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The Wonderful World of Avian Nutrition can be a confusing place but if you follow some good, decent, 'Common Sense' rules you should be able to provide a high-quality, healthy diet for your Feathered Friend/s. Almost everyone can agree that a diet of all-seeds or all-pellets is not healthy. You may find conflicting information about diets including seeds and diets of pellets....do you offer gravel? Or not? ……. it can be a nightmare for the new bird-owner to try and sift through the wealth of conflicting literature. I have done extensive research in an attempt to discover the ‘Real Truth’. I myself have been up and down with pellets … first embracing them, then doubting their nutritional value, omitting them and back down the road again. ..and again. One thing I can say for certain about Pellets is that a colossal amount of money is spent annually on marketing them. The companies would have you believe they are a panacea to the nutritional aspect of our Avian friends… some will even leave you feeling like a ‘bad-person’ if you don’t feed them to your birds. I give them kudos on their marketing skills. That’s where it ends because after my years of research, I feel they do a disservice to the health of our birds. Does this mean I advocate an all-seed diet? No, it does not. Fresh seeds are a healthy part of the Avian diet and sunflower seeds are not ‘evil’ as some suggest…. But rather too-many of any one kind of food is not good. Some sunflower seeds are an excellent addition to the diet. 'Sprouted Seeds' are extremely nutritious. Exactly what you feed your bird will depend greatly on the species you are feeding. A diet for a Finch will be completely different than that of the Macaws but yet the basic principles remain. Feed fresh food. Seeds, sprouted seeds, nuts, beans, grains, fruits & veggies must all be fresh. To save time some people will freeze foods – while I understand the tight schedule of working people I avoid freezing foods or microwaving them…. and instead always feed fresh. Healthy Alternatives can be found Here. Variety in the diet is crucial to a happy and healthy pet. With so many different foods to choose from it’s easy to mix and match to add fun and flavor to your bird’s diet. A Basic HOOKBILL (parrot) diet might include: Fresh water at all times – I prefer water bottles as they are much cleaner/safer. Sprouted seeds - Are an excellent food source! Store-bought sprouts may not be safe so please sprout your own! Click Here to learn more! For easy to follow step-by-step instructions Click Here. Sprouted Seeds: The Living Treasures By Alicia McWatters, Ph.D, C.N.C Seeds/Nuts – Safflower, sunflower, millet, whole oats, oat groats, pumpkin, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, hazel nuts, corn, canary grass, flax, hemp and more. Fruit & Veggies – Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, dark green lettuce, spinach (not too much), potato, sweet potato, apples, pears, oranges, papaya, carrots, peas, corn, peppers, organic strawberries, grapes (in season USA or Canada grown), bananas, cranberries, melon and more. Grains – Cooked brown rice, cooked whole wheat pasta, grain breads, healthy cereals and more. Click Here for an easy-to-make blend you can buy. Other foods – Such as eggs can be fed cooked and in moderation. Avoid foods containing sugar and fats. Some parrots like a bit of cheese… be sure to only feed tiny bits of such foods as treats and only real cheeses such as hard cheddar (no processed cheeses please). Many species will benefit from added cuttlebone (for calcium), mineral blocks and vitamin supplements form time to time…. Again moderation is the key. Pellets – Can be offered to your birds but my opinion is that it is wrong to ‘force’ them to eat pellets. Some studies confirm a pellet diet is harmful to mutation Parrotlets and Eclectus, it is best not to feed pellets to these species. Also, if you feel you must offer pellets then choose brands that are not highly colored as they may contain harmful dyes. They appeal to ‘human’ senses so humans will pay for them but are completely unnecessary – and possibly harmful – for your pet/s. CLICK HERE for a very interesting article on "Why Food is Better than Pellets" By Alicia McWatters, Ph.D. Dangerous foods – Avocado, chocolate, alcohol, fruit pits/seeds, onion, dairy products (tiny amounts are ok), junk foods. Please check to see if a food is safe before offering it to your birds. Use your imagination and feeding your birds can be a fun experience for you…. And for them! Oh and by the way….. your hookbill/parrot does NOT require gravel or grit. BON APPETITE!!! EMAIL your Questions or Comments. GENESIS RECIPES Some Links: About Avian Nutrition Are Pellets a Panacea? The Seed Diet Planned Parrothood THE IMPORTANCE OF PHYTONUTRIENTS Sprouted Seeds Easy step-by-step Seed Sprouting |
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| ~ COCKATIELS ~ PARROTLETS ~ LOVEBIRDS ~ CONURES ~ RED BELLY PARROTS ~ INDIAN RINGNECK PARROTS ~ ~ AFRICAN GREY PARROTS ~ GOFFIN'S COCKATOOS ~ UMBRELLA COCKATOOS ~ ~ BLUE & GOLD MACAWS ~ |
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