Academic researcher in the field of avian medicine. Allied Professional Member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, Lafebervet.com, IVIS, and administrator of “The Science of Avian Health” Facebook group.

Feeding Birds For Good Health:

• Be sure everything you offer is human-grade.
• Birds need a wide variety of foods. Fruits, vegetables, some seeds (except sunflower and safflower), some people foods, bird treat foods, and other grains.
• See the paper in the files of “The Science of Avian Health” Facebook group – or review this file on BeautyOfBirds: “Nutritional Requirements of Psittacines.”

NEVER GIVE GRIT—IT’S ONLY FOR BIRDS WHO EAT THEIR SEEDS WHOLE. Psittacines (birds in the parrot family) shell their seeds and should never have grit.

FEEDING THE SMALLER BIRD

• To feed smaller birds, such as parakeets and cockatiels, it is good to get a quality basic parakeet mix since it doesn’t contain sunflower or safflower seeds, which are high in fat.
• Avoid mixes with finch or canary seed; parrots don’t eat those seeds.
• Some seeds you might add are red and white proso millet, oat groats, buckwheat seed (from Meijers, Whole Foods® or Barry Farms®), flax seed (from grocery or health food stores).
• Some birds like grains. Whole Foods and other organic food places have them and other things you can try.
• Whatever you do, don’t get the food at places like Walmart or Target or similar big box stores, or from general pet stores. Their foods sit in warehouses for months and often get contaminated with fungal spores or animal droppings or get rancid. Get it from bird shops which have a good turnover of seeds or through quality bird websites.
• Small-to-medium sized birds enjoy spray millet. Some birds would live on this, so only proved a small section of per day. They also like the Kaytee® Parakeet Honey Treat sticks. Avi-cakes® and Nutriberries® have excellent nutritional value.
• Buy small quantities of foods and try them out.
• Many enjoy birdy breads. Recipes are in the files of “The Science of Avian Health” Facebook group and online.
• Always provide a cuttle bone and a mineral block, quality vitamins such as Avi-Era® and a mineral supplement such as Missing Link®. Sprinkle on food once or twice a week. Do not put in the water as it will oxidize. Don’t overdo it, though; this can lead to illnesses caused by too much of a good thing.
• Pellets may be offered, but are not necessary. Manufacturers have bullied veterinarians into forcing their clients to convert to pellets. Do not do this. Birds will stop eating rather than eat something they don’t want. If you do feed pellets, they should only comprise a small part of the bird’s diet. See the nutrition paper in the files of the Facebook group, “The Science of Avian Health” as mentioned above.

FEEDING THE LARGER BIRD

• Larger birds love whole, unroasted, unsalted nuts. Do not serve peanuts due to the danger of mold spores on the legumes.
• Offer very few sunflower and safflower seeds; they are high in fat. They may be sprouted or used as a treat.
• Cooked oats, barley, and steel cut oats are usually a favorite, along with dried berries.
• Larger birds love many people foods as well. Share you foods with the bird if they are appropriate. They like most vegetables, some fruits, pastas, potatoes, rice, tomato sauce (plain), and some meats. Just be careful with the calories since our birds are mostly sedentary. See the nutrition paper in the files.

FOR ALL BIRDS:

• Many birds, large and small, enjoy “chop”—a mix of chopped vegetables, fruits, and greens. Make small amounts up fresh daily or every other day.
• Large and small birds also enjoy scrambled eggs.
• You need not offer all of these foods every day. Offer a variety and alternate.
• Offer one new food at a time so you know what has been eaten and what he likes. Present new foods alongside foods he likes.
• Cereals and breads: A mixture of dry cereals is good for them, and you can provide small amounts each day. Be sure to get only sugar-free cereals. Try different kinds and see what your bird likes. Most birds do not care for cooked cereals. These are some you might use:
•  Wheat, rice and corn Chex  Wheat, corn, and rice flakes  Whole grain breads are good. Avoid soft white breads. Cut in small pieces.

Fruits

Most cockatiels are not overly fond of fruits, but some do like them, so try them. Larger birds love them. DO NOT GIVE THE SEEDS, SKIN, OR PITS OF ANY FRUIT TO THE BIRD. THEY ARE TOXIC. Some to try: apples, oranges, pears, plums, peaches, strawberries, blueberries. Offer them one at a time so you can tell if he eats it or not.

Vegetables:

Peas, corn (fresh or frozen, not canned), broccoli (raw or cooked), cauliflower (raw or cooked), carrots (fresh, raw or cooked), fresh green beans (cooked), baked beans (vegetarian and rinsed). Packages of mixed vegetables, and those made for soups or stews have a larger variety of veggies in them.

Meats:

Many large birds, and even some small birds, will eat a small amount of roast beef, meatloaf, chicken or turkey breast, and ham—even fish. Offer meats baked, broiled, or poached, not fried. Serve all foods in small pieces.

Greens:

Use the dark, leafy lettuce, spinach, kale, celery leaves and carrot top greens (two big favorites), Sprouts—you can sprout your own seeds for this or buy prepared sprouting containers with seeds already in it.

(Watch for mold growth and discard when you see it. There are ways to grow them that will avert mold growth. See internet.)

