If you have a pet bird or you are looking to feed the wild birds in your garden, there are some things to be aware of before you buy seed or pellets. Pet birds will have a lot of requirements regarding their diet and this will depend on the species of the bird as well. Most of the time, bird owners are confused about whether to use pellets or seeds as the base of the diet.
You can feed your bird an all-seed diet but this can be a cause for concern as you will not be able to get all the important nutrients from seeds. Seeds are also high in fat and you may not always be able to guarantee the quality of the seeds you purchase. You need to check whether there is sufficient variety in the seed mix and whether they contain any harmful ingredients or carry artificial colors. These will be detrimental to the health of your bird. Birds that are on a seed diet only can face issues with malnutrition and other health conditions. While it is useful to include seeds in the diet, you need to make sure there are other food types you give to ensure a healthy and balanced diet.
Bird pellets are specially formulated with balanced nutrients and can be incorporated easily into the bird’s diet. But you need to check the nutritional facts of the pellet before you purchase. Some of the things you need to check on the manufacturer’s label are vitamins, minerals and fat content that is in the pellet. There is a wide variety of pellets in the market and you need to choose something that offers a more balanced diet to the bird.
The ingredient list should be inspected to see whether you are getting all the benefits and whether there are any harmful ingredients that you should avoid. If you have initially fed the bird with seeds, the transition from seeds to pellets can be a bit tricky. The bird might not get used to eating the pellets easily so you will need instruction from your veterinarian about how to smoothly transition the diet.
It is best to speak with your veterinarian about what you can include in the bird’s diet. This will most probably be a combination of seeds and pellets. You need to decide on the diet before you bring the bird home so that you can implement a nutritional diet from the beginning. There are also additional food items that you can give such as vegetables, fruits, grains, leafy greens, and nuts.
You can prepare these beforehand by making a big batch of feed and freezing them in small portions for each meal. You can also check the websites that market bird seeds and pellets to check their credibility and attention to detail. A nutritional diet will ensure that your bird stays healthy and lives longer. You need to monitor what they eat to ensure a higher quality of life for them.