I was wondering if anyone would be able to tell me what foods might help a budgie put on a little bit more weight. My babies are currently on a pellet diet with fruit/vegies daily and seed as a twice weekly treat.

 

I have recently found out that my 4yo girl is actually almost 10yo. She's starting to age gracefully ) but getting a little lighter. I also have a 7month old (I got him not realising my girl was so old). He's a very healthy weight though and keeps her on her toes.

 

Any help would be fantastic

 

Put them back on seed the real food of the budgerigar

Edited April 3, 200817 yr by KAZ

I was thinking I should give them seed more often. Is there any one in particular that would be best??

Might I ask why seed is a treat instead of their daily food ?

Old birds doo thin out ( with my exerience any way) and Why are you birds given seed twice a week ..... Should be given everyday and sometimes filled up twice a day .... Canary seed is a good one for youngens ....

Maybe some Budgie aid ( just found out about that stuff drom Dazz and TB)

interesting....why did you think she is so young...

 

bad indigo always forgets to give her budgies fruit and veges!!

Petie is FAT!!

With regard to pellets.....I will remain to be unconvinced that a mushy substance ...a concoction of primarily man made things........made into a mush and extruded through machinery to form pellets ........unconvinced....that this is good for budgies. A natural diet of seeds, and fruits and vegies, natural bush branches and leaves and gumnuts should be enough to keep the average budgie healthy. Mine have never been healthier.

I also tried pellets and found they play with them more than ingest them.....and also a budgie is conditioned to hulling its seeds. Pellets means they must retrain the way they eat.

My opinion is its all promotional sales by the companies and kickbacks to the vets who promote them

 

JUST MY VIEWS......................

 

ON THE TOPIC OF PELLETS

 

Let's talk about the additives in pellets.

 

Ethoxyquin: Is listed and identified as a harsh hazardous chemical by OSHA. It was originally used to preserve rubber. This is not allowed in human food and some feel it is not a chemical that they want in their bird food. The FDA has asked manufacturers for voluntary reduction in its use in pet foods and is in the process of deciding whether or not to ban the use of it altogether. Bird’s bodies can not get rid of it like a dog or cat and it then builds up and causes problems. Ethoxyquin promotes kidney carcinogenesis, significantly increases the incidence of stomach tumors, enhanced bladder carcinogenesis and urinary bladder carcinogenesis. Cancers of this type are the most lethal and fastest acting, the swiftest effects being seen among animals.

 

Artificial Colors: Most people are aware of toxic side effects of artificial colors and flavors from coal tar derivatives such as Red #40, a possible carcinogen, and Yellow #6, which causes sensitivity to fatal viruses in animals. Artificial colors DO cause yellow feather discoloration in Eclectus.

 

BHT/BHA: These petroleum products are used to stabilize fats in foods. In the process of metabolizing BHA and BHT, chemical changes occur in the body. These changes have caused reduced growth rates and they inhibit white blood cell stimulation. In pets, they can exhibit reactions such as skin blisters, hemorrhaging of the eye, weakness, discomfort in breathing, a reduction of the body's own antioxidant enzyme, glutathione peroxidase and may cause cancer. According to Dr. Wendell Belfield, DVM, a practicing vet for some 26 years, both BHA and BHT are known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction and are banned in some European countries.

 

Propylene Glycol: Used as a de-icing fluid for airplanes, this chemical is added to food and skin products to maintain texture and moisture as well as inhibiting bacteria growth in products. It also inhibits the growth of friendly bacteria in the digestive system by decreasing the amount of moisture in the intestinal tract leading to constipation and cancer. It can affect the liver and kidneys and causes the destruction of red blood cells.

 

Salt: Added as a preservative, salt can irritate the stomach lining, cause increased thirst and aggravate heart and kidney problems through fluid retention.

 

Sodium Nitrite: Used in the curing of meats, this substance participates in a chemical reaction in the body that becomes carcinogenic. It is used also in pet foods to add color.

 

Sugar and other Sweeteners: The most common sweeteners in pet/bird foods are beet sugar, corn sugar, molasses and sucrose. They are used as preservatives and have the side effect of creating sugar addicts in pets. They require almost no digestion and are rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. These will provide sugar highs (just as humans experience) and subsequent lows (moodiness), inhibit the proper growth of friendly intestinal bacteria and they virtually shut down the digestive system while being processed. Sugar can also contribute to diabetes and hypoglycemia, cataract development, obesity and arthritis.

 

Go to your cupboard and get your pellets out and find out how many of these additives are in the brand you buy. If there is something else on the ingredients list and you don't know what it is, FIND OUT.