The dark greens are high in iron, so feed less frequently.

Carbohydrates:

Birds love their carbs.

• Spaghetti (with a small amount of margarine or plain tomato sauce—no onion or garlic or spices, please), linguini, any of the pastas, rice, noodles, potato (boiled and mashed with a little margarine and rice milk), baked white or sweet potato (the inside part, not the skin or stringy part, it’s hard to digest), macaroni. 

Oils/Fats:

• Canola oil is good for cooking instead of margarine, but margarine occasionally is fine

Dairy:

• No liquid dairy.
• No milk, yogurt, or soft cheeses.
• Hard cheeses may be given occasionally in small amounts. Birds cannot digest lactose. Use rice milk or one of the other non-dairy milks instead.

AVOID: (See www.Beautyofbirds.com for explanations)

• Birds love their carbs. Spaghetti (with a small amount of margarine or plain tomato sauce—no onion or garlic or spices, please), linguini, any of the pastas, rice, noodles, potato (boiled and mashed with a little margarine and rice milk), baked white or sweet potato (the inside part, not the skin or stringy part, it’s hard to digest), macaroni. 
  • Canola oil is good for cooking instead of margarine, but margarine occasionally is fine.
  • No liquid dairy.
  • No milk, yogurt, or soft cheeses.
  • Hard cheeses may be given occasionally in small amounts. Birds cannot digest lactose. Use rice milk or one of the other non-dairy milks instead.
  • Chocolate, a poison to birds
  • Avocado
  • All fruit seeds and pits, contain cyanide, apple is the worst.
  • Peel fruits.
  • Alcohol
  • Onions, garlic, anything in the onion family; lead to anemia and death
  • Tomato leaves and seeds. These are in the nightshade family, highly toxic.
  • The meat of the tomato is fine
  • Mushrooms, a fungus, leads to liver failure
  • Salt—small amounts in the food is OK from time to time, but larger amounts lead to kidney failure
  • Caffeine—heads to cardiac malfunction and heart failure, no coffee, tea or energy drinks
  • Dried beans—contains hemagglutinin, a toxic protein on the surface of viruses

The Three Major Elements Needed for a Companion Bird’s Happiness:

Keep them healthy:

Good nutrition is the key for a happy and healthy pet bird. Seed-only diets are the most common cause of premature death in companion birds. These one-sided diets result in nutrient deficiencies and cause diseases such as fatty liver disease.   A sick or weak bird is not going to be happy.

• For information on proper bird nutrition, please visit this website

Provide daily access to unfiltered sunlight and/or full-spectrum lighting. Birds need exposure to UVA and UVB rays from direct sunlight or full-spectrum lighting to synthesize vitamin D necessary for bone health. Window glass blocks necessary UV rays.

• If you can provide an outside enclosure that would be optimal for the bird – not only as part of an enriched environment but also to enjoy fresh outside air and unbroken sunrays.
• If you can’t provide an outside area for your pet, here are some “lighting options ” that will provide the same health benefits to your bird as natural sunlight would.
• Grooming: Your pet should be given opportunities to bathe, as a regular grooming routine will promote feather and skin health. There are different ways to achieve it. I provide a shallow dish for my birds to bathe in. Other birds like to “shower” underneath the faucet while others prefer to be misted with a clean spray bottle of water.
  • More information on “grooming“.)

Protect them from the sun in the summer and the cold in the winter.

Keep them warm:

• Get a heater! Ceramic heaters produce a constant flow of heat without any light that might disturb your pet’s sleep. Do make sure to keep the heater away from the cage and your pet as these heaters can get very hot.
• Another option is a warming perch. Birds lose a lot of heat through their feet, therefore, a heating perch is really a great way to keep your pet warm. Put the perch in a place that our bird likes to sleep at night – oftentimes that is near the top of the cage.
• Birds like to huddle together to keep warm; however, a lone pet bird doesn’t have that benefit. Providing a soft fabric for our bird to snuggle up against is a great way to make your pet more comfortable. If your pet likes to sleep in tents, then provide one with a thick lining.

Keep them cool:

• Make sure that your birds have a shady area to escape to when it gets too hot.
• Offering water dishes with fresh cool water to bathe in will also help birds regulate their own heat. A misting system may work well in an aviary.
  • Information on the importance of bathing (SAFELY) for both your pet bird’s health, as well as our own.
• Extreme Heat: naveed@ExhibitionBudgie.com – Naveed Ijaz from Budgerigar Society of Pakistan suggested showering mud floors with water. This method dramatically lowers the temperature in aviaries in areas where heat can go up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degree fahrenheit).
• Indoor rooms may require a fan (if you are using a ceiling fan, do make sure that the birds are not out when the fan is on, as the can fly into the fan).
• Other options are an air conditioning system or a stand alone / window or box fan with a protective cover over it.

Provide appropriate living space for your pet:

Spacious accommodation: I can’t think of a worse faith than being crammed into a tiny cage that doesn’t offer any entertainment. This truly makes for a miserable life. The cage should be big enough to accommodate perches, bird toys and several food dishes; as well as allowing for exercise – maybe even short flights from one perch to another. There is no limit on cage size. If you can make them at least twice as big as is normally recommended that would be excellent – if you can provide an even larger cage the better — the only limit is on the space and resources that you have.

