Pure Parents

Question:

Mike, I agree with your 2 cents worth.  I once read in a ng (not this one) that anyone who feeds a pelleted diet is lazy. I think the misconception is that people DO think we’re advocating a pellets only diet. It took over a year to switch my birds from seeds to pellets, but now they LOVE them. In fact, when I give them their seed treat a couple of times a week, they almost look disappointed! So I don’t think they see their pellets as bland or uninteresting. The key is, as you said, variety and only using pellets as a base for a nutritious diet. When I go grocery shopping, I spend about 50% of my time and total bill in the fresh produce dept.! — "Mamabird" He who builds to every man’s advice will have a crooked house. (Danish proverb)

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I don’t think that anyone advocates a pellets only diet. Fruits and Veggies are >important to a balanced diet. Seeds can be given as a treat. The idea is to use >the pellets as the base for the diet. People food is a good addition to the >diet also. A birds diet doesn’t have to be bland or uninteresting. that’s my 2 >cent worth on the subject! >Mike

Response:

My tiel won’t eat anything but seeds and a few choice greens now and again.  The good news is that he turns 20 this month.  Yes, that is 20 years old.  He would rather die than eat pellets – I’ve tried to convert him. Jane

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Wow!  Not bad!  Congrats!  You’re doing something right! Are ‘Tiels Australian?  Are they ground eaters like budgies?  Seems like budgies would get a large percentage of their wild diets from seed since they eat on the ground in the grass… could it be the same for Cockatiels? > My tiel won’t eat anything but seeds and a few choice greens now > and again.  The good news is that he turns 20 this month.  Yes, > that is 20 years old.  He would rather die than eat pellets – > I’ve tried to convert him. > Jane

– Signed- Kellie  USDA zone 7/8, Sunset Zone 33 My Karma Ran Over My Dogma.  It was a Catastrophe. Now my Dogma’s Dead and my Karma’s out of alignment. Get in KNEE DEEP!  <http://w3.one.net/~rzutt/newsletter.html>

Response:

I don’t think that anyone advocates a pellets only diet. Fruits and Veggies are important to a balanced diet. Seeds can be given as a treat. The idea is to use the pellets as the base for the diet. People food is a good addition to the diet also. A birds diet doesn’t have to be bland or uninteresting. that’s my 2 cent worth on the subject! Mike

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Mine LOVE thawed frozen peas!  Maybe your bird will try thim.  20 years old?!!!  WOW, I’m impressed!

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>Wow!  Not bad!  Congrats!  You’re doing something right! >Are ‘Tiels Australian?  Are they ground eaters like budgies?  Seems like >budgies would get a large percentage of their wild diets from seed since >they eat on the ground in the grass… could it be the same for >Cockatiels?

Yes, they are native to Australia as are Budgies.  They live mainly in arid areas which is most of the continent and are ground feeders.  They usually live in flocks of 1 – 2 dozen but I’ve heard they can gather around water holes in their thousands.  They were first taken to England in the early to mid 1800’s and then spread to Europe and the rest of the world as pets.  So, if your bird is having trouble learning to say Hello, try g’day mate. Cheers, Mark

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>After reading about the trouble that tiel owners have getting their >birds to eat the pellets (having to trick them by putting them in >peanut butter, etc., until the birds are "used to" the pellets), I >decided to keep my little guy on seeds, nuts, leafy veggies and >occasional treats.  

I’m sorry you had trouble with conversion. I am really lucky I guess, I started my female on pretty bird from the breeder, who already had all her birds on pelleted food. But my male I adopted from a college bound kid who was seed ONLY. He took right to the pellets and fresh food and only a teaspoon of seed per day. I admit, I was shocked on how easy he was. Like kids I guess… some are easy to feed and others are hard headed about what they will eat. I would never starve a bird to get them on a pelleted diet, but gentle persuasion usually prevails,.However… my problem child, is my Red Rumped Parakeet, Beeper. That girl REFUSES EVERYTHING BUT seed!! There is always ONE in a crowd…

Response:

Jim, No flames from me. My wife and i have gone around with this a few times. I let our birds eat what they want. Several different kinds of seeds. Millet,a couple diff. treat sticks. They may not live as long as possible but then either will i since i dont eat rice cakes or some such.            "Never mind the dog"          "BEWARE OF OWNER’          

Response:

: I take very good care of my tiel, but nothing lives for ever – so let : me ask you pellet feeders: if you could live an extra 5 years but had : to give up the variety of delicious foods you eat, and instead eat a : nutritional, balanced diet composed of bland pellets, would you do it? : I suspect most of us would say no, and most of our birds would say no : if they could…. : OK, flame away!   Is there something I don’t know here??? No flames from me, I feed Corky a seed diet supplemented by fresh fruit and veggies and an occasional treat..he seems happy so why change…

: >> How do I know if Pepe is getting enough vitamins?  I put a few drops of a : >> vitamin formula into his water (Vita-Sol, by Ultra-Care).  I make sure that he : >> has plenty of food; a seed mixture, millet spray, and treats. : > : >You won’t need to give him viatmins if you get him to switch to a pelleted diet as : >his primary food-  supplement that with fruits, veggies and a few seeds.  Millet : >should only be a treat in spite of the fact that budgies love the stuff! : > : >> And of course he has his gravel and stone…. : > : >Don’t give him gravel-  he doesn’t need it-  the mineral block is essential, or you : >can use cuttlebone, available at any pet store. : > : >> PS.  I do give him fresh vegetables, but he refuses most.  He likes cucumbers : >> and leafy greens.  But won’t go near carrots. : > : >That’s fine-  feed him the  ones he likes and offer him other things –  sometimes : >they take a while to try new things. : > : >> And he also doesn’t eat sunflower seeds.  He can break them but drops them before : >> he can get anything out of them. : > : >That’s probably the good news-  they are very fatty and budgies don’t need the : >fat.    Just don’t give them to him.– : >Signed- Kellie  USDA zone 7/8, Sunset Zone 33 : >My Karma Ran Over My Dogma.  It was a Catastrophe. : >Now my Dogma’s Dead and my Karma’s out of alignment. : >Get in KNEE DEEP!  <http://w3.one.net/~rzutt/newsletter.html> : > : >

Response:

Hi, There is a great book published by Barron’s titled "Feeding Your Pet Bird" by Petra M. Burgmann, DVM.  This book will answer all your questions regarding your birds nutritional needs.  Read it, you will be glad you did! Best Wishes to you and Pepe. R.J.

