I went to the vet a while ago for one of my birds and the vet asked me what I was feeding them... I told her seed, vegies, cuttlefish and sometimes some grit. The vet told me that an all seed diet can cause the birds to get fat as they pick out thier favourite seeds which are usually the fatty ones so she suggested that I should start to introduce an all Pellet diet and only give my birds seeds sometimes and as a snack. Should I feed them an all Pellet diet or should I just feed them a seed and pellet diet?

:ygbudgie: A personal choice that nobody can answer and very controversial. Some bird owners SWEAR by pellets but hello, budgies have been around for many, many years and pellets are a processed food that just got introduced within the last 10 years. I use pellets mixed with my treat foods and in most cases, successful so I feel good about that. Better that you try and give them more fresh vegetables and little bits of fruit but let us see what everybody else says!!! :bluebudgie:

I went to the vet a while ago for one of my birds and the vet asked me what I was feeding them... I told her seed, vegies, cuttlefish and sometimes some grit. The vet told me that an all seed diet can cause the birds to get fat as they pick out thier favourite seeds which are usually the fatty ones so she suggested that I should start to introduce an all Pellet diet and only give my birds seeds sometimes and as a snack. Should I feed them an all Pellet diet or should I just feed them a seed and pellet diet?

 

This issue is one of those which will get many different opinions. My birds don't get pellets, and have never done so. I personally believe that 'wild' birds don't get pellets and that's why I don't feed mine them. Although wild birds do get more exercise, my avairy birds have plenty of room to fly around. I always offer them plenty of food alternatives and they seem pretty healthy to me. It's totally up to you what you decide to do, this is just what 'I' do. Are your birds overweight? Is this why the vet asked you about their diet? If I were you, I'd listen to all of the advice... avain vet, members here etc... and then make you own decision based on what YOU think is best for your birds. :bluebudgie:

I agree with the others it's a personal choice :bluebudgie:

 

I personally don't use pellets, not for any reason though. I have never really thought about changing from seed and fresh foods

Edited February 19, 200817 yr by **Liv**

as the other poster's have mentioned, it is a personal choice.

l feed my budgies a seed, pellet, fruit and veggies diet. they are still getting adjusted to the pellets. l take away there seeds for awhile in the afternoon and offer them pellets, then in the evening l offer them there seeds and l leave there seeds in their cage till the next aternoon.

I've also never fed pellets, and don't feel the need to. My birds aren't over weight... so i'm not sure about the all seed diet causing this... It's not i'm against pellets, it's i find seed more readily avaliable to me and I don't feel my birds would overly like it.. :bluebudgie: so for me the choice to change or not is already made i'll stick with seed

BUT like everyone else has said... the choice is YOURS and only yours

Never know, oneday maybe i'll try some pellets, and they'll suprisingly like them... but for now... seeds and fresh foods from my choice

Good luck in your decision!

Thanks all, and no, my birds are not over weight :bluebudgie:.

Thanks all, and no, my birds are not over weight :bluebudgie: .

 

 

I'd be inclined to leave their diet as it is... but again, it's up to you!

I dont and never will feed my birds pellets. Just me...but I believe in as natural as possible a diet for my birds. They get seeds they need to hull and they get natural branches and leaves, hibiscus and all kinds of green and other vegies. I think your vet should have explained more fully as that statement can be prone to misinterpetation. Maybe a bird in a cage with little exercise, only seed and no vegies would be prone to get fat. Lets face it, a bird in the wild can move around to choose its food. It can also face droughts and death on a daily basis. It abandons its nest, eggs and babies to move onto better feeding areas. There is an abundance of natures medicines in all the bush branches and leaves, and seeds that it eats. We must try and give them variety of natural foods and less or zero of the processed ones.

Just like a luncheon meat here called POLONY ( also known as bolony, fritz, german etc ).....is highly processed so we cannot see the horrible concoction of offal type meats, flavourings and colour additives that go into its production....so is pellets as highly processed item. I do not agree with highly processed substitutes on a personal level.....my own reasoning here.

Just as pharmacists and doctors promote certain medicines and treatment and recieve benefits from those promotions, I believe vets are the same way. I worked in a vets and saw some such promotions also.

Before I would go feeding my birds any processed or coloured product "made from seed" and whatever....I would carefully examine the ingredients. I would research all ingredients and go a little further as there is more than meets the eye on more than one issue.

Also there is cost. Pellets are not one of those cheaper bird foods. For me, that is only a small part. If I truly felt it was better and right for the birds...they would be getting it. My birds cost more to feed than we do. And I buy the best quality seed I can, no matter the price.

A bird is designed and conditioned to hull its own seed. A pellet does not require that meaning a bird modifies its natural instincts and habits to eat them...if it does eat them.

In the past, I have fed pellets to my fledglings and tried with others, but on close insepction I find they are "playing with" the pellets and not actually eating them. A waste of money in the end. So, I dont.

Your choice...these are just my opinions and findings

Edited February 19, 200817 yr by KAZ

Wow, Thanks Kaz , Thanks all .

Moderation is always good. We really don't know what budgies pick up and eat in the wild very much because they are nomadic. In our FAQ's we discuss a good balanced diet which consists of % of seed, pellets, veggies, fruits etc... I do know my avian vet spoke very highly of pellets because pellets can offer other nutrition that seed can not. I suggest you compile your information and do what you feel is best. If they are eating a well balanced diet and veggies & fruits and other foods are in their diet along with a small amount of seed that is excellent.

Edited February 19, 200817 yr by Elly

If you feed an all pellet diet and your birds dont get any excersize they too will get fat , its obvious eat dont exercise put on weight , so excersize is as important whether you feed pellet or seed.

correct your birds will get fat no matter what you feed them if you don't give them flight time to exercise or if they are clipped outside time where they can climb and jump from different objects that is why it is important to place perches and objects in a cage correctly so it prompts them to move around more in their cage too when they can't get out of the cage time.

If you feed an all pellet diet and your birds dont get any excersize they too will get fat , its obvious eat dont exercise put on weight , so excersize is as important whether you feed pellet or seed.

correct your birds will get fat no matter what you feed them if you don't give them flight time to exercise or if they are clipped outside time where they can climb and jump from different objects that is why it is important to place perches and objects in a cage correctly so it prompts them to move around more in their cage too when they can't get out of the cage time.

yes that is true.

since my budgies are kept inside, l let my birds out all day when l can, l try to let them out for at least 6 hours every day. other wise my little ones would gain weight on their diet.

Edited February 19, 200817 yr by birdluv
sp error.

I dont believe in pellets I feed them a seed mixture & my birds eat all the food I give them, Carrots, Apples, Eucalyptus branchs, Wild grass, Bottle brush, Brocolli & Spinach. They go crazy over this

Thank you :sad:.