Avian Diet
A
seed junkie is a caged bird that eats only seeds and nuts, steadfastly refusing
all other foods offered. Unfortunately, such an exclusive diet guarantees ill
health and a greatly shortened life expectancy for these pet birds. Why do caged
birds become so easily hooked on seeds (primarily sunflower and safflower) and
nuts (peanuts most notably) when these foods are rarely part of their diet in
the wild? The answer has two parts.
The
first part concerns the wide availability, popularity and relative feeding
convenience (including lack of perishability) of seed/nut mixtures, most often
called parrot mixes. The second part concerns the relatively high fat content of
these food items. For years, there has been speculation that sunflower seeds
contain some addictive property. Recent research at the University of California
at Davis has revealed that the relatively high fat (oil) content of these foods
produces an energy rush or high similar to the sugar rushes from consuming junk
foods containing lots of sugar.
Parrots,
given the opportunity, preferentially eat these high-fat foods. When deprived of
them, they exhibit profound depression and a craving for the seeds. This almost
addictive quality of seeds certainly contributes to the huge number of seed
junkies currently being kept as pet birds.
Caged
birds should be fed a wide variety of high-quality foodstuffs. Seeds and nuts in
the diet must be restricted to maximize optimal health and prevent disease.
Unfortunately, just because we offer a veritable smorgasbord every day to our
pet birds, this is no guarantee that they will consume the foods. Furthermore,
there is certainly no guarantee that our birds will consume food items in the
proper dietary proportions.
Caged
birds tend to select their foods according to habit (what they are accustomed to
eating) and the appearance of the foods offered. If the food item is unfamiliar
(or, worse yet, perceived as threatening by the bird), it will not attempt to
eat it. Birds must become familiar with a food before any experimentation is
likely. Visual and tactile (touch and feel) familiarity seems to be important.
Diet
changes should never be attempted with sick birds or with those suffering from
multiple stresses (change of environment, introduction of a new cage mate,
exposure to temperature extremes, etc.) because forcing a bird to experiment
with unfamiliar foods produces a fair amount of stress by itself.
Many
larger caged birds developed very poor eating habits (dependence on seeds)
during holding and quarantine before purchase. Seeds may have been the only or
predominant food offered during these periods.
Birds,
like people, can become easily habituated in their feeding behavior and diet.
Birds must gain substantial familiarity with a given food item before they will
attempt to eat it. However, it is usually not sufficient to offer what the bird
prefers (seeds) along with new food items. It is unlikely that the bird will
completely ignore its particular preferences in favor of the new foods.
How
the new food items are presented can make a big difference to your bird. Carrots
are a particularly good dietary source of vitamin A and are, therefore, high on
the list of recommended foods for caged birds. We will use this food item to
illustrate a point. Your bird may be frightened, or at least suspicious, of a
whole carrot or carrot stick because of that food's size and shape, but the bird
might be more willing to sample grated carrot or carrot peelings. Your bird may
actually prefer eating cooked to raw carrots because of the change in texture
produced by the cooking. Sometimes, presenting a given food item in an entirely
different form hastens its consumption. For example, your bird might willingly
accept carrot cake even though it has steadfastly refused carrot in all of the
other variations. Be prepared to take many weeks, months or even a year or more
for your bird to totally accept food items other than seeds and nuts.
Another
method of encouraging experimentation with other foods involves restricting the
amount of seeds offered every day. Estimate the quantity of seeds that your bird
will consume without any restriction in a 24-hour period as accurately as
possible, and then offer only half of this estimated amount each day. This
ensures that your bird will not starve but should still be hungry enough to
begin to experiment with the table food items you have offered.
Mixing
unfamiliar food items directly with the seeds sometimes fosters gradual
acceptance and sampling of them. In other cases, caged birds totally ignore even
the seeds and refuse to eat anything for days {a dangerous situation).
The
seeds preferred by your pet bird can be sprouted and offered in this form. The
advantage of this strategy is that sprouted seeds have a lower oil content, and
feeding them assists the seed junkie in making the transition from seeds to more
fleshy foods, such as vegetables and fruit.
Seeds
can be sprouted within a plastic wrap-covered cake pan. First, the seeds to be
sprouted should be soaked in water overnight. Next, the bottom of the cake pan
is covered with wet paper towels, after which a single layer of soaked seeds is
placed on top of them. Plastic wrap is then tightly fitted over the top of the
pan and a few holes are created in the covering. The pan is then placed in a
warm environment and the paper towels are checked and remoistened daily. If the
seed is of good quality, sprouts should be forthcoming within 2-5 days. They
should be rinsed several times in cold water and stored in the refrigerator to
prevent bacterial and fungal contamination.
