What to feed your budgie?

Most people who get budgies for the first time start feeding them only grain crops. But the diet of birds should be varied: you need to include fruits, vegetables and even branches.

The second common mistake when feeding your pet is to give it human food, such as cheese or bread.

Which products can be included in your pet’s menu, and which ones to give up forever, we’ll look at in this article.

Grain mixtures

Cereals are the basic food for birds. This is the simplest answer to the question of what to feed your new friend.

Grains normalize the functioning of the digestive tract. Provide your pet with constant access to food.

You can purchase the grain mixture at a pet store or make it yourself. The food is available in transparent and opaque packaging. The advantage of the former is that you see the composition and quality.

In the second case, it is worth buying from trusted manufacturers. Beans must be sold in vacuum bags.

The best option is to make the mixture yourself. Optimal grain ratios (in percent):

yellow millet - 50;
red millet - 25;
white millet - 15;
peeled oats - 10.

You need to monitor the condition of the mixture. If it has aged, mold has appeared, or bugs have infested, you should not feed the parrot this.

Parrot does not eat fruit - causes of the problem

Many owners face this problem. Most often, the reason that a parrot does not eat fruit is incorrect maintenance, which leads to fear of everything new. Here are a couple of examples:

Large birds (like Grays, cockatoos, Amazons) are sold by resellers who illegally imported the birds into our country. Moreover, a bird can live with resellers for a very long time. What does a reseller need? Of course, to quickly sell live goods. In the meantime, the bird lives with him and feeds him at minimal cost. The cheapest and most nutritious food is seeds. This is what the reseller will offer. Over time, the bird gets used to the meager diet and no longer wants to eat anything else.
Medium and small parrots (budgies, cockatiels, lovebirds) are usually sold at markets (from the same resellers) or in pet stores, which are also interested in minimizing the cost of keeping birds, and, therefore, are fed with cheap dry grain mixture.

In particular, for the above reasons, the Kakadushka pet store does not sell birds, so as not to become like similar stores, but recommends contacting nurseries and breeders, where they are provided with proper care and maintenance.

The healthiest vegetables and fruits for a parrot

Budgerigars' favorite treats are vegetables and fruits. They contain vitamins, microelements and fiber that birds need. It is recommended to add these products to their menu all year round.

Cabbage. The main vegetable for a parrot in winter. It is stored for a long time and contains many useful microelements. Give the leaves raw, without the stalk. Broccoli, white cabbage or Chinese cabbage are allowed.
Carrot. Cut into small pieces or grate. Only fresh vegetables are used. Birds get vitamin C and beta-carotene from carrots. You can mix carrots with other vegetables.
Cucumbers. Helps other products be better absorbed. Quench thirst, contain vitamins E and microelements.
Tomatoes. In the summer season, be sure to include them in your poultry’s diet. Tomatoes contain vitamin B and ascorbic acid. Give pulp only from ripe fresh fruits. Unripe tomatoes are contraindicated for birds.
Beet. Contains a large amount of antioxidants. It, like cabbage, is given raw all year round. In addition to saturating the bird’s body with vitamins A and C, beets normalize digestion.

Zucchini is a storehouse of fiber. Be sure to serve it raw. Useful for proper bowel function.

From fruits and berries you can give your feathered pet:

bananas,
apples,
pears,
peaches,
pineapples,
kiwi,
citrus,
pomegranate,
cherry,
raspberries,
strawberries,
strawberries

In summer, your parrot can be fed melon and watermelon.

Fruits and berries must be peeled and pitted. Cut large fruits into pieces. In winter, dried fruits, such as raisins or dates, replace fresh ones.

