A Bit About
Seed or pellets is a big issue as to what is the best to feed your birds and every one has there own opinion,so you will have to do some reasearch in this area and make your own choice.Pellets are rated high by a lot of breeders as to ease of feeding and less waste with no husk to clean up.The makers of these pellets claim to have every thing in them a bird needs to maintain good health and breeding ability.Still you should offer fresh fruit&veggies if not every day at least every two or three days..But fresh water every day if not twice.My self I like to use seed because I feel there is sone thing there that is not in the pellets(maybe natural d3 from the sun or minerals from the earth that don't come from a bag or are man made.) Even after saying that I still use a good multiple vitamin and cuttle bone all year round in case the crop of the year is a little poor and lacking.If you are not sure how good your seed is then you can try to sprout some and see what percent of the seed is good.Poor seed means poor health and poor breeding.So make sure you have good seed for a pet bird or for your breeding room.Birds that are inside do not get get natural sun so I like to use a vitamim that has D3 so the birds can convert calcium rather than deplete there own system,especially when laying eggs.Make sure they have these well in advance before breeding as a preporation.
Seed Diet versus Pellet Diet...
The aim of this topic is simply to cover the pros and cons of a seed diet and a pellet diet, in as brief and concise form as possible, to clear any questions or confusion that may exist.
SEEDS:
Seeds are high in fat, however, they also contain a number of nutrients. A diet exclusively made up of seeds is likely to cause a number of health problems. To avoid malnutrition, seeds should be accomodated by plenty of other foods, ie: fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, corn, pasta, pellets, etc.
Birds that have higher metabolism, and those that live in colder climates, can benefit from the high calorie content of seeds in their diet. Those that are weak or underweight can also benefit. A bird with a diet high in seeds and low in other foods can develop obesity problems and vitamin A deficiency, as well as various breeding problems. An all-seed diet can also cause irriversible liver-damage, and overgrown beaks. Another minor disadvantage of seeds is the constant accumulation of seed hulls that must be collected and disposed of routinely. An advantage of seeds is their long shelf-life. This makes them a good emergency food to keep in storage in the event the bird's usual array of food becomes temporarily unavailable. Millet seeds are considerably lower in fat content than regular seeds. They are about 60-percent carbohydrate, which provides a quick source of easily digested energy. Millet sprays are immensely enjoyed by most birds, and they make an ideal supplement to a diet of pellets and fresh produce.
PELLETS:
The biggest advantage of pellets is that they are specially formulated to provide most of a bird's required nutrients without the high fat content of seeds. Nevertheless, be sure to offer birds on a diet of pellets plenty of fruits and vegetables to insure their nutritional requirements are fully met. Birds that have been raised on a seed diet are likely to frustrate the owner attempting to convert them to pellets, but it can be done. Nowadays, many (if not most) weaned birds are fed pellets rather than seed, so they're used to pellets from the beginning.
The only drawback to pellets is the fact that they have a shorter shelf-life. When buying pellets, do not purchase large quantities that will not be used for a few weeks or longer. Bird owners should purchase smaller amounts of fresh pellets on a frequent basis, so their birds don't live on an adverse diet of stale pellets. (Some pellet manufacturers state you can freeze their pellets for 2-3 months if necessary. If freezing, be sure to let them thaw overnight before allowing a bird to eat them.) You can tell if pellets have become stale if they carry a pungant cooking-oil smell.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
Whatever commercially prepared food you use, it is a good idea to buy from a provider that sells and resupplies their bird food frequently, so you know it is relatively fresh from the store.
With budgies I like to have at least 50% canary seed in the mix to give the extra protien when breeding.If it is not there than I add extra.I find when they are feeding babies that they seem to use a lot more canary grass than when they are not breeding.I also like to use a dry substitute egg mix which they really like at this time to feed there babies.Some breeders like to use bread with a little milk on it so the adults have soft food to feed there young.This is fine but remember not to leave it to long as it will spoil and create bacteria and make sure to wash the container each time.This is why I like to use the dry egg as it will not spoil even if you leave it over night for those who are rushed for time.Older budgies in general do not seem to want to eat there veggies so start your birds of young on them or you may have a hard time later but they all seem to like romane lettuce,dandilion leaves and corn on the cob,spinach and carrot if every thing else fails.As for fruit it seems like it is mainly apple they prefer over all(the sweet varieties)With all fruits and vegtables make sure to wash them before giveing them to your birds to remove any sprays that may have been used in the process of getting them to your store. These sprays have been known to be harmfull to birds.
The subject of feeding grit to your birds is again something you will have to make your own decision on.Some believe it is harmfull to give it to birds because they can tend to eat to much of it.I see wild birds eating small bits of grit in the back yard and along the side of the road all the time.They do need something to grind the food in there crop.I have used it with pigeons for fifteen years and have not seen any ill effects from its use.I personally use it for my budgies and cockatiels.The lineolateds do not seem to bother with it.Some grit comes in the natural form and there is also mineralized available,and in different sizes depending on what type or size you have.Keep in mind over all good nutrition is essential for good health and when your birds are caged and that it is up to you to supply them the best you can because they depend on you.For more on feeding budgies please go to the budgie link it is very infomative.
Cockatiel feeding is not that different than what we have just mentioned except there is a cockatiel blend of seed for them to give the needed requirements.Millets, sunflower,saflower,crack corn,wheat,groats are some of the seeds in the mix but vary between suppliers.I like to use this as there daily feed along with romane lettuce or spinach or whatever the veggie of the day is.During the breeding period after the chicks have hatched I add another cup with budgie mix and a third cup with groats so they can use what they feel they need,not what I decide they need. I find they will tend to eat a lot more of the smaller seed and groats till the chicks get older than they start to go back to the heavier mix.Again the use of a dry egg food and a good vitamin will help to bring on healthy chicks.So the feeding is much the same as budgies except the type of seeds is a little different.Don't Forget the cuttle bone and iodine mineral block,the later helps prevent goiter in caged birds.
The feeding of lineolated parakeets for me was a new experiment as i had never seen these before or heard about them.The first pair I owned came from a pet store and that was all I new of them.There was only a few lines of writeing about them that I could find so I had to learn fast.A small budgie like bird that acts like a parrot so i used cockatiel mix and they like it.They will also do well on a good budgie mix.Ive tried a budgie mix with added canary and they seem to like it as well although I prefer the cockatiel for the substance.These birds over all are not fussy eaters and will try what ever you have to offer,even the older ones.A variety of vegtables would be Romaine,carrot,sprouts,cabage,dandilion,green beans,corn,spinach and they love apple and green sweet grapes.Again when there are young in the nest we feed these guys the same way as the cockatiels.The one very noticeable difference in these is that they use almost no cuttle bone or grit so again we supplement with vitamins and they seem to do very well.More on lineolateds on page four. Again calcium is important for bone growth especially in chicks.The calcium can not be absorbed or the birds blood level be regulated without vitamin D3.We can use the cuttle bone or some like the liquid form to make sure they are getting enough.As for D3 it also comes in most liquid vitamins(check)or the natural sun light.but not through glass or the uv radiation is lost and the bird will not absorb any D3.The other alternativeis to use the ultaviolet lights now available.They are a full spectrum light which produce healthful uv radition.Haveing your lights on a timer will help your birds develop regular eating habits.Birds like a daily routine they can follow and this also will help when it is finally time to reproduce.This is only a bit about feeding in general but I hope it will help.
Nestling/Conditioning Egg Food
5-6 hardboiled eggs (peeled and well mashed) 1/2-3/4 cup Skipio's Soya Musca 2 tbsp. Chirp powdered bird vitamins 2 cups Gerber Baby Oatmeal (dry, instant flakes or Gerber Hi-Protein baby cereal) 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup powdered milk 1 cup dry, instant mashed potatoes (flakes, not potato buds) 1 cup dry, quick oats 1 cup Sun Seed Canary Song Food 1 cup Kaytee Garden Vegetable Treat for Finches
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HIGH PROTEIN BREEDING MIXTURE
1 hard boiled egg. (including the shell) 6 table spoons full of egg food. 2 slices of banana. 2 slices of carrot. 2 table spoons wheat germ cereal.(flake) 2 table spoons of Milupa baby cereal. (this may be a brand of baby cereal unique to England but I'm sure you have something similar. 2 table spoons of bee pollen. 1 table spoon of vitamin B12 (or Cytacon- availanble from a pharmacy.