Some
birds may be more agreeable to trying new foods if they see their owners eating
the food. Therefore, bringing your bird to the dinner table may be a rewarding
ploy. Hand feeding new food items may also help your bird to accept new and
unfamiliar foods. Don't feed your bird from your mouth because the normal
bacteria flora in our mouths may be harmful to caged birds.
Another
usually successful strategy involves getting a reluctant bird to first
unconditionally accept and consume a particular soft food, such as baby cereal,
oatmeal, cream of wheat, or strained baby food (fruit, vegetables). A powdered
vitamin/mineral/amino acid supplement, such as Nekton-S (Nekton Products, W.
Germany) can then be mixed into this food to immediately improve the bird's
nutritional status. Once the bird is readily eating this food, begin to mix
unfamiliar or untried foods into the soft food. Continue this until the bird
begins to accept a wide variety of food items, whether or not they are presented
within the soft food itself.
It
may be helpful to introduce new foods by placing them below a mirror or adjacent
to a favorite toy within the bird's cage. Some birds are more willing to accept
new foods if fed outside of their cage in a favorite area.
Another
method for encouraging seed junkies to accept and eat other foods is to remove
most, but not all, of the 1-2 types of seeds your bird most prefers. An
alternative method involves removing the preferred seeds at night and not
replacing them in the morning. They are then added into the food cup later in
the day only if your bird refuses to eat any of the other foods available. This
process is repeated day after day.
Interval
feeding is another way to encourage acceptance of new foods by your bird.
Instead of leaving food in the cage 24 hours each day, offer a greatly
restricted amount of seeds along with a large variety of table food items for
just 20-30 minutes, three times a day. After this period, all of the uneaten
food is removed. The water dish remains in the cage at all times and should be
replenished as needed.
Interval
feeding may very well become the way of the future for the great majority of pet
birds. Given the opportunity, birds will overeat, just like many people do. The
larger caged birds (parrots, cockatoos, macaws) live many years (potentially as
long as 60-70 years plus). Unfortunately, their lives are considerably more
sedentary than those of their counterparts in the wild. This relative
inactivity, combined with boredom and the opportunity to eat any time of the
day, inevitably results in overeating and obesity. This is yet another reason to
greatly restrict the intake of seeds and nuts in the diets of caged birds. These
food items are especially rich in fats and oils.
When
all else fails with your attempts to persuade your bird to accept and consume
new food items, hospitalization may achieve desired results. During this time,
your bird is first allowed to acclimate to its new environment. Then the
hospital staff gradually weans your bird off of seeds and onto table food. The
key to success with this technique is thought to be having the bird away from
its owner.
All of the strategies mentioned above should be considered and attempted to encourage your pet bird to accept and consume a wide variety of table food items. It cannot be overemphasized that you must be very persistent and patient with your bird in this endeavor. Improving your bird's diet requires a total commitment on your part. It may take many, many months to achieve the desired result, but the effort made and frustration endured will pay dividends in improved health and a
Does
your bird turn its beak up at nutritious fruits and vegetables? Do you find bits
of produce scattered on your floor, where they've been inelegantly tossed by
picky psittacines? We've known for some time that birds cannot live by seed
alone but, boy, some of our feathered gourmets have other ideas!
In
22 years of parrot parenthood, I've provided daily meals and cage service for
birds ranging from budgies to macaws, and all, in one way or another, have had
definite preferences. In the not-too-distant past, when most pet birds had been
imported from the wild, the birds exhibited very strong ideas about what they
would or would not eat. I remember receiving a letter from a BIRD TALK reader
whose Amazon parrot would cower in the corner of its cage at the sight of a red
grape! The bird, apparently a wild-caught adult, probably did not recognize the
grape as food.
Birds
offered for sale in the United States today (with the exception of previously
owned pets of a certain age) are domestically bred and, for the most part,
hand-raised. Because caring breeders offer their birds a good variety of foods
from weaning on, most young birds will at least sample new cuisine. As they get
a bit older, they develop opinions and specific tastes. When their new companion
humans indulge their preferences, finicky appetites often result. So, what can
you do?
How's
the cuisine? Do you offer a complete and varied menu? In many cases, a
formulated avian diet (pellets, crumbles or others) offers optimal nutrition. If
your bird is on a pellets-only regimen, consult package directions for guidance
on supplements (vitamins are usually not advised) and recommended portions of
fruits, vegetables and fresh foods. Many seed blends include pellets in the
mixture. For maximum benefits, check to see that your bird is actually eating
them. Fruits, vegetables, a protein source (such as cooked beans or eggs) and
small portions of suitable "people food" are integral components of a
good avian diet. Consult your avian veterinarian for more specific advice about
your bird's individual requirements.