Now let’s take a closer look at the vitamin and mineral composition of fruits:

Bananas are rich in potassium. Pets need this microelement just like people.
Apples contain many vitamins and enzymes that are beneficial for poultry. Eating these fruits normalizes the functioning of the digestive system. It is advisable to give them every day.
Pear contains pectin, carbohydrates, iron and phosphorus. Thanks to it, the pet’s body is saturated with minerals, energy, and the digestion process improves. When choosing, give preference to hard fruits.
Peaches improve digestion processes and contain copper and iron. These fruits are given to weakened birds to stimulate their appetite.
Pineapples strengthen the muscular and vascular systems. It is recommended to give it in canned form.
Give kiwi to your pets during the period of vitamin deficiencies (late autumn, winter, early spring). The fruit will strengthen the immune system and protect against diseases.
Pomegranates will ensure the healthy functioning of the budgie's cardiovascular system. The maximum daily intake reaches 1/6 of the fruit. A few grains are enough for a bird.
Oranges are recommended among citrus fruits: they contain carbohydrates, fiber, and antioxidants. Like kiwi, it's a great food to strengthen your immune system.

You should avoid persimmons, mangoes, papaya and avocados. Let’s look further into what harm they cause to birds.

Other

You can supplement the menu of your favorite pets with wheat, millet, and oats. If the question arises about whether it is possible to give a parrot a watermelon, then it is preferable to give one grown in a local melon at the end of summer. Parrots also love Chinese cabbage. It is not recommended to give celery.

The digestive system of parrots easily copes with the digestion of grains, young bark, herbs, and vegetables. By introducing foods that are allowed for them into the diet, the owner ensures good health and excellent mood.

NutritionHow long can a parrot live without food and water?

Herbs and greens

Some types of greens can be harmful to your pet's body. You should not give him parsley, dill and green onions. It is strictly forbidden to feed your budgie with tomato tops.

The benefits will be:

horse sorrel,
arugula,
celery,
plantain,
clover leaves.

Wild plants should not be collected near the roadway.

Do not allow the parrot to peck indoor plants and bouquets - they are toxic to the bird.

What products are prohibited?

There are some foods that should not be given to budgies, otherwise it can lead to illness or death of the bird.

These include:

Salt . Birds simply cannot process this spice, so even a small amount of salt can lead to dehydration and death.
Spices or herbs . They cause diseases and other health problems. Excessive consumption of any seasoning causes the instant death of the wavy.
Milk or dairy products . To digest milk, the body must have special enzymes that are absent in birds. Such products additionally contain a lot of fat. The only exception is low-fat cottage cheese.
Mushrooms . They negatively affect the digestive system of birds.
Chocolate products . They contain cocoa as well as large amounts of sugar. These components excite the nervous system of birds.
Potatoes, eggplants or radishes. They are difficult for birds to digest and also do not bring any benefit to the body.

It is necessary to tell all family members about the optimal diet in order to prevent a situation where a child or an elderly person feeds a bird with prohibited foods.

Tree branches - how to give?

If you have already had parrots, you probably know how much they love to “chew” everything. Therefore, it is worth placing branches of fruit trees in the cage. They will be both a toy and food.

Choose trees away from roads and industrial areas. Inspect the branches for resin.

After pruning, the branches are soaked in water for 4 hours, washed and doused with boiling water. Which plant branches can be given to a parrot?

apple trees,
birch trees
and you,
rowan,
viburnum,
sea buckthorn,
hazel.

You can also trim currant and raspberry bushes.

Who shouldn't

Owners of miniature dogs are wondering if Yorkies can eat watermelon.
Veterinarians respond with a categorical refusal. This berry can cause allergies in representatives of the breed, so it should be completely excluded from the menu. Additionally, sweet treats should not be offered to puppies until they are three months old. The digestive system of these crumbs has not yet formed, so the berry can cause diarrhea.

Watermelons are tasty, perfectly quench thirst, and therefore dogs often like them

Veterinarians note that they are allowed to be used for dog meals, but this should be done very carefully and in small portions

Sprouted sprouts

It is necessary to include sprouted grain in a parrot’s diet so that its body receives vitamins E and B2.

How to properly prepare sprouts at home?

