Finches
Finch Seed
Millet Spray
Vegetables
Broad leafy greens
Cuttlefish
Iodine block or liquid
Treat bars
Water
Canaries
Mixed Canary Seed
Plain Canary Seed
Rolled Oats
Mixed Vegetables
Fruit
Cuttlefish
Iodine block or liquid
Treat bars
Water
Budgies
Budgie Seed
Millet Spray
Plain Canary Seed
Mixed Vegetables
Broad leafy greens
Cuttlefish
Iodine block or liquid
Treat bars
Water
Lovebirds
Lovebird or Cockatiel Seed
Millet Spray
Mixed Vegetables
Fruit
Broad leafy greens
Cuttlefish
Iodine block or liquid
Treat bars
Water
Cockatiels
Small Parakeet Seed
Plain Canary Seed
Rolled Oats
Millet Spray
Mixed Vegetables
Fruit
Cuttlefish
Iodine block or liquid
Treat bars
Water
Small Parakeets
Parakeet Seed
Fruit
Mixed Vegetables
Millet Spray
Cuttlefish
Iodine block or liquid
Treat bars
Water
Large Parakeets
Parakeet Seed
Parrot Seed
Fruit
Mixed Vegetables
Millet Spray
Cuttlefish
Iodine block or liquid
Treat bars
Water
Conures
Conure Mix
Millet Spray
Mixed Vegetables
Fruit
Cuttlefish
Iodine block or liquid
Treat bars
Water
Parrots
Parrot Seed
Fruit
Dried Fruit
Mixed Vegetables
Iodine block or liquid
Liquid calcium
Nuts
Treat bars
Water
A proper diet is critical for overall health in every species. The easiest way to feed, is to use commercial formulated diets especially made for pet birds. Homemade diets can be considered, but are time consuming and should be developed with the aid of a professional nutritionist as birds’ dietary needs vary.
Clean and fresh tap water should be provided on a daily basis. Water drinkers are useful as they are less likely to be used by the bird for bathing and it is easier to observe how much the bird is drinking. They are also less likely to become contaminated with faeces.
Some birds can be very messy eaters and will often drop their food into the water to sometimes soften it, or maybe just for fun. Placing a separate bowl for this might prove useful.
The food birds eat in the wild is dependent upon the season and their availability. Naturally it is therefore highly varied throughout the year. It is essential to ensure that there is equal variety in your pet bird’s diet.
Their food selection depends more on texture, shape, size and colour. Often, they will reject novel foods until they have recognised it as being a food. For that reason, when changing your bird’s diet, always do it slowly, as abrupt diet changes can lead to starvation and the bird refusing to eat. However, birds are naturally inquisitive by nature so it is very possible to vary their diets successfully.
In the wild feeding takes up a large part of a bird’s day. Finding new food sources acts both as physical and mental stimulation, so it is a good idea to try to mimic this. Providing a variety of foods, fed in different ways, helps to keep your bird actively happy and healthy.
To reduce the risk of faecal contamination, place the food above floor level and never under a perch. A food bowl with a larger surface area, allows for easier selection of different food items.
Feed your bird twice a day. Whilst they will normally pick through their food throughout the day, they will tend to eat their favourite foods first. Try offering them a mix of fruit and vegetables for breakfast, then remove this at tea time offering them a mix of seeds and nuts.
Fruit and vegetables act as a good source of both vitamins and minerals, these also act as emotional and mental enrichment. A good chop should always be a big part of your birds’ diet. For the smaller pet birds, fruit & veg should be given in proportion. A way of breaking boredom and creating fun is to hide different fruits and vegetables in there cages or aviaries. This can be done by hanging it through the roof or round toys.
There are certain fruits and veg birds CANNOT have:
Avocados,
Mushrooms,
Onions.
There are also certain stems, leaves and vines of vegetables that are poisonous too.
Be sure to do as much research as possible. If ever in doubt, seek advice from bird specialists and avian vets.