For tips and information on housing options, please visit this website.)

Make it a FUN place to be: Giving your birds a desirable living space is no different that you wanting to live in a clean, well decorated home. Offer your pet a variety of toys and enrichment activities.

“Foraging” has become a popular term amongst professional animal caretakers and extending now to the educated pet owners. The good news is that you don’t need to buy expensive toys to keep your pet happy. Many of the best toys and entertainments are free, or very inexpensive. Please visit the Foraging web pages for easy and inexpensive ‘tricks and tips.”

Natural perches are best. For larger birds you can buy suitable lengths of hardwood perch materials at most pet supply shops. If you have the benefit of a garden with non-toxic trees, all the better as you will have an unlimited supply of fresh branches for nutrition and perching. Do make sure to clean the branches carefully before providing them to your bird. For the smaller birds, tree limbs work best. Position the perches in a way that they might be used in the wild. The smaller birds enjoy a tree-like setup where as the larger birds prefer horizontal perches.

Bring Nature Inside: Birds are part of nature. They enjoy trees, plants and wildlife as much as we do. Even if they are kept indoors, we can still provide them with living plants and branches with leaves still on them. You will find that not only your pet will enjoy it, but this can be a very pleasing “decorator touch” for your home. Do make sure to only use safe, edible plants. / non-toxic wood. If your bird is going to chew the plants up right away, you will want to choose something that is inexpensive to replace on a regular basis. I find that for small birds herb plants work well. If you are not a gardener yourself, buy potted parsley or other herbs at your local nursery and place them in your bird’s cage or on your pet’s playground.

Indoor plants not only increase oxygen flow and clean the indoor air, but they also provide your birds with privacy – which may also help alleviate some behavioral problems, such as feather plucking.

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Allow for plenty of out-of-cage time and social interaction with the “flock”:

Things you can do to entertain your pet when you are at work.

Provide daily exercise and plenty of out-of-cage time: Even the largest cage will not allow for sufficient physical and mental stimulation. In addition to a large cage, a play gym or two in areas that the family usually hangs out in would make a huge difference in your pet’s quality of life. Free flight is a great way to exercise your pet bird.

Social Interaction: Birds are social creatures by nature. They enjoy the company of other living beings around them. If it is an only bird, do make sure that your pet is kept in the family room, or any other room the family usually hangs out in. Do make sure to spend quality time with your pet. If you find you are too busy, get another bird as a companion. You may not be able to place them in the same cage right away. It will take time for them to get to know each other. But even if they never really bond, they will still enjoy watching each other and interacting. Although, most of the time, they will “buddy up” eventually.

Place multiple perches/stands throughout the house in areas that your family likes to hang out in.

Take your pet out with you! I can’t think of anything more enjoyable for pet birds than being “part of nature” and seeing what is going on “beyond the walls” of its home. Just think about it. Birds are meant to fly high above canopies; they are part of nature — yes, there are safety considerations and pet birds will inevitably lose some freedoms that their wild cousins enjoy. However, we can immensely enhance their life experiences and connection to nature by taking them out at times. As a special bonus, you will be able to spend quality time together. There are several options:

A secure outside enclosure as discussed above.

A carrier that you can place your pet in when you go out (one that provides a clear view to the outside).

Bird Harness / Flight Leash: It’s best when young birds are harness-trained, as it is more challenging with the older birds.

 

Species Research by Sibylle Johnson

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Environmental Enhancements

The following information has been provided by Dr. Jill M. Patt, DVM practicing in Mesa, Arizona. She has been keeping and raising exotic birds for years, providing her a unique knowledge and understanding that goes beyond that of a regular vet who does not have the benefit of daily interaction with birds / parrots.

Valuable Web Resources:

• Foraging
• Research by Purdue University: Cage Location a Primary Factor in Emotional Feather Plucking

1) Full Spectrum Lighting:

Often our birds are completely housed indoors and never see the sunlight. Even those by a window will not benefit from the sun because the window acts as a filter preventing the bird from absorbing the benefits of the sun such as Vitamin D3. Birds use the sunlight by preening their feathers with feather dust in the case of cockatiel or cockatoos or the oily secretions of the uropygial (preen) gland. The substance on the feathers will undergo a chemical reaction from the sunlight producing Vitamin D3 which the bird ingests with further preening of the feathers. The exclusively indoor bird does not have the benefit of the reaction. One alternative is to provide full spectrum lighting. The packaging for the light should state that is provides both UVA and UVB rays and must always be a fluorescent light and not an incandescent bulb. The introduction of the light should be slow to prevent stress to the bird. I’d suggest starting out with the light in the same room but not lighted or next to the cage and gradually moving it closer to the cage over several days. When the bird appears comfortable with the light is can be placed within 18inches of the cage and turned on. Ensure that the bird is unable to access the light or cord because most will chew given the opportunity. Also, the light should not be left on around the clock. Night time and darkness is also important to the bird’s health and I recommend 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness each night. Some of the better light will simulate dawn and dusk with a slow brightening and dimming and can be placed on a timer for consistency.

