this has been printed in budgeriger world as i know some people here feed their birds pellets and you can discuss bewtween yourselves this was in a presen tation given in las vegas to the wbo by david n.phalen,DVM,PHD,DIPL,ABVP (AVIAN)associate professor small animal clinical sciences and the schubot exotic bird health center,texas a&m university,collage station,texas

 

 

A moderately common problem seen in budgerigars and some other species of birds is calcium deposition in the kidney resulting in kidney failure. The cause of this disease has been hypothesized to be either excess calcium or vitamin D3 in the diet. To determine the cause of this disease, groups of budgerigars were fed diets containing various concentrations of calcium and vitamin D3 and allowed to breed. Results of this study showed that budgerigars need less dietary calcium (0.3%) than most other species for growth and egg laying. When dietary calcium concentrations reached 0.7%, mild calcium deposition occurred in nestlings and adults. When calcium concentrations reached 1.5%, death occurred in chicks and adult birds. All seed diets containing less than 0.3% calcium resulted in weak bones in laying hens and their eggs did not hatch. Vitamin D3 concentrations ranging from 500 to 3,300 International Units of vitamin D3 per kilogram of diet did not cause calcium deposition in the kidney as long as diet did not contain more than 0.3% calcium.

 

This research is important because it shows that budgerigars can only tolerate a narrow range of calcium in their diet. Calcium concentrations in seeds are insufficient, but calcium concentrations found in most pelleted diets will be too high and could be toxic. Therefore, it is necessary to supplement seed diets with some form of calcium, e.g., cuttlebone and if you are going to feed pellets, they should be no more than 25% of what a budgerigar eats. This research also shows that budgerigars can tolerate a wide range of vitamin D3 concentrations in the diet without problems.

 

Calcium concentrations in seeds are insufficient, but calcium concentrations found in most pelleted diets will be too high and could be toxic.

and if you are going to feed pellets, they should be no more than 25% of what a budgerigar eats.

 

it was these two statements i found interesting

Edited May 11, 200619 yr by hath

WOW, interesting. i couldnt convert all my budgies over, but coco eat pellets

As with all foods, nothing should be considered a "complete diet." All seeds are insufficient, all pellets are insufficient. The best we can do is provide as much variety as possible. It's tough feeding birds!

Thanks Hath, I read something similar here in Australia. Here is a post regarding this.

Edited May 12, 200619 yr by daz

Very educational. Thanks Hath :ausb: