The Pelleted Diet

The Crystal Parrot - We have many well meaning customers feeding their birds inadequate diet! There are many reasons for this and we do our best to provide proper information. Ask any vet and they will tell you that a majority of avian health problems are caused by poor nutrition. This can also be said of any living creatures-including ourselves! If we were to eat a steady diet of fast food that is sparse in nutrition and high in fat and sodium-we would eventually end up with a myriad of health issues. Although those issues would not be apparent from the first bite or even the millionth bite they would be building over time and at some point become quite evident. When attempting to educate customers on a proper diet the usual reply is “He/She looks fine!” and “He/She likes it!” By instinct, birds will hide most illness-this is their way of surviving in the wild. Unfortunately, when caged birds start showing signs of illness, often times they are not far from death and it is too late!

Birds are more susceptible to disease due to their size. On average, a medium sized parrot weighs .88, which is less than a pound. Giving a bird a whole potato chip or French fry is equal to a human eating 20 servings of the same in one sitting. We are sure your child would love a steady diet of French fries because “he likes it” and afterwards “he looks fine” but any responsible  loving adult would not poison a loved one this way and this should include birds!  Poor nutrition causes lower immune systems, liver disease, atherosclerosis, poor plumage and feather plucking-just to name a few!

All birds should be on a quality pelleted diet, supplemented with fresh fruit, vegetables and grains. The only birds that require seed as part of their diet are finches, canaries, budgies, and cockatiels.  Any other bird should have a very limited amount of seed, if at all. It is much easier to start and maintain proper diet than it is to correct an inadequate one!  Ask anyone who has gone through this experience with a bird that was re-homed with them. It can be done but it is not an overnight process and requires dedication and commitment from a bird’s owner!

We carry many quality brands of pellets, as well as nutritious snacks and treats! Also available is the bean-rice-veggie mix. You can take it home ready made and frozen or use the base mix to cook your own. If you have any questions or concerns about your bird’s diet, always feel free to call or stop by. We are always happy to help anyone with any nutrition related topics and can offer many tips and tricks to get your bird eating healthier!