Another option is to provide an outdoor cage for temporary sunning. The cause must have shaded areas available at all times and should be protected from wild birds or their droppings.

• Full-spectrum Lighting

2) Humidity Level:

Many of our captive birds are adapted to the jungle and very high humidity. I suggest you research the natural lifestyle of your particular species and attempt to provide something close to their natural temperature and humidity. Often we live in areas of the country with very low humidity (i.e. Arizona) or we live in areas that require artificial heating which will lower the humidity. Either of these situations can be uncomfortable for our birds. Feather pickers will often benefit from increased humidity because it is soothing to the skin and allows them to keep their feathers clean.

A great way of increasing the humidity is to provide a daily bath for your bird. Bathing can be done in a variety of way depending on the individual. Many of the larger parrots enjoy showering with us and there are actual shower perches that can be purchased.

Smaller birds may enjoy misting or a shallow bowl of fresh clean water placed in the cage daily.

Noise will often stimulate bathing activity and my birds will almost always bathe when I run the vacuum. For smaller birds I’ve also run the skin faucet slowly and placed the bird on a towel over the skin divider (for traction). The birds will watch you running your hands under the water and often will join in on the activity.

Bathing with water alone will improve the health of the skin and feathers, but for feather pickers I’ve often added a prescription shampoo to the bathing routine (especially for the shower birds) and this is often an effective way of treating secondary skin infection caused by the trauma of picking. Of course you should never use an over the counter shampoo and also check with your vet prior to using any substance on the skin or feather.

• Information about the importance of bathing for both your and your pet’s health, and ways to introduce this daily ritual into your life.

Often time anti-pick sprays will often increase the feather destruction because the bird is attempting to clean the substance off its feathers. So always check with your vet first.

A humidifier is another means of increasing the humidity. If used, the water chamber must be cleaned in the dishwasher every day to prevent growth of fungus and bacteria that can be very harmful to our birds. Also the paper or cage litter must be changed daily to prevent growth of fungus and of course the bowls should always be cleaned daily as well.

3) Provide mental stimulation during the day:

I cannot over stress the importance of this need. Our birds are often left sitting alone in the cage, with a dish full of food, while we are at work. These can be long boring hours for our intelligent companions. They have no interaction with other intelligent beings most of the day, there is no work involved in getting food and there is no ability for vigourous exercise during the day. Why wouldn’t they feather pick?

In the wild these same birds would spend their time interacting with flock mates, flying to distant locations while expending lots of excess energy, and most importantly looking for food throughout the day (mental stimulation).

So what can we do? Toys, toys, toys... Think of a child spending time in a room alone and then the same child in a room full of enriching/interactive type toys. Still not perfect but better. I always suggest a variety of toys (see links below) that should include hand toys, puzzler toys, treasure chests, chewable toys and foraging toys. Think of toys not as an option or luxury for the pet bird, but as essentials to that bird’s well being.

I also suggest placing a TV or radio on a timer so that it repeatedly goes on and off throught the day. This will still allow the bird some quiet time while also providing mental stimulation. Placing the cage in partial view of a window is also helpful. And requiring them to forage for their food is excellent mental stimulation. Foraging may involve hiding food or placing food in toys that they must “unlock” to get the treats. Please refer to the below websites for valuable information.

Please also see the following:

• Redirecting Negative Behavior by Providing an Enriched Environment:
• Foraging – Tips and Tricks to Enhance your Parrot’s Environment
• Please also see: toy safety and toys)

4) Vary the location of the cage or have multiple cages:

Caution should be used especially in a timid bird with little self confidence. Some birds are so frightened of change that a cage move will cause picking (see correct beginning). However, if your bird is already picking providing variety in the cage location may give them other things to think about and provide some distraction to slow the picking. Of course, it is best to start out early with a baby bird but even older birds can lean to tolerate change if the introduction is gradual.

5) A companion bird????

This is a tough question and can go either way depending on the individual bird. Ideally, I recommend when purchasing a baby bird that 2 birds be purchased. I believe it is unfair to these intelligent beings to require that they spend their lives alone. If raised together many birds will become lifelong companions.

The babies should both be hand fed so that they are very tame and you must interact frequently with both birds to keep them tame and loving with the family members.

The down side of having 2 birds is that they can become aggressive with each other (especially if introduced later in life) and breeding activity can be stimulated. Breeding activity or hormonal changes can occur with 2 birds of the same sex of even with a single bird that has a mirror.

The negative aspects of these hormonal changes are potential aggression, feather picking due to hormonal stress, and reproductive problems such as egg binding in females.

If a bird has lived the majority of its live alone and has behavioral problems such as feather picking I often do not recommend getting a second bird. The original bird is often very jealous of the newcomer and fighting may ensue, also the new bird may develop the same behavioral problems as the first. It is best to work exclusively on the original bird to improve its general health both mental and physical.

6) Caging:

Don’t have your bird in the kitchen or in the center of activity but rather on the periphery of activity so that they can be a part of the family but can also “escape” for some quiet time.