Okay,
you've been offering your bird a good selection of vitamin-rich carrots,
broccoli, peas, bananas, leafy green vegetables and other goodies, but they're
left in the dish or tossed about the cage. What's going on here? The way you
present fresh foods may affect the degree of avian acceptance. I toiled for
months trying to get my budgies to accept minced fruit and veggies from their
dishes. One day, I was in a hurry and affixed chunks of carrot and corn on the
cob to the cage with clips. Imagine my surprise when I returned several hours
later to find that they had demolished both pieces of produce! I bought more
clips and expanded their menu. Although they still won't touch fresh foods
offered in a dish, they readily accept whatever I present in a clip.
Small
birds like to gnaw on crisp, fresh food, and the clips enable them to do so. I
use Mardel brand Clip-Its and Hagen's Hold-Alls. (These clips are intended for
use with small birds that lack the beak strength to manipulate food.) Budgies,
finches, canaries, parrotlets, Brotogeris and
cockatiels may be tempted to bathe and dine when you fasten wet carrot tops,
kale or collard greens to cage bars. Poke the delicacies down through the top of
the cage, and watch the fun!
Larger
birds often toss unwanted food out of their dishes or ignore it altogether. They
even seem to get bored with the same old thing. My Amazons and blue-and-gold
macaw developed a renewed interest in their vittles when I presented them on
kabob-style rod feeders.
You
can string almost any fruit or vegetable on a rod feeder without splitting them
if you develop the proper technique. I use the pointed end of a potato peeler to
gouge holes in slices of cob corn and a corkscrew to drill holes in carrot
chunks. I place fruit and vegetables on the skewer with the skin side down to
retain juices.
Bananas
can be tricky. I cut a generous chunk of banana, leaving the peel on. Then, I
poke a hole through the center with the potato peeler or corkscrew, and string
it on the rod feeder. I remove the peel just before installing the feeder in the
cage. Most are designed to be suspended from the top of a cage, but Expandable
Habitats' patented Hangin' Round skewer can be inserted through side bars so it
sits at a perch-handy angle.
Birds
have keen eyesight, and many seem to have color preferences. Provide a variety
of colors, textures and shapes to pique your bird's interest. Peas, carrots,
corn, lima beans, apple slices, papaya, mangoes, sweet red or green peppers,
broccoli, cooked beets and sweet potatoes offer eye appeal, taste and nutrition.
Thaw frozen mixed vegetables for a quick, colorful repast.
Test
your bird's preferences.
Some
birds enjoy holding fresh food in their claws, while others do not. Offer larger
chunks of produce to those that enjoy handling their fresh food. Freshness is
important. Don't give your bird anything you wouldn't eat yourself!
Cook
beans, potatoes, beets and yams prior to offering them to your bird. I also
briefly boil corn on the cob to reduce the risk of mold. My birds enjoy cooked
butternut and acorn squash, as well as pumpkin, in the fall. They'll accept
these vitamin A-rich vegetables cut into little chunks or mashed, like potatoes.
I scoop out the seeds prior to cooking and give some to the birds as a treat. I
don't keep leftover seeds more than 24 hours under refrigeration because of
spoilage. I either discard the leftover seeds, or spread them on a cookie sheet
and roast them in a 300-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 20 minutes, I then
offer them to the birds over the next several days.
It
isn't necessary to cook most vegetables, like broccoli, peas, string beans,
peppers or leafy greens. Some
birds
seem to prefer their veggies cooked, however. So, if your bird refuses raw
produce, try cooking it. Add a little garlic or hot pepper flakes to add flavor,
if you wish. Be sure to thoroughly scrub fruits and vegetables before offering
them to your bird.
My
flock enjoys birdie brunch at about the same time every morning. They know it's
coming, they anticipate it, and they dig in and eat. It helps that they are in
close proximity to one another, so they can see each other eating. Often, a
finicky bird will be tempted to try a new food if it sees another bird partaking
of it. Is your pet an only bird? Then you're it! Let your bird see you eating
and enjoying the foods you want it to eat.
If
your bird is a finicky eater, don't give up! It took me seven years to get
Cracker, my 25-year-old double-yellow-headed Amazon, to eat carrots. Everyday,
chopped carrots went into her dish. I tried raw carrots, and I switched to
cooked ones. I sliced, I diced, and I even made carrot curls. No luck. Then one
day, Cracker invaded red-lored Amazon Bogart's cage, and began chomping on his
carrots! She still refuses carrots when she's in her own cage, but if she thinks
she's stealing them from another bird, they'll disappear!
REPRINTED
FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES FROM BIRD TALK
JANUARY 2001
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