Put all ingredients through a food processor and feed a table spoon full (per pair) each day tp birds that that you wish to breed and/or feeding young. The remainder will keep in a fridge for about a week.
As a general conditioner he recommended that a sprinkling of wheat germ also be given each day on soft food.
It is a fact that whoever we get to speak at our PS meetings it is only a matter of minutes before the topic of feeding arises. Any comment on diets that have worked?....Ron Lewis
A Bit About Plants
This list is compossed of of my findings in books and the net so it may or may not be acurate.If in doubt ask your vet or someone with plant and avian experience. Always use precation when plants are involved.
Plants found to be Harmful to Birds!!
(Some parts of the following plants could be harmful to your birds.)
Algae (blue-green), Amaryllis, Azalea, Baneberry, Bird of Paradise, Boxwood, Buckthorn, Buttercup, Caladium, Castor Bean, Chalice Vine, Cherry Tree, Christmas Candle, Coral Plant, Daffodil, Daphane, Datura, Deadly Amanita, Death Camas, Delphinium, Deffenbachia, Eggplant, Elephant's Ear, English Ivy, False Henbane, Foxglove, Ghostweed, Golden Chain, Hemlock, Henbane, Holly, Horse Chestnut, Hyacinth, Hydrangea, Iris, Jack in the Pulpit, Jerusalem Cherry, Jimsonween, Juniper, Lantana, Larkspur, Laurel, Lilly (Calla), Lilly of the Valley, Lima Bean, Lobelia, Locoweed, Locust (Black), Lords and Ladies, Marajuana, Mayapple, Mescal Bean, Mistletoe, Mock Orange, Monkshood, Morning Glory, Narcissus, Nightshade, Oak, Oleander, Pear (Balsam), Philodendron, Poison Ivy, Poinsettia, Pikeweed, Potato, Privet, Rhododendron, Rhubarb, Rosary Peas, Skunk Cabbage, Snowdrop, Sweet Pea, Tobacco, Virginia Creeper, Wisteria, Yam Bean, Yew.
TOXIC PRODUCTS:
This guideline of products that are toxic to birds is not a complete list.
Antifreeze
Boric acid
Chocolate
Cleaning supplies
Cosmetics
Disinfectants
Fertilizers
Flaking paint
Hand lotion and creams
Herbicides
Insecticides and other poisons including moth balls
Laundry supplies Liquor Medicines Nail polish remover Oil-based products, such as kerosene, gasoline, and turpentine Perfumes and colognes Rubbing alcohol Shampoo Shaving cream Suntan lotion
Plants Found to be Safe For Your Birds!!
American Bittersweet, Autumn Olive, Bamboo, Barberry, Bayberry, Beech (American and European), Bladdernut, Blueberry, Comfrey, Coralberry, Cotoneaster Firethorn, Crabapple, Dogwood, Elderberry, Ferns, Fig, Fir, Grape Ivy, Grape Vine, Herbs, Huckleberry, Marigold, Nasturtium, Pine, Pothos, Pyracantha, Raspberry, Rose, Snowberry, Spruce, Swedish Ivy, Spider Plant, Viburnum, Wax Plant, White Poplar, Willow.
I hope this will be of some help.
Here is a list of foods with Vitamin A and a report by Joanie Doss. Hope you find it interesting, and helpful...
Parrots need a Diet High in Vitamin A to help prevent illness.
VITAMIN "A" CONTENT
Desirable Food IU Per 100 Grams
Red chili Peppers (fresh) 21,000
Red chili peppers (dried) 77,000
Broccoli leaves 16,000
Broccoli flowers 3,000
Carrots (pureed) 10,000
Sweet Potatoes 9,000
Turnip leaves 7,500
Collards 6,500
Endive 3,500
Dandelion greens 14,000
Spinach 8,000
Butter 3,500
Beef liver 45,000
Egg Yolks 3,000
Cantaloupe 4,000
Mango 5,000
Papaya 2,000
FOODS LOW IN VITAMIN "A"
Corn Lettuce Summer Squash Bananas White potatoes Apples Grapes Oranges
VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY
By JOANIE DOSS
Reprinted from the Alaska Bird News
Hypovitaminosis A Vitamin A deficiency is a very common problem in pet birds. When caught in its early stages, it is easily reversible with little harm done. If it is not corrected, it can have serious consequences. Hypovitaminosis A is often seen in birds that are on an all seed or mostly seed diet. Not only is an all seed diet low in Vitamin A, but also does not provide the bird with other needed minerals and vitamins as well.
