Please help me with the whole pellet.....seed thing.

I know this is a touchy subject as some are very passionate about their beliefs on what is the best diet for a parakeet.

I have found a very tame 4 month old that is on a pellet diet. This breeder said that she does not recommend seed and pellet is much healthier. She said he loves his pellets.

The bird looks very healthy and is in very sanitary conditions.

 

NOW......I have read and read on here and other sites and I am so confused as to what to do. I am such a stickler on pets and the best food and diet to give them a long healthy life. Now if it was a dog I could help anyone with that as I have owned dogs all my life but a Parakeet is new to me.

 

I know I have read that an all pellet diet can lead to liver failure. An all seed diet is not healthy either. Then I read this from a website and it says 50% cooked beans wheat bread...well here it is:

50% cooked beans, whole wheat bread, cooked rice, pasta, and seed

45% fresh broccoli, carrots, yams, spinach, dandelion greens, other green/orange fruits and veggies

5% eggs, tuna packed in water, well cooked meat

 

SOMEONE HELP ME OR CALGON TAKE ME AWAY!!!

Hi and welcome. Have a search on this site, I think in FAQ, there is a topic on nutrition. Basically, a mix of pellets, seeds and lots of fresh foods is best. Just like with people, variety is the spice of life

Welcome LittleBirdie. Unfortunately, it's harder to find budgie-specific info. :rip: I've read some of the same percentages about pellets and seed as you have. Each species of bird probably has different nutritional requirements, and I don't see how one type of food could possibly contain everything in the proper ratio that any given bird needs. That's just me. I certainly don't know what the ideal budgie diet is, but I believe the more variety you can give, the better. Mine get a cooked diet (grains, veggies) every morning. They have access to a pellet mixture 24/7. Most days I add dry eggfood to it. In the afternoon/evening they get sprouted seeds and raw veggies like baby carrots, broccoli, baby spinach leaves, green pepper, kale - whatever I have in the house. Sometimes I add a cooked veggie mix. They also get wheatgrass to eat or play in almost daily. Most nights I hand-feed them organic seeds, but they don't always get seeds every day. Most days, yes, but not every. Occassionally I will give them fresh fruits, but they are not too keen on sweet stuff so don't eat much. I also give millet as a treat once or twice a week. I have no idea what percentage of each they eat, and I'm sure it could probably be better, but there it is. I'm aiming for about 20% pellets, 20% seeds (sprouted and regular) and the rest fresh or cooked foods. I think if you can get your bird used to as many different types and textures of foods as possible you will have a good basis for healthy eating. Do a search on the site, as Lin suggested, and also check with your avian vet. He or she would be a good source of information too.