 

Here is some that is NOT what a bird would get natually in regular foods and these things build up in the birds system over time and cause harm to your bird,

Ferrous Carbonate, Cobalt Carbonate, Folic Acid, Artificial Colors, Copper Oxide, Propionic Acid (a preservative), Ethoxyquin (a preservative), Sodium with anything attached to the name in front or back is also one as sodium is a form of salt, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride large doses may cause gastro-intestinal upset and chronic administration of large dosages has been associated with adverse neurological effects.

 

Do your research or ask questions of someone who can find out for you. Did you see the natural ingredients on your pellet ingredients list? Why not feed those items in their fresh, natural state instead?

 

How do YOUR pellets stack up?

(This list may need updating...check labels!)

 

Abba = ethoxyquin, artificial color, artificial flavor

Avian Special Needs = fish solubles, mineral oil

Avi-Sci =ethoxyquin

Breeders Blend=artificial flavors, salt

Hagen =salt

Harrison's = salt

Kaytee =ethoxyquin, artificial color, salt, BHT or BHA

Kellogg =ethoxyquin, artificial flavor, salt

Lafeber Pellets=ethoxyquin

Lefeber Nutriberries=ethoxyquin, propylene glycol

L&M Pellets=ethoxyquin, artificial color, artificial flavor

Pretty Bird Pellets=ethoxyquin, artificial flavor, salt, added sugar, BHT or BHA

Roudybush Pellets=ethoxyquin

Scenic=salt

ZuPreem=artificial flavor, BHT or BHA

 

Additional information:-

'Pellets, on the other hand, are not part of a bird's natural diet. Additionally, it is very easy for a grain miller to add poor quality grains, including those that are moldy, dirty, and insect infested, into a pellet mix.

Once everything was ground up and pressed together, who would know?

The purchaser also has no idea if the quality control is in place. Too much or too little supplementation can be added by a careless mixer and you won't know until your birds start dropping dead or getting ill.

 

The fat in a pellet mix is more likely to be rancid than the fat contained in fresh unhulled seeds. It is much more difficult to hide poor seed quality. If the seeds are dirty or if they are moldy, you can reject them. You don't have to feed them to your birds.

With pellets, you can only hope for the best. There's no telling what they contain.

If you feel a need to add supplements to a natural diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, and seeds, you can tailor the amount and kind of supplement to the needs of your bird. When you feed pellets, you are stuck with what has been added by the manufacturer.''

 

****Protein levels in pellets are usually to high for some cockatiels to handle and can result in renal disease and gout for this breed of bird and some other breeds as well.

Iron toxicity and vitamin D toxicity have both been connected with feeding of pellets also, these problems have just started to have started surface with in the last couple of years.

 

We do not hear often enough concerning young parrots weaned to pellets with not the proper amount of some nutrients have resulted in perosis or more commonly know as a twisting of leg bones.

Low levels of choline in the pelleted manufactured diet can be the cause of this.

Edited April 12, 200817 yr by KAZ

Sorry the birds are having crumble, not pellets. This is the site in which I order it from. I only give them seed a few days a week seeing as when she went to see her avian vet they suggest that the crumble would be best and seed should be a treat. When I do give them seed they either get seed bells or a dush full of Trill seed. http://www.myparrotshop.com.au/parrot-food...g/prod_325.html

Seed bells are bad for them....if they arent stuck together with honey its glue.

Like I said...seed is the natural diet of a budgie plus extras in the form of vegies and fruit and natural branches and leaves.

Crumbles or pellets....same thing....same ingredients as each other.

I think a lot of vets are promoting pellets as they assume most people just do seed and water and nothing else.

 

 

QUOTE.....

http://www.parrotparrot.com/articles/aa082200.htm

A number of reports from aviaries have suggested that pelleted diets do not improve the health of birds, but can actually create problems. Some breeders have reported an increased incidence of tumors, kidney problems and even kidney failure, and a variety of other health issues affecting their flocks. These reports have come from breeders of such birds as budgerigars, lovebirds, and eclectus parrots, species that come from very different environments and most likely have different dietary needs based on their geographical heritage. While I will admit reports from breeders are not scientific studies, they do warrant further investigation. Long-term studies of the effects of a largely pelleted diet on specific species have not been done. Therefore, overreliance on pellets as the sole source of nutrition seems premature. For example, what are the effects of feeding a pellet that contains ethoxyquin to an amazon parrot for 40-plus years?