• Please also see: Cage Safety / Cages / Flights – Recommendations / Set Up Ideas

7) Nutrition

I would look for preferably “organic” or at least “all-natural” dry bird mixes. “Fortified diets” are not necessarily good as often inferior, artificial additives are used, which may have no health benefit at all or indeed may even be harmful. It is far better to buy unfortified mixes and add a good quality bird supplement instead.

Dr. Harvey’s Bird Food Mixes are convenient options that lack many of the harmful additives that are commonly found in commercial mixes and have a great variety of quality ingredients (including dried fruits, veggies, herbs / greens and even superfoods, such as bee pollen!) – in short: myriad nourishing ingredients that are not found in other commercially available bird mixes.

However, our biggest grievance with their products is that they use sulphurated dried produce (a process which also requires chemicals), but it is very difficult to find mixes with unsulphurated fruits and veggies.

You could just buy the seeds, nuts and grain mix and buy human-grade unsulphurated dried produce / greens as well as bee pollen and mix them in. Even organic trail mixes (WITHOUT CHOCOLATE!) work great.

With a little creativity you can put a mix together that offers superior nutrition without the chemicals typically found in commercial brands.

Learn more about Bird Nutrition

A quality mix may contain the following ingredients:

Seeds

• Safflower Seeds … Sunflower Seeds … Pumpkin Seeds in Shell … Fennel Seeds

Nuts

• Macadamia Nuts .. Pine Nuts … Walnuts … Filberts … Cashews … Brazil Nuts … Pistachios … Pecans … Almonds … Peanuts in Shell (some bird owners remove peanuts from their bird’s diet because of potential aflatoxin contamination)

Dried Fruits / Veggies / Greens

• Papaya and Papaya Leaf … Soy Beans … Whole Corn … Apricots / Pineapple … Carrot Dices / Apple Dices … Banana Chips … Orange Peel Strips … Cranberries / Mango Dices … Peaches/ Pears … Nectarines … Garden Peas / Green Beans … Broccoli / Zucchini … Green and Red Bell Pepper … Spinach / Parsley Flakes … Celery Stalk and Leaf Flakes … Red Clover Blossoms … Dandelion Leaf … Calendula Flowers … Echinacea … Angustifolia Herb … Alfalfa Leaf / Thyme Leaf … Oat Straw / Rose Hips … Rosemary Leaf / Peppermint Leaf … Basil Leaf / Red Raspberry Leaf … Raisins (small quantity only!)

Other Healthy Ingredients

• Bee Pollen … Coconut Chips

Vegetables and fruits should be part of a parrot’s daily diet. This includes apples, grapes, many garden vegetables such as spinach, watercress, field lettuce, poppy, chickweed, dandelions, carrots, corn on the cob, peas, endives and sweet potatoes.

• Sprouting is an excellent way to provide nutrient-dense foods to birds who are less cooperative in eating its daily portions of fresh foods.
  • Sprouting is Easy: Step-by-step Instructions
  • You can also germinate the sprouting mix – rather than going through the process of sprouting, which may be somewhat intimidating initially. Germinated seeds offer its own unique set of valuable nutrition and are quicker to obtain and less likely to spoil.
  • Sprouting: The Easy Way

Additional proteins should be offered such as cottage cheese, hardboiled eggs or monkey chow.

Peanuts are also a valuable source of protein — however, peanuts are often contaminated with aflatoxin, a fungal toxin. Aflatoxin is carcinogenic and causes liver damage in birds and other animals. Roasting reduces aflatoxin but does not eliminate it entirely.

North American peanut producers are currently working on eliminating contaminated peanuts from their products. Caution is advised when feeding peanuts. Some bird owners, opting to be on the safe side, are eliminating peanuts from their pets’ diet.

A cuttlebone, mineral block, gravel and oyster shell can be provided to provide the necessary calcium and minerals

Fresh water should be provided daily.

Food Items Not to Feed to Birds, or only in Moderation

Weaning Foods: Sprouted seed is the simplest way to provide your birds with fresh greens and they make a great weaning food. Sprouted or germinated seeds are usually more easily accepted by “seed addicts” than fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Sprouted seeds are healthier as the sprouting changes and enhances the nutritional quality and value of seeds and grains. Sprouted seeds are lower in fat, as the process of sprouting utilizes the fat in the seed to start the growing process – thus reducing the fat stored in the seeds.
• Sprouted seeds will help balance your bird’s diet by adding a nutritious supply of high in vegetable proteins, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and chlorophyll.
• Soaked and germinated “oil” seeds, like niger and rape seeds, are rich in protein and carbohydrates; while “starch” seeds, such as canary and millets, are rich in carbohydrates, but lower in protein.
• It is an invaluable food at all times; however, it is especially important for breeding or molting birds.