With the advent of pelleted or formulated diets, a more balanced diet is obtainable for pet birds. These diets general have an adequate amount of Vitamin A when they leave the manufacturing plant. However time and temperature are enemies of Vitamin A. There can be quite a bit of time from the day it was manufactured to the time you take it home and finally feed it to your bird. There is the amount of time tied up in shipping, warehousing, redistribution, and then storage again.
Time ticks by as it waits on the shelf to be sold. In the summer, this can cause a big drop-off in the nutritional content of the food. If you also store the food at home before using it, the effective level of carotenoids can go down even further.
Even if the food is fresh and loaded with carotenoids, it still may not raise the level of Vitamin A inside the bird.
Anything that causes a gut upset in the bird can interfere with digestion of carotenoids. Giardia and Cocida (Psittacosis) are two notorious problems that contribute to Hypovitaminosis A. If the liver is not functioning properly due to infection, a toxin, or being overweight, it won't be able to make the conversion to Vitamin A.
Plants do not contain active Vitamin A, but instead contain carotenoid plant pigments. Once a Vitamin A food source is eaten, the crop and proventriculus process it before passing it into the intestines. Once inside the intestines, the carotenoid pigments are absorbed through the intestinal wall and converted to retinol, or Vitamin A. Retinol is then transported by the lymph system and the blood to the liver. If there is any extra retinol, it is stored in the fat held by the liver.
Birds with a protein-deficient diet will not digest and absorb Vitamin A properly. Protein is necessary for a healthy intestinal wall. This protein is important since the intestinal lining has rapid cell replacement. These cells are fundamentally protein.
It takes more than lust feeding birds food known for their carotenes. To be able to use these carotenes and convert them to Vitamin A, a bird must have the other nutrients needed for this conversion. The sinuses become more vulnerable to bacterial infections when a bird suffers from a Vitamin A deficiency. Sneezing, wheezing, nasal discharge and crusted or plugged nostrils are not only an early symptom of this, but can be symptoms for many other health problems as well.
Vitamin A is essential for vision. One of the earliest signs of this deficiency is night blindness. This is caused by a degeneration of the rods of the retina. The eyes may become swollen and weepy. Inflammation and abscess material may accumulate around the eye. Sometimes it is necessary to surgically remove the abscess material. The tear glands can be affected as well.
Vitamin A is known for its role in protecting the body against infections. There are little hair-like structures that help to keep the mucous flowing around cells. When there is a Vitamin A deficiency, these structures dry up and infections can occur because the cells are not bathed or cleansed. A bird may become thin due to lack of eating. He may play with his food rather than eat it. Sometimes a bird will experience gagging. His breath may become foul smelling and his breath slimy. If you open his mouth you will notice white patches. Although these are caused by a yeast-like organism, Candida albicans, the trigger is more than likely a deficiency of Vitamin A. These slimy cheesy yellow or white patches of Candida growth can also appear in the throat. This plaque becomes infected, forming an abscess. These abscesses can lead to nasal discharge and swollen eyes. When very severe, these abscesses can lead to suffocation.
The choana (slit in the roof of the mouth may be swollen, and the papillae may be fewer or completely absent. When the salivary gland is affected, there is a swelling under the jaw. This has been noted in Amazons, African greys and Cockatoos. 50% of the Amazon parrots examined during necropsy at the veterinary school at The University of California Davis showed evidence of a Vitamin A deficiency in their salivary glands.
A bird may increase the amount of water that he would normally drink. This leads to increased urination. If damaged cells block the tubes that drain urine, the kidneys can start to fail. When the waste backs up, it will cause toxicity.
Bones need Vitamin A to develop properly. Without a sufficient amount they become weak or bent.
Feet can show that the bird is suffering from a Vitamin A deficiency. The scales may appear thickened and be abnormally shaped. The undersides of the foot appear smooth and warn. Corns appear on the pads. This may lead to a serious foot infection called bumble foot. Bumble foot is caused by a bacterial infection on the underside of the toes and on the ball of the foot. The infection can spread from the foot and travel through the blood to the kidneys. This can damage the kidneys as well as other organs. This infection is easier to prevent than cure, so it is better to catch it before it gets out of hand.