Edited April 3, 200817 yr by KAZ

they get the trill seed treats because they are the obly brand that have a sticker on them saying "does not include glue" are these still bad??? They get fresh fruit or veg daily so I don't need to worry about that. I just get confused when some people say lay off the seed and then the other half say lay of the crumble. Did you look at the site? Do you still think it's bad?? I just took thier word for it seeing as I was told by an avian vet. Sorry to be a pain (Laughing out loud)

I think you will find....most of us Australian members go for the seed is best philosophy

 

while a lot of our overseas members go for the pellets is best philosophy

 

Like I said...for me....natural is best. The way I look at it...I didnt raise my kids on a diet of highly processed polony ( meat ground to a paste and set with gelatine and sliced ) ..........and the pellets to me is the same thing. Highly processed food that changes the way a budgie eats.

Others will disagree....but those are my thoughts and 300 healthy budgies attest to that.

Edited April 3, 200817 yr by KAZ

okay .... WOW ..... INTENSE .....

 

Kas is spot on mate Seed in a bell or disc is Full of Honey which is SUGAR or Glue .... An Avian Vet told you not to give seed??????? That is strange .... If you feed your birds the proper diet they will not only live longer, they will be healthier and happier ..... Fresh Fruit and Veg plenty of Greens , A good budgie mix seed Daily fresh water daily Cuttlebone for Beak and calcium and mineral block for essential minerals..... You can't go wrong

I think I'll put them back on seed daily, I prefer their droppings when they're on seed. Is there anything else that would help Charlie put on a little bit more weight?

I think I'll put them back on seed daily, I prefer their droppings when they're on seed. Is there anything else that would help Charlie put on a little bit more weight?

Add a few more hulled oats or sunflower seeds in with his budgie seed for some weight gain I would hazzard a guess the pellets are why he is thin.

Edited April 3, 200817 yr by KAZ

Add a bit of millet once a week too ..... Do they get exercise???? Flights

Thanks so much. They do have cuttlebones, mineral blocks, natural branches, all that stuff, I was just confused about the crumble/seed thing. They will be back on a seed diet as of tomorrow morning (they're asleep now and I don't want to wake them (Laughing out loud)) and no more seed treats. I'll get some sunflower seeds tomorrow. Thanks again, it's really really appreciated

yes they do get exercise, every available chance

Andera you may find posted on the Net that Pellet are best and that All seed diets are fattening, cause obesity , and can cause vitamin deficiencies.

 

This isn't true ......... A birds natural environment is Grasses , grass seed, plantation ......

Thanks for saying that, makes me feel better about putting them back on a seed diet. My previous budgie Joel was on an all seed diet (apart from fruit and veg obvioulsy) for the 10 years I had him until he was put to sleep due to cancer last August. Chalie was also on an all seed diet with Joel until he passed. She was then taken taken to the vet for a check up after he died and that's when it was suggested to change her diet, so out of the 4 years I've had her she's only been on crumble since august last year. Henry also.

an overseas voice to be added to Kaz (whom I agree with!)... although some vets say to use pellets/crumble, most breeders in the US also use seed diets, myself included. I do admit to having all-natural pellets (as if pellets could be called natural.. :hap: ) in a small dish in the aviary only, but I can honestly say that most of the birds ignore it anyways or just play with it.

 

Best thing you can do is switch them to seed diet with fresh veggies/fruit daily. Better for their health, better vitamins and nutrients.. and truely natural to the birds eatting in the wild. Kaz is spot on.

Hey, millet seed and oats are what I gave my old man to put the weight on him, he loves his oats so much that when I put them in the cage with him he clambers all over me to get to them. Also set the cage up so he does not need to fly anywhere he can hop, walk or shimmy all the way around the cage which equal less exercise and more time for fattening up! (he is eight by the way and shares his cage with three younger birds all under a year and loves bossing them around)

 

As for seed bells they can cause nose/cere bleeds due to the glue, Flame gets them. I use to use trill as well for the "no glue" sticker but she starts bleeding after eating them so I make my own now, there are a few recipes on the board as to how to make them and really not that hard and a *** of a lot cheaper. You can also put veggie in the sticks/bells that you make which is good for the birds.

 

I was told to add pellets to Harleys diet as he was getting on in year but he will not have anything to do with pellets so I don't feed them.

 

Hope this helps, by the way your babies are very cute

So sorry, my monitor blew up last week so I've been without a computer until now!! Thank you so much for all the help. The babies are back on a seed diet with their daily fruit/vegies. No more store seed treats, I have printed out one of Kaz's recipes and they love them!!!!

 

(thanks for saying they're cute by the way)

Great news about your Budgies... and sorry about your computer. I'm glad you've got a new one.