Fill the bottom of a deep plate with grains, add water so that it covers them a little.
Every 4 hours, change the liquid and rinse the grains.
In a few days sprouts will appear. For a parrot, a shoot up to 2 mm in height is sufficient.
Before giving to the bird, the sprouts are dried.

Before the first moult, small chicks are given 1 tsp. sprouts 2 times a week. Then once a month.

Kiwi's benefit

This is a unique fruit due to its chemical composition. Rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, PP, minerals: zinc, iron, magnesium, manganese, sulfur, sodium, phosphorus, fluorine and others. Its structure contains organic and unsaturated acids, fiber, dietary fiber, starch, and antioxidants. Its use protects the body from many ailments and provides the necessary daily dose of vitamin C, which it contains more than citrus fruits.

Kiwi strengthens the immune system, increases protection against colds, strengthens the heart, serves as the prevention and treatment of hypertension, lowers cholesterol levels in the blood, improves digestion, removes kidney stones, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, and promotes weight loss. And this is not a complete list of the positive properties of this fruit.

Even the peel has beneficial properties. It contains many antioxidants and has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic effects. Therefore, it is recommended to consume the fruit entirely, do not peel or throw anything away. You can eat 2-3 fruits a day without harm to your health. People prone to allergies need to reduce the dose or stop using them.

Mineral supplements

The key to feeding a parrot is mineral supplements. For example, birds will benefit from feed chalk saturated with calcium. You need to buy special chalk for birds, because chalk intended for rodents can harm the health of the parrot. Other sources of minerals:

Combined mixtures. Those sold in pet stores contain a 70:30 ratio of shell rock to chalk. Manufacturers often add small amounts of eggshells and charcoal to them.
Stones. They come with iodine, iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium. These elements are responsible for the health of the skeleton and endocrine glands.
Sepia (cuttlefish shell). Rich in Na, K, Mg, P, which protect the beak from deformation. Give preference to sepia white with a slight yellow tint.
Organic sand. Consists of crushed shells. Promotes grinding of food in the crop.
Chicken egg shell. Due to the potassium content, it strengthens the skeleton and creates a protective layer of the shell when laying eggs.
Birch charcoal. A storehouse of calcium and iron. It will be a means of detoxification for the pet.

Large whole minerals are attached to the bars of the cage, and the mixture is poured into a plate.

Vegetable menu

Fresh vegetables are an integral part of a budgie's diet. Give what you need every day.

Let us explain what vegetables can be given to a budgie:

cabbage - white cabbage, broccoli, Peking cabbage and other types of this family. Everything contains a lot of all kinds of useful components. It is beneficial for the stomach when consumed, stimulates metabolism and easily cleanses the body of waste and toxins;
carrots – the root vegetable contains carotene, lysine, ascorbic and pantothenic acid. Promotes pet growth and good vision. One piece a day is enough;
pumpkin - in addition to its aesthetic qualities, has many useful components. The pulp is saturated with all kinds of vitamins, magnesium, potassium, iron. Removes toxins and excess cholesterol;
cucumber – a huge content of vitamin E. A rich community of minerals. Helps in the absorption of food and normalize metabolism;
beets - occupies a leading position in the presence of useful components. It has antioxidants and many other useful minerals necessary for the life of a budgie. Provides a wide range of benefits to improve the functioning of the body.
Tomato or tomato has obvious benefits for your pet; it is a powerful antioxidant. Is a source for the health of the parrot. Normalizes metabolism, prevents the appearance of fungal diseases.

Restoring water balance for a parrot

Water is an important element for all living things. When caring for your pet, make sure the water in the drinking bowl is clean and fresh.

Change the fluid every day. Its temperature should be 15-20 degrees. It is better to pour water in small portions.

However, water is not the only way for a parrot to rehydrate. There is another one - juicy fruits, vegetables and grass. He gets part of the necessary fluid from these products.

Periodically, to protect against fungal infection, the parrot is given water with 2-3 drops of lemon vinegar or lemon juice. This amount is calculated for 100 ml of liquid.