Response:

>How do I know if Pepe is getting enough vitamins?  

Hi.. Let me share with you what we do, emphasize, at the avian clinic where I worked. We have ALL birds on a wet diet as their primary which means we cook up a bean mix with pasta, frozen mixed vegetables as their main staple. With that, little vitamins are needed as they are getting them in their food. To this we add fruit (banana, grapes, oranges) and proteins like cooked white chicken and boiled eggs and their shells. They never receieved vitamins in the water. Teils, at least the ones I have, love to use their water mostly for toilets! And they don’t drink a whole lot anyway. Better to get a dry vitamin through your vet, NOT a pet store, that you sprinkle on the wet food and mix in. >I make sure that he >has plenty of food; a seed mixture, millet spray, and treats.  

This plenty of food should eliminate the seed mixture, millet and treats!! Save the millet as a treat, and we only gave our birds about a teaspoon to a tablespoon (depending on size of bird and how willing he was to eat his good food) of seeds in the same dish as his wet food. >And of course he >has his gravel and stone.  

There will be some controversy over gravel. I don’t give any of my parrots gravel and my avian vet doesn’t recoomend it. I only give oyster shell gravel to my soft bills, my finches that is. But, make sure your teil has a cuttlebone for calicum and a mineral block. >He is about 8 months old now.  Does a growing bird need extra vitamins?  

With the diet I mentioned, he will not need extra vitamins unless he is going through a stressful time like laying eggs (not a problem if yours is a male, or some molts or sicknesses. Then a trip to the vet is in first order. I have taken a couple of birds to the vets with heavy molts. An injection of vitamins was given. THE BEST way to make sure he has the vitamin boost needed. I also forgot to mention, get your bird used to a pelleted diet. Pellets should be in the cage all the time as a back up to the diet I already mentioned. > think he’s about ready to molt.  What do I do for him then?  Is there any >particular seed mixtures that are best for him to eat?  I know I should give >him a variety but I’m wondering if one brand is better than the other.

My male is molting HEAVY! I can not believe the feathers on the cage bottom! But he is fine, whereas other birds of mine molt 1/2 as much and go into stress and need a check with the vet and a heat lamp. If you have him on a better diet, his molt should be fine but get him off that primarily seed diet. He is certainly young enough to change him over. AND BE PERSISTANT!  You wouldn’t allow your 2 year old to dictact to you that all he wanted for dinner was snicker bars, right? >He is a happy bird. But he is still learning how to be around people and >learning to be comfortable with us (been with us 2 months now), and I know >this >still causes some stress.  just want to make sure I’m doing all I can for him >while he’s growing.

You sound like a great parent! We all know parenting is an on going, ever learning process!

Response:

> How do I know if Pepe is getting enough vitamins?  I put a few drops of a > vitamin formula into his water (Vita-Sol, by Ultra-Care).  I make sure that he > has plenty of food; a seed mixture, millet spray, and treats.

You won’t need to give him viatmins if you get him to switch to a pelleted diet as his primary food-  supplement that with fruits, veggies and a few seeds.  Millet should only be a treat in spite of the fact that budgies love the stuff! > And of course he has his gravel and stone….

Don’t give him gravel-  he doesn’t need it-  the mineral block is essential, or you can use cuttlebone, available at any pet store. > PS.  I do give him fresh vegetables, but he refuses most.  He likes cucumbers > and leafy greens.  But won’t go near carrots.

That’s fine-  feed him the  ones he likes and offer him other things –  sometimes they take a while to try new things. > And he also doesn’t eat sunflower seeds.  He can break them but drops them before > he can get anything out of them.

That’s probably the good news-  they are very fatty and budgies don’t need the fat.    Just don’t give them to him.– Signed- Kellie  USDA zone 7/8, Sunset Zone 33 My Karma Ran Over My Dogma.  It was a Catastrophe. Now my Dogma’s Dead and my Karma’s out of alignment. Get in KNEE DEEP!  <http://w3.one.net/~rzutt/newsletter.html>

Response:

How do I know if Pepe is getting enough vitamins?  I put a few drops of a vitamin formula into his water (Vita-Sol, by Ultra-Care).  I make sure that he has plenty of food; a seed mixture, millet spray, and treats.  And of course he has his gravel and stone.   He is about 8 months old now.  Does a growing bird need extra vitamins?  Also, I think he’s about ready to molt.  What do I do for him then?  Is there any particular seed mixtures that are best for him to eat?  I know I should give him a variety but I’m wondering if one brand is better than the other. He is a happy bird. But he is still learning how to be around people and learning to be comfortable with us (been with us 2 months now), and I know this still causes some stress.  just want to make sure I’m doing all I can for him while he’s growing. Ricky PS.  I do give him fresh vegetables, but he refuses most.  He likes cucumbers and leafy greens.  But won’t go near carrots.  And he also doesn’t eat sunflower seeds.  He can break them but drops them before he can get anything out of them.  

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