AVIAN NUTRITION

The Problem
It is estimated that 70% of avian health problems are a direct result of improper nutrition. Consequently, attention to what your bird eats is very important. One of the problems in avian nutrition is a result of lack of knowledge on the exact nutritional requirements of birds. In the wild, a Puerto Rican parrot consumes seven species of fruits, seeds and leaves, the fruiting structures of 44 species of trees (in addition to bark), and seven species of canopy vines. Trying to duplicate this diet in captivity is impossible. There is also a general misconception that birds eat what they are fed. Birds often become habituated or fixated on a specific food item. They may eat only the sunflower seeds in a seed diet, and in the process become "sunflower seed junkies". Eating seed only diets will usually develop a fatty liver. For these reasons it is of utmost importance to feed birds a varied diet.

Two feeding problems are commonly seen in psittacine birds. First, for convenience, most birds are fed free choice over a 24 hour period, with additional food being added to the bowl as needed. People may not notice that their bird has not eaten for 24 to 48 hours. If soft foods (bread, fruit, rice, corn) are offered and allowed to sit in the cage for extended periods, bacterial or fungal contamination can occur. Secondly, people assume that prepackaged foods for birds (e.g. seed mixes, supplemented seed mixes, or special treat diets) are a complete balanced diet and the bird will eat the diet. Both these assumptions are incorrect. Seed diets, no matter how they are packaged, are highly deficient in vitamins and minerals, and too high in fat. Vitamin supplemented seed diets are not as good. The vitamins are sprayed onto the exterior of the seed (the hull) and that is the part of the seed that isn’t eaten.

The Solution
To correct these problems, a nutritionally complete diet should be offered at regular intervals. Remember, birdseed diets are NOT normal for most birds (except finches and canaries) and are not recommended. You can avoid many trips to the vet and many dollars of vet bills by getting your bird on a solid diet, that is not bird seed.

There are two options available for you to get your bird on a good diet. The first is to use a birdseed base and supplement that with fresh veggies, fruits, pasta, beans and leaf greens (spinach etc.). The birdseed should be no more than 25% of the food consumed each day. This method is very effective but requires more work on your part. Sample diets are available by contacting Animal Health Clinic.

The second method is to put the bird on a pelleted diet. There are a number of good pelleted diets available, and the advantage is that the contain most of the nutrients required by most birds, so supplementation is minimal. Converting the birds to a pellet diet is a different story, and will require some effort on your part. See bird feeding.