Juices are good for birds, but only when prepared at home. Prepare freshly squeezed juices from the list of permitted fruits and vegetables. They can be diluted with water.

Natural products spoil quickly - make sure that the juice does not ferment, otherwise it will harm your pet.

Soft food

Often, for better absorption of feed, wheat, oats and millet are pre-sprouted. At the same time, the vitamin composition of cereals also increases. You can give budgies boiled millet, brown rice, buckwheat, corn grits, oats, soybeans, lentils, beans, pearl barley, barley and other cereals. Porridges are cooked in water, without any additives. It is advisable not to overcook the grains so that the structure of the feed is crumbly. Sprouted and boiled cereals quickly deteriorate, so leaving such food in the feeder for a long time is not recommended.

Right choice

The first thing a parrot owner should pay attention to when buying fruit is the season. Birds are very sensitive to pesticides and chemicals, so they will either not eat fruits grown in a greenhouse at all, or they will simply be poisoned.

On supermarket shelves, products are often treated with special products that give them shine and shine. Despite their attractive appearance, such fruits are not recommended to be given to birds. So it’s worth looking at the naturalness of the look and the consistency of its consistency.

Fruits should not raise any suspicion about their quality. Freshness, ripeness, absence of mold and rot are prerequisites for quality nutrition. It is worth looking at 6-7 fruits to understand the quality of the batch.

Can birds eat clay?

Budgerigars should always be provided with enough clay for their needs, as clay absorbs all toxins and removes them from the body. Despite the high level of development of medicine, the role of clay in metabolism has not yet been established.

Budgerigars living outside the wild and experiencing a clay deficiency may subsequently produce offspring suffering from rickets. There are a large number of assumptions about why birds in the wild try to extract clay for themselves in their favorite ways, so it is better to take this as a given, which is beyond doubt.

There is a myth that is very common among bird owners that fruit seeds are a source of toxic effects on the bird’s body. The seeds contain a huge amount of fat and protein, which is already an ideal platform for the development and reproduction of mold fungi. Therefore, first of all, you need to adhere to the rules for storing such products. They should be stored in a dry, cool and dark place.

Before giving the seeds to parrots, you should break a few grains to make sure that the product has not spoiled. Every summer you should make supplies for the winter; you do not need to store such a product for more than 12 months.

Berry expanse

If you ask yourself whether parrots can eat berries and what kind, the answer will be: almost everything. In summer, the following are ideal ways to diversify the bird menu:

Watermelon has a laxative effect. chokeberry (chokeberry),
hawthorn,
cowberry,
cherry,
blackberry,
strawberries,
strawberry,
gooseberry,
raspberries,
sea buckthorn,
Rowan,
currant,
blueberry,
rose hip.

The restrictions apply only to viburnum, which should not be given to feathered pets with kidney problems.

In winter, you can also give the wavy birds a berry treat if you prepare the berries for future use by freezing or drying. Frozen fruits should be completely defrosted before serving, and dry fruits should be steamed or soaked in hot water.

The largest berry is watermelon. Like other melons, it is extremely nutritious, but as for the bird menu, there is a caveat: it is not recommended to give it to your pets a lot, since it has a laxative effect.

What's prohibited

The curiosity of budgerigars sometimes backfires on their owners, so you need to keep an eye on what the pet pecks.

Ornithologists categorically prohibit feeding parrots from the common table, because... Human food is very poorly tolerated by birds and can cause irreparable damage.

Do you give your parrot fruit?

Yes No
The following are contraindicated for a feathered pet:

papaya;
mango;
pomelo;
persimmon;
avocado.

These fruits are picked while still unripe, and they reach their ripeness only in the carrier’s car. In addition, their juice is rich in glycosides, papin and various alkaloids, which are poison for parrots.

Birds are not against dried fruits, but they can only be given after preliminary soaking . At the same time, all types of candied delicacies are contraindicated, but you can offer the bird dried fruits (raisins, prunes, dried apricots) pre-steamed with boiling water.