Brown rice is also usually readily accepted (especially when served warm – not hot!). Chicks like warm, gooey things. It reminds them of the handfeeding formula. Other options are Human Baby Food, baby cereals, Gerber vegetable / fruit jars, etc. … If you have small birds, like finches or canaries, the following website will be of assistance: Rearing Food Recipe for Finches

For those who like the convenience of prepared foods (for handfeeding or weaning), below are plenty of options for you to draw from. Soaked pellets are an easy way to familiarize your pet bird with “grown-up” food. Seeds and pellets should be added as well to allow the chicks to pick the seeds / pellets up and play with them, until they know what they are for. Spray millet area also wonderful weaning foods. They don’t have to remove daily, as they don’t go off as quickly as fresh foods. Although as chicks walk on and around them, they will get soiled — at which you should toss them. The millets in the bird stores tend to be small and you never know how long they have been there. I always bought directly – thus saving money and getting a fresher product. They do last for several months. The best quality I found to be California Golden Spray Millet – they tend to be bigger and much nicer looking. The store-bought ones looked meekly in comparison and my birds didn’t like them as much.

Weaned birds are GREAT rolemodels for younger ones. The unweaned will learn by watching the weaned thus growing independent faster than those who don’t have the benefit of such “teachers.”

Plastic syringes designed for feeding infant animals and birds. If you are in the rush, get a syringe from the human baby section in your local drug store. Don’t get the syringe that you can get at the common pet stores — they are pretty bad. … The syringes that I disliked most are those with the black rubber stopper. After a couple of uses, the black rubber stopper will get stuck, and as you force it, all the formula comes out at the same time with quite some force potentially aspirating a chick (been there, done that). Others do like the black stopper syringes as it prevents air from getting into the formula. They are fine to use for a short while, but once the robber stopper expands and is difficult to push through, they need to be tossed.

I found the syringes that are available for human babies (for administering oral medications) last much longer and don’t get stuck. They are so much better and cost less.

Article By Jeannine Miesle, M.A., M. Ed.

Academic researcher in the field of avian medicine. Allied Professional Member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, Lafebervet.com, IVIS, and administrator of “The Science of Avian Health” Facebook group.

Feeding Birds For Good Health:

• Be sure everything you offer is human-grade.
• Birds need a wide variety of foods. Fruits, vegetables, some seeds (except sunflower and safflower), some people foods, bird treat foods, and other grains.
• See the paper in the files of “The Science of Avian Health” Facebook group – or review this file on BeautyOfBirds: “Nutritional Requirements of Psittacines.”

NEVER GIVE GRIT—IT’S ONLY FOR BIRDS WHO EAT THEIR SEEDS WHOLE. Psittacines (birds in the parrot family) shell their seeds and should never have grit.

FEEDING THE SMALLER BIRD

• To feed smaller birds, such as parakeets and cockatiels, it is good to get a quality basic parakeet mix since it doesn’t contain sunflower or safflower seeds, which are high in fat.
• Avoid mixes with finch or canary seed; parrots don’t eat those seeds.
• Some seeds you might add are red and white proso millet, oat groats, buckwheat seed (from Meijers, Whole Foods® or Barry Farms®), flax seed (from grocery or health food stores).
• Some birds like grains. Whole Foods and other organic food places have them and other things you can try.
• Whatever you do, don’t get the food at places like Walmart or Target or similar big box stores, or from general pet stores. Their foods sit in warehouses for months and often get contaminated with fungal spores or animal droppings or get rancid. Get it from bird shops which have a good turnover of seeds or through quality bird websites.
• Small-to-medium sized birds enjoy spray millet. Some birds would live on this, so only proved a small section of per day. They also like the Kaytee® Parakeet Honey Treat sticks. Avi-cakes® and Nutriberries® have excellent nutritional value.
• Buy small quantities of foods and try them out.
• Many enjoy birdy breads. Recipes are in the files of “The Science of Avian Health” Facebook group and online.
• Always provide a cuttle bone and a mineral block, quality vitamins such as Avi-Era® and a mineral supplement such as Missing Link®. Sprinkle on food once or twice a week. Do not put in the water as it will oxidize. Don’t overdo it, though; this can lead to illnesses caused by too much of a good thing.
• Pellets may be offered, but are not necessary. Manufacturers have bullied veterinarians into forcing their clients to convert to pellets. Do not do this. Birds will stop eating rather than eat something they don’t want. If you do feed pellets, they should only comprise a small part of the bird’s diet. See the nutrition paper in the files of the Facebook group, “The Science of Avian Health” as mentioned above.

FEEDING THE LARGER BIRD

• Larger birds love whole, unroasted, unsalted nuts. Do not serve peanuts due to the danger of mold spores on the legumes.
• Offer very few sunflower and safflower seeds; they are high in fat. They may be sprouted or used as a treat.
• Cooked oats, barley, and steel cut oats are usually a favorite, along with dried berries.
• Larger birds love many people foods as well. Share you foods with the bird if they are appropriate. They like most vegetables, some fruits, pastas, potatoes, rice, tomato sauce (plain), and some meats. Just be careful with the calories since our birds are mostly sedentary. See the nutrition paper in the files.

FOR ALL BIRDS:

• Many birds, large and small, enjoy “chop”—a mix of chopped vegetables, fruits, and greens. Make small amounts up fresh daily or every other day.
• Large and small birds also enjoy scrambled eggs.
• You need not offer all of these foods every day. Offer a variety and alternate.
• Offer one new food at a time so you know what has been eaten and what he likes. Present new foods alongside foods he likes.
• Cereals and breads: A mixture of dry cereals is good for them, and you can provide small amounts each day. Be sure to get only sugar-free cereals. Try different kinds and see what your bird likes. Most birds do not care for cooked cereals. These are some you might use:
• Wheat, rice and corn Chex, Wheat, corn, and rice flakes, Whole grain breads are good. Avoid soft white breads. Cut in small pieces.

