Healthy Bird Feeding Diet Plan

To keep your new bird healthy and happy, careful consideration must be given to what type of diet to use. Many people are surprised to find out that feeding a pet bird takes more than just seeds and water.

Many bird lovers have discovered, after many years, that feeding your bird a diet of nothing but seeds is not really the healthiest choice. Actually, if they are used as part of a more complete diet, there’s no harm in feeding your bird some seeds. 30 percent of your bird’s diet is the recommended limit for seeds. Stay away from sunflower seeds, which are high in fat, and are linked to various diseases and may cause obesity. Millet and safflower seeds are considered a healthier choice for feeding pet birds.

If possible, try to go with a diet that is more like what your bird would eat if he lived in the wild. Beans and brown rice would be closer to the bird’s natural diet than the seeds they are often fed in captivity. However, beans and rice will become spoiled over time if left in the cage, which makes them more difficult to deal with.

Another dietary option comes in the form of specially formulated pellets. These pellets are designed to provide your bird with a complete and nutritious diet, eliminating the need for other food sources. Many bird owners argue that bird pellets are bland tasting and boring. They say that birds are much happier if they have a colorful variety of foods to eat. There is also the argument that fresh foods are naturally healthier than processed synthetic foods.

Providing your bird with a variety of all of these foods is probably the best route to take. Give him some choices, such as separate bowls of pellets and seeds, and let him eat whatever he’s in the mood for each day. Contrary to popular belief, many birds will eat both the seeds and the pellets instead of just seeds.

If you want to keep your bird as healthy and happy as possible, you should include every type of food available in their diet. In addition to seeds and pellets, give them a mix of beans, brown rice, fresh fruits and vegetables and nuts. To avoid spoiling, you need to teach your bird to go to the food cup as soon as you put it in the cage. This can be accomplished by putting a cup of treats in the cage in the morning and leaving it there for only an hour or so.

It won’t take long for your bird to realize that he better eat soon or the food will be gone. Place less food in the bowl if your bird seems to be wasting too much. Then do the same thing in the evening, but use smaller portions. Always provide a fresh serving of food rather than refrigerating it to avoid bacterial contamination.

Finally, some types of foods, such as avocado, can be deadly for your bird if eaten. Educate yourself and be mindful of these things if you are one of the many bird owners who likes to feed your bird table scraps.

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