pellets.. to feed or nt

[Sam]

im considering converting to pellets..
simply because it has all the necesary vitamins and stuff..
wat do you guys think?

[Matt]

Hi Sam,

I think pellets are a great idea, however, if you feed them like seed you can still end up with problems in the long term health. I honestly thing the best is a little of everything, so complete diets should contain some seed, some pellets, some vegetables, some fruits, some nuts and some dried fruit. They should also have shell grit and calcium at all times, charcoal is good too! That is just my thoughts and a lot of that is based on the vet diets we feed out at work. I try to mimic them at home but can't always provide it due to money limitations and time. Good luck with your diet changes anyway mate

[Sam]

im doing my year 10 work experience at highbury veterinary clinic
there are two vets there
dr philip sacks and dr pat Macwhirter
philips really good as he lets me watch the surgeries and go into consults and stuff.
he showed me how to crop feed even let me put some saline on a budgie that had a wound..
its only been 3 days but the information im gaining is unbeleivable!
worst part is the cleaning lol

he recomended the pellets, along side dark greens of course

[Jen]

Our Ekkies faired well on pellets however we are considering stopping them soon only because they get so much fruit and vege along with seed that we feel the pellets are un-necessary. Alot depends on the type of pellets you are feeding etc. I would suggest you buy a small amount to start off with and watch the behaviour of your birds over the following weeks. Most of our Ekkies are fine on them but one seems to get a little grumpy when they are available. Hard to explain but he seemed to just be figgety and "out of sorts". When we stopped his pellets he went back to his normal placid self.

[Silvercloud]

I've heard that can happen with eckies on pellets Jen, maybe it's preservatives or colouring. I used to be anti pellets but have since changed my mind. I wouldn't substitute seed with pellets I'd give a bit of both, obviously with plenty of fresh fruit and vegies.

[USAJustin]

Hi Sam,

Whilst there are some benefits to feeding birds pellets in my opinion they should NEVER be solely as the base diet for any bird. If anything they should be fed in small amounts a few times a week if that. Matt is right in saying that long term issues can develop with a birds health if fed nothing but Pellets.

Just some FYI for you.... Most Vets recommend Pellets only simply because they have distribution deals with companies that make Pellets. Harrisons Pellets are found in just about every Vet office over here and most vets recommend feeding only the Pellets. Now I'm not referring to most avian vets but just regular vets with little or non avian experience.

Best thing you can do for you birds mate, is provide a well balanced diet like Matt suggested. I know it's time consuming to cook & cut fresh foods but they're are things you can do to cut down on time. Also you can try sprouting seeds to give to your guy as well. Sprouted seeds & Veggies with dark flesh like Yams, Dark Lettuce such as Mustard & Collard Greens, Romaine, Kale etc, Yellow Squash, Beets & Dark Berries

Here is a good article on pelleted diets.

www.africangreys.com/articles/nutrition/pellets.htm

best of luck with the changes mate. Don't get discouraged if they don't take to it right away. Keep at it and be persistant. They will come around sooner or later... hopefully sooner lol.

Justin.

[Sam]

thanks guys
i bought a vegie slicer to save time lol
goes in one end, comes out diced n sliced the other

[Mark]

We chop all our fruit and vedge in a Food processer as it faster than chopping food for 42 aviaries !!

It works a treat !!

[kim]

I guess it can depend on the species birds as well as the individual bird you're feeding them to. Some don't do well while others do better on pellets.

I fed my ekkie on pellets at one stage & nearly had a heart attack because he started toe tapping, so I removed the pellets.

Try pellets on your birds & watch them for any changes. Try & use species specific pellets so you get the balance of nutrients they each need. Majority of birds do very well on pellets & don't forget to keep offering fresh stuff too.

I also used to be anti pellets but have changed my mind.

V- slicers or veggies slicers make a HUGE difference! I use for my birds too.