Fruits

Most cockatiels are not overly fond of fruits, but some do like them, so try them. Larger birds love them. DO NOT GIVE THE SEEDS, SKIN, OR PITS OF ANY FRUIT TO THE BIRD. THEY ARE TOXIC. Some to try: apples, oranges, pears, plums, peaches, strawberries, blueberries. Offer them one at a time so you can tell if he eats it or not.

Vegetables:

Peas, corn (fresh or frozen, not canned), broccoli (raw or cooked), cauliflower (raw or cooked), carrots (fresh, raw or cooked), fresh green beans (cooked), baked beans (vegetarian and rinsed). Packages of mixed vegetables, and those made for soups or stews have a larger variety of veggies in them.

Meats:

Many large birds, and even some small birds, will eat a small amount of roast beef, meatloaf, chicken or turkey breast, and ham—even fish. Offer meats baked, broiled, or poached, not fried. Serve all foods in small pieces.

Greens:

Use the dark, leafy lettuce, spinach, kale, celery leaves and carrot top greens (two big favorites), Sprouts—you can sprout your own seeds for this or buy prepared sprouting containers with seeds already in it. (Watch for mold growth and discard when you see it. There are ways to grow them that will avert mold growth. See internet.) The dark greens are high in iron, so feed less frequently.

Carbohydrates:

Birds love their carbs.

• Spaghetti (with a small amount of margarine or plain tomato sauce—no onion or garlic or spices, please), linguini, any of the pastas, rice, noodles, potato (boiled and mashed with a little margarine and rice milk), baked white or sweet potato (the inside part, not the skin or stringy part, it’s hard to digest), macaroni. 

Oils/Fats:

• Canola oil is good for cooking instead of margarine, but margarine occasionally is fine

Dairy:

• No liquid dairy.
• No milk, yogurt, or soft cheeses.
• Hard cheeses may be given occasionally in small amounts. Birds cannot digest lactose. Use rice milk or one of the other non-dairy milks instead.

AVOID:

• Birds love their carbs. Spaghetti (with a small amount of margarine or plain tomato sauce—no onion or garlic or spices, please), linguini, any of the pastas, rice, noodles, potato (boiled and mashed with a little margarine and rice milk), baked white or sweet potato (the inside part, not the skin or stringy part, it’s hard to digest), macaroni. 
  • Canola oil is good for cooking instead of margarine, but margarine occasionally is fine.
  • No liquid dairy.
  • No milk, yogurt, or soft cheeses.
  • Hard cheeses may be given occasionally in small amounts. Birds cannot digest lactose. Use rice milk or one of the other non-dairy milks instead.
  • Chocolate, a poison to birds
  • Avocado
  • All fruit seeds and pits, contain cyanide, apple is the worst.
  • Peel fruits.
  • Alcohol
  • Onions, garlic, anything in the onion family; lead to anemia and death
  • Tomato leaves and seeds. These are in the nightshade family, highly toxic.
  • The meat of the tomato is fine
  • Mushrooms, a fungus, leads to liver failure
  • Salt—small amounts in the food is OK from time to time, but larger amounts lead to kidney failure
  • Caffeine—heads to cardiac malfunction and heart failure, no coffee, tea or energy drinks
  • Dried beans—contains hemagglutinin, a toxic protein on the surface of viruses

They are a healthy food addition for all birds, but are absolute necessity for the feeding hen and for the newly weaned young.

Sprouted or germinated seeds are usually more easily accepted by “seed addicts” than fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Sprouted seeds are more nutrient-dense as they are high in vegetable proteins, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and chlorophyll.
• Sprouted seeds are lower in fat, as the process of sprouting utilizes the fat in the seed to start the growing process – thus reducing the fat stored in the seeds.
• It is an invaluable food at all times; however, it is especially important for breeding or molting birds. Sprouted seeds also serve as a great rearing and weaning food as the softened shell is easier to break by chicks and gets them used to the texture of seeds.
• Sprouting is the practice of soaking seeds overnight (1 part seeds to 5 parts water), draining them, placing them into a sprouting jar (a sieve propped up in a bowl to allow the water to drain will do just fine); and then rinsing the seeds several times a day until they start to sprout (they usually start sprouting after about 24 hours) – at which time they are ready to feed. For the next days, the seeds will continue to grow.
• The different stages of sprouting provide different nutrients to your bird. For a few birds, a few tablespoons of seeds are sufficient.  If properly attended to, the sprouted seeds will last for up to 5 days.
• Discard if a foul smell can be detected. If early spoiling is an issue, adding a few drops of Hydrogen Peroxide or GSE added to the rinsing water will prevent early spoiling. In most cases, this may not be necessary.

Don’t want to go through the trouble of sprouting?

