets | Petstock.com.au

Parrot B-Calm Pellets are a functional complete diet formulated by avian veterinarians that provides balanced nutrition and supports the reduction of stress and anxiety with natural ingredients.<br>Made with amino acid L-Tryptophan – a natural precursor for the synthesis of serotonin in the...

www.petstock.com.au

 

[Kiwi's Dad]

I have never used them but @Pixiebeak, @Zara and @flyzipper might be able to help

 

[Shezbug]

They’re only new. I haven’t heard anything about them yet, I did send a link to @Mizzely for her to check out and maybe add to her list, not sure if she’s had a chance to check them out yet.

 

[Mizzely]

Sorry I haven't had a chance to look it over yet! Someone remind me tomorrow lol

 

[AussieBird]

They’re only new. I haven’t heard anything about them yet, I did send a link to @Mizzely for her to check out and maybe add to her list, not sure if she’s had a chance to check them out yet.

I thought they must be new as I've never seen them before (I've spent a fair amount of time looking up pellets )

Sorry I haven't had a chance to look it over yet! Someone remind me tomorrow lol

I may just give you a poke

 

[Shezbug]

I thought they must be new as I've never seen them before (I've spent a fair amount of time looking up pellets )



I may just give you a poke

I got an email from them a few weeks back that was showcasing these pellets so the first thing I did was told Shawna so she could add them to her list if she liked or was ok with the ingredients.

 

[Kassiani]

Hmm....if they work, it might be something I could try with Opie!

 

[KeetQueen]

At first glance, the ingredients look quite bad But I'm not an expert by any means!

 

[Mizzely]

It looks like they are using a common "calming blend" of B vitamins and l-tryptophan. This is something I've seen a lot of in dog calming products, and they do nothing for my dog with separation anxiety.

Here's the company video on it:

In chickens it did seem to lower aggressive behaviors: (downloads a PDF) https://tinyurl.com/Science-Direct-PDF

Notable is that l-tryptophan is used in broilers because it increases appetite and so it helps them put on weight and grow quicker: Effects of L-Threonine and L-Tryptophan Supplementation on Growth Performance of Native Chickens during the Grower Phase


In quails it seemed to have negative effects: Effects of tryptophan and probiotic supplementation on growth and behavior in quail

It IS true that tryptophan is a serotonin precursor and has some effect on stress hormones like cortisol: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jpn.13515

Some human studies: L-trytophan supplements: Are they safe, and do they work?

I don't know if there is enough evidence for me to assume that this would actually work the way they are marketing it.

At first glance, the ingredients look quite bad But I'm not an expert by any means!

Bad in what way?

 

[KeetQueen]

It looks like they are using a common "calming blend" of B vitamins and l-tryptophan. This is something I've seen a lot of in dog calming products, and they do nothing for my dog with separation anxiety.

Here's the company video on it:

In chickens it did seem to lower aggressive behaviors: (downloads a PDF) https://tinyurl.com/Science-Direct-PDF

Notable is that l-tryptophan is used in broilers because it increases appetite and so it helps them put on weight and grow quicker: Effects of L-Threonine and L-Tryptophan Supplementation on Growth Performance of Native Chickens during the Grower Phase


In quails it seemed to have negative effects: Effects of tryptophan and probiotic supplementation on growth and behavior in quail

It IS true that tryptophan is a serotonin precursor and has some effect on stress hormones like cortisol: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jpn.13515

Some human studies: L-trytophan supplements: Are they safe, and do they work?

I don't know if there is enough evidence for me to assume that this would actually work the way they are marketing it.





Bad in what way?

Well the pellets are made with plain fillers (corn, soy, wheat) which is almost like feeding a kid corn Doritos. Then they have a bunch of artificial ingredients added etc. As for the calming part, I think it could be beneficial to utilize a natural ingredient such as chamomile instead. Whole food ingredients are always better But in the end it’s up to the bird owner! And I know not everyone has access to a wide variety of pellet brands to chose from

 

[AussieBird]

Well the pellets are made with plain fillers (corn, soy, wheat) which is almost like feeding a kid corn Doritos. Then they have a bunch of artificial ingredients added etc. As for the calming part, I think it could be beneficial to utilize a natural ingredient such as chamomile instead. Whole food ingredients are always better But in the end it’s up to the bird owner! And I know not everyone has access to a wide variety of pellet brands to chose from

I have no issue feeding those to my birds. If it was at all possible mine would all be on a no peanut/corn/soy pellet (wheats fine with me), but there is no pellet here which is that except TOPS. Which is always out of stock and not a complete pellet, not to mention expensive.

 

[Spearmint]

Bump! somebody let me know if theres been any solid info about this, theres some at mylocal petstore.

 

[Mizzely]

Well the pellets are made with plain fillers (corn, soy, wheat) which is almost like feeding a kid corn Doritos. Then they have a bunch of artificial ingredients added etc. As for the calming part, I think it could be beneficial to utilize a natural ingredient such as chamomile instead. Whole food ingredients are always better But in the end it’s up to the bird owner! And I know not everyone has access to a wide variety of pellet brands to chose from

They are not plain fillers and is not all like feeding a kid Doritos. Doritos are not veterinary formulated with feeding trials to meet the nutritional needs of a kid. Pellets are formulated in that way. Corn, soy, and wheat are a good base of carbs and amino acids for a vegetarian creature.

Can you get a pellet without corn, wheat, and soy? Absolutely. The best part about these grain based pellets? They are widely available, cheap to produce and thus buy, and are tasty so our birds actually eat them! Corn, wheat, and soy based "crappy pellets" have saved the life of my bird, and have extended the lifespans of countless other birds because of their affordability, availability, and palpability!

Food could be grown in the Amazon itself and still be meaningless if the bird doesn't eat it!

Whole foods are great in theory but are not a good fit for every bird. My bird is not a good candidate for a whole food diet.