Food For Birds

What is the best bird food to give to your pet?

Birds are one of the most common pets all over the world. Both children and adults love these colorful and friendly creatures livening up the home with their happy chirping. Parrots and parakeets are one of the most common varieties of pet birds though finches, canaries and cockatiels are also prized. When you buy your feathered friend, you should understand the type of bird food that you can give your pet.

Well chosen and balanced bird food keeps your pet healthy and happy. They will live a long disease free life and will be active and fun. So, it is necessary to get the right bird food.

Find the best bird food and feeders to keep them healthy all year round.

Common bird food for parakeet, parrots and finches

Since parrots, parakeets and finches are the most common types of pet birds; you should know the details about the parakeet food and food for finches before you decide to adopt one.

·         Seeds and fruits of different types make up the natural diet of parakeet and finches.

·         You can use natural seed mix as parakeet food. However, your bird is likely to pick and choose the seed that he likes best and ignore the others. This will create a nutritional imbalance which is likely to affect his health.

·         There are specially formulated pellets sold as parakeet food in the market. These pellets contain a balanced quantity of the nutrients and vitamins that your bird will need. So, it is recommended that 80% of the parakeet food should consist of the high quality pellets. The rest can consist of seed mixes and treats.

·         Food for finches is also available in pellet form and they offer a balanced diet. Be sure to choose the ones made especially for finches.

·         Another food for finches that you can make at home is to grind a boiled egg (with shells) and mix it with boiled veggies and fruits. These should be cut in very small pieces.

·         If you are using a seed mix for your bird food, check that the proportion of sunflower seeds is not too high. Birds love them, but they are high in fat and not good in excessive quantities.

Choosing bird food and treats

It is a great idea to choose an item which will serve both as bird food and treat. So, it will be healthy and nutritious and your bird will love it too. Here are some suggestions:

·         Fresh fruits and veggies make great bird food and treat. They will provide vitamins and minerals and the birds love the taste.

·         Bans are another good choice, but you should always boil them.

·         The most well known treat for parrots is the chili peppers. They may be too hot for you but your parrot will love to snack on it.

·         Nuts are also good treats for parrots but you should use them sparingly because they contain a lot of fat.

·         Other common bird food and treats include sprouts, grains, wholegrain bread, pasta and popcorn.