• Germination offers an easy, clean and safe way to provide superior nutrition to your birds. Simply soak the seeds to the point where the root tips show and feed to your birds ….
  • Process: Soak a daily portion of seeds, grains and legumes (“Sprouts“) in pure, clean water overnight. If you keep the seeds at room temperature (on the counter, for example), the seeds start germinating after 12 hours. If you keep the soaking seeds in the fridge, it will take around 24 hours to germinate). Germination is safer as the process is shorter and the seeds or grains don’t have time to deteriorate – and yet, germinated seeds also offer superior “living” nutrition similar to sprouts…. Note: only germinate one portion at a time.

I always provide sprouts every day without fail – even if I don’t have time to wash and cut veggies and fruits some days — providing a spoonful of sprouts is so easy and convenient, and I know it’s good for my birds. Sprouts offer an inexpensive and convenient way to feed fresh greens to your birds daily. (Please note sprouts should be rationed in “hormonal” birds – or those suffering from kidney disease. Rather than feeding daily, feed a few times a week, or per vet’s recommendation.)

Little time, effort or space is needed to make sprouts.. In addition to the regular bird seeds, many seeds for sprouting are available in health food stores. 

Basics of Sprouting:

You start with a good sprouting mix. Take a small portion of it and rinse it well. Then cover it with water (1 part of seeds to 5 parts of water) and put it in the fridge overnight.

The next morning, rinse well and place in a common strainer (like the one to the right) and place the strainer in a plastic or glass container that allows any rinse water to drain into the container.

Water the mix several times a day thoroughly to remove any mold / bacteria, etc. and also to keep the sprouting mix moist — a requirement for sprouting. Your sprouts should have an agreeable / sweetish scent.

If you can detect a foul smell — an indicator of bacteria or mold growing on it — toss it. Don’t feed to your birds. There are ways to prevent your sprouts from going off prematurely, one of which is to rinse frequently and thoroughly to rinse off mold, etc. Other tips are discussed below.

What is Needed for Sprouting:

To sprout seeds, the seeds are moistened, then left at room temperature (between 15.4 degrees and 69.8 degrees Fahrenheit or 13 and 21 degrees Celsius) in a sprouting vessel. Moisture, warmth, and in most cases, indirect sunlight are necessary for sprouting.

Many different types of vessels can be used:

• A normal kitchen sieve propped up in a plastic or glass container / bowl works perfectly fine; or
• Tiered’ clear plastic sprouters. I bought several over Amazon and found the one to the right to be the easiest one to use. I also tried the “easy sprouter” but I found it cumbersome to use. The tiered sprouter is convenient because it allows me to sprout different crops at different stages. The instructions that come with the sprouter advise you not to wash it in the dishwasher, but I have been doing so without any problems. However, I place the sprouter in the top tray of the dishwasher. Alternatively:
• Automatic Sprouter– expensive, but if you don’t have time to sufficiently rinse the sprouts — it represents an option.

Sprouts are rinsed as little as twice a day, but possibly three or four times a day in hotter climates, to prevent them from souring. I keep my sprouts right on the window sill above my sink — that way they get plenty of light and I can’t forget to rinse them throughout the day. If your house isn’t air conditioned and you live in a hot and humid area, I would recommend keeping the sprouts in the fridge. They take longer to sprout, but you have less to worry about fungi, mildew or bacteria.

Birds like sprouts when they just started to open up, which usually happens after one day or so of sprouting.

What can go wrong with sprouting?

While sprouting is fairly straightforward, most of the time, there are occasions when things can go wrong.

Some of the things that can go wrong with sprouting are:

• Seeds are allowed to dry out
• Seeds are left in standing water
• Temperature is high or too low
• Insufficient rinsing
• Dirty equipment
• Insufficient air flow

These problems are easily solved by an automatic sprouter that mists and drains the sprouts at regular intervals. To control temperature, in the winter a warming blanket can be placed under the sprouter, and in the summer small fans in the lid if it’s very hot and humid.

How much do I need?

For a few birds only a quarter cup of seeds should be sprouted at a time. Seeds increase in volume tremendously when sprouted. Place the seeds in a clean glass jar. Fill with tap water and let stand at room temperature for twenty-four hours. Rinse and drain completely. I keep the seeds in a sieve propped up in a plastic container and repeat the rinsing and draining completely daily until the seed has sprouted.

Ways to Keep Sprouted Seeds fresh longer

Ways to prevent spoilage (choose one or a variation of the below – whatever works best for you):

Hydrogen Peroxide: Add 1 ounce 3% hydrogen peroxide to 1 pint of water and soak the seeds overnight. Add the same amount of hydrogen peroxide each time you rinse the seeds. (It prevents bacterial growth)

GSE: Alternatively, adding a few drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) in the soaking and rinsing water will also prevent pathogens from developing. As an additional benefit, GSE also has good anti-parasitic properties.

Buffered, Powdered Vitamin C (example Nutricology or other brand): A little powder added to the sprouting water should keep it fresh.

Organic Apple Cider Vinegar: ACD alters pH and so is effective in killing many pathogens.

Very important: After sprouting commenced – keep refrigerated.ny surplus sprouts may be refrigerated up to two weeks.

Sprouting by T. Billings – Excellent article on sprouting. If you would like to have more in-depth information on this topic, this article is likely to have it.

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