Fresh Fruits & Vegetables
In an effort to create a healthy diet for your budgie, it is recommended
that you offer fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Spinach leaves,
carrot, kale, broccoli, apple (no seeds!), and banana are examples
of some of the foods parakeets often love to eat. All fruits and
vegetables should be free of pesticides and thoroughly washed.
Discard uneaten fresh food daily. Depending on your climate, some
fresh foods should be removed within an hour or two to avoid harmful
bacterial growth.
Pellets
Because of the increase of malnutrition in seed-only fed birds,
many advise feeding pellets which is a manufactured food. An effort
is made to supply all needed nutrients in pellet form. Birds who
are successfully switched over to this diet, often show initial
health benefits. However, many birds resist eating pellets and
there is some debate whether a long term pellet-only diet would
also be too limiting nutritionally. Try to purchase fresh, organic
pellets for parakeets without coloring agents and preservatives.
Offering a variety of fresh live foods, seeds and
pellets seems to be a healthy choice that many bird owners find
works well for their birds.
Be patient with your budgie. New foods are often
avoided so you will need to be persistent.
Tips
on getting your bird to eat new things - Tailfeathers Bird Community
Cuttlebone
A cuttlebone is the internal shell of a cuttlefish and
provides calcium and other necessary minerals for your bird. Budgies
love to scrape and chew on them and will do so whenever they need
the extra minerals in their diet.
Millet Spray
Parakeets absolutely love millet sprays! Because they
are high in fat, only offer them occasionally as a treat.
Foods to Avoid
Some foods are toxic and poisonous to your bird. Never feed your
parakeet chocolate, avocados, apple seeds, fruit pits, salt, onions,
tomato leaves, and rhubarb. These are just some of the more common
foods to avoid.
For more information:
Plants
That Are Harmful or Poisonous to Pet Birds
Toxic/Nontoxic
Plants to Birds
Additional Resources
Poor
Bird Diet and Disease - What Is Good Bird
Nutrition?
HolisticBird.org
- Pellet Debates
Avicultural Society
of America - Feeding Your Pet Bird
FeedingFeathers
Forum - A forum dedicated to discussing the best possible
way to prepare good nutrition for your avian companion. |