Another area affected is that of reproduction. The eggs produced by the hen can show many signs. Eggs may have pitted or very soft shells. Blood vessels grow improperly in embryos. The chicks either die in the shell or are very weak at hatching. There can be a decrease in egg production and in the hatch-ability. There are increased blood spots in the eggs of unsuccessful clutches. Fertility in males may be impaired because of decreased sperm counts. There can be high levels of abnormal sperm, or sperm with decreased ability to swim and move properly.
Feather color and condition are dependent on the bird's diet. Vitamin A is needed for the formation of the orange and red pigment in the feathers. Black, chewed feathers often point to a diet low in Vitamin A. Spirulina is often fed birds to maintain proper feather coloration.
Always consult your vet before supplementing your bird with Vitamin A. It is a fat-soluble vitamin and is toxic when too much has been given. A bird's body stores the Vitamin A so you can easily overdose. Foods with beta-carotenes will not cause an overdose of Vitamin A as they are not convened into Vitamin A until it is needed. Feeding foods known for the high amount of carotene may not be the answer even though you will not overdose the bird through food. Unless other nutrients are also in his diet, he will not be able to convert the carotene to Vitamin A.
High amounts of Vitamin A can result in temporary yellow or orange coloration's of the skin and fat. Tetracycline treatment has been shown in some animals to produce toxicity at lower does of Vitamin A. A compromised liver can also lead to Vitamin A toxicity at low levels. You must be very careful when giving Vitamin A supplements to birds on a pelleted diet, as most of them already contain the required amount. Adding Vitamin A supplements to them can overdose the bird. The practice of adding cod liver oil is equally risky. It can easily become rancid, so must be stored properly. The Vitamins A and D found in cod liver oil are both fat soluble and there fore can be stored in the body This increase the chances of giving the bird too much.
Birds generally die from secondary infections caused by the weakened resistance from he Vitamin A deficiency more than from the deficiency itself. The secondary infections cause the organ damage that leads to the bird's eventual death.
When you bring your bird to your veterinarian for a Vitamin A deficiency, the vet will give the bird a thorough physical exam. Then through blood tests, cytology of lesions, and gram stains she will decide how the bird should be treated. If there is a secondary infection, that will be treated. She may initially give an injection of Vitamin A and give you a diet for your bird to prevent it from coming back.
Since Vitamin A symptoms have some of the same as avian tuberculosis, bacterial infections, tumors, etc., it is best to have a person that can determine he true cause of the bird's problem. It is unwise to self diagnose your bird. You may treat the bird as having a Vitamin A deficiency when it could be something else.
Signs of Illness
a.. innactivity
b.. eyes closed most of the time
c.. feathers fluffed all of the time
d.. "droopy" wings
e.. low, almost horizontal, posture on the perch
f.. talking and vocalization stops
g.. eating stops
h.. noisy breathing
i.. freequent sneezing
j.. discharge from nose
k.. tail bobbing with each breath
l.. perching with neck extended and beak grasping wire of cage (bird does this to keep breathing passages straight to make breathing more effortless)
m.. vomiting
n.. soiled or pasted vent
o.. feathers lost and not replaced
p.. bleeding
q.. weigh loss
r.. swelling
s.. changes in water consumption
t.. changes in routine and habits
u.. change in droppings
v.. change in activity level
w.. decrease in preening activity
x.. frequent flicking of the head
y.. remaining at bottom of cage
z.. self mutilation
aa.. regression
ab.. dehydration (weakness, sunken eyes, feet cool, ridging of skin over sides of toes)
AVIAN VETS
Southern Ontario Region
Ontario Small Animal Clinic
Guleph University
Guelph, Ontario
Dr. Taylor
519-823-8830
Burloak Animal Clinic
Oakville, Ontario
Dr. Wolfgang Zenker
Dr. Susan Simmons
905-827-1171
Briarwood Animal Hospital
Dr.Randy Sterling
Stoney Creek, Ontario
905-664-4888
Brookville Animal Clinic
Campellville, Ontario
905-854-2216
More To Come
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