No More Pellets!!!!!!

[cfulhage]

Okay-- I have two brands of seed mix in front of me, neither of which I feed to my birds (I have them because when Ollie was having trouble weaning onto pellets it was suggested I try seed initially).

These are in them: salt (one), Menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfite source of Vit k3 (both), ethoxyquin (one), artificial color (one), raw peanuts in shell (both).

The pellets I feed have none of this, with the exception of artificial color. Zupreem does have an all natural pellet without artificial color, but Ollie won't eat it.

Point being- Not all seed mixes are wonderful either. We do the best we can by our fids, but nothing is ever going to be perfect.

[felisdomesticus]

many of the cheap cat and dog foods also contain ethyoxquin and BHA/BHT along with other nasty things like euthanized pets. It's so important to read ingredients listings and really educate yourself about what you are feeding your animals.

[pinkparrot]

here is a really good artical by sally banchard.
http://www.companionparrot.com/Parro...t%20Factor.htm
It talks about seed, pellets,fruit and veg.
Like veg and fruits such a apple,grapes,corn have very little nutrition

[jimpierce7]

Roudybush, Golden'obles (Goldenfiest), bird-elicious (not really a pellet), Scenic, Zupreem naturals, and there are many "organic" pellets out there also. I try to find pellets that an Avian nutrishalist was involved in producing.

[kristy29]

You do realize you just contradicted yourself by sending us to that article, right? She said exactly what everyone else was saying, that pellets, as ONE part of a balanced diet are good. They do have specific nutrients in them that a lot of us have trouble getting into our birds. If it is a choice between feeding a complete seed diet, or supplementing with a pellet, I choose the pellet. Many of us struggle every day to get the right nutrients into our fids. Mine are rehomed budgies that were on a complete seed diet before they came to me. With budgies already being notorious for being picky, they are even worse. But they will eat anything I put in bread. So I stuff anything I can into my birdie bread, veggies, fruit, nuts, organic baby food, juice, eggs, and yes, pellets. I feel more comfortable knowing that they at least got some nutrients, between the fresh food and the pellets. One other thing I know they love are avi-cakes, which also have pellets in them. Other than the bread and the avi-cakes, the only other nutritious things they eat are a few nibbles of a carrot or a pepper. I try hard every day to get stuff in them, but it is a constant battle , and I know that the pellets they get are a good source of supplemental nutrition for my very very finicky eaters.

[gbird]

Baby gets Zupreem Avian Maintence for Small parrots & Conures. My vet said that was good for him. He also gets all sorts of other stuff. Fresh fruit, vegies, eggs. I asked him about Harrisons and he said as long as he likes the Zupreem to not change it.

[Willow]

You can get very good organic pellets (And seed, and sprout mix) here, my guys love the spicer's blend!
http://www.organicbirdfood.com

Here's the ingredient list of the pellets:
"100% Certified organic ingredients: Barley, Corn, Rice, Wheat, Alfalfa Leaf, Sunflower Seed, Amaranth, Sesame Seeds, Buckwheat, Millet, Quinoa, Carrot Powder, Spinach, Dandelion, Rose Hips, Citrus Peels, Rosemary, Purple Dulse, Cayenne, Red Chilli Pepper, Barley Grass, Wheat Grass."

[Mlewis]

Yes, that list needs updating. If you don't want articial sweeteners or colors, feed ZuPreem Naturals or Roudybush. If you don't want "E", don't use a poor brand. If you want chemical free/organic, use Bir-Delicous or Harrison's. You get good results with good brands. Research FIRST.

[tielfan]

If it is a choice between feeding a complete seed diet, or supplementing with a pellet, I choose the pellet.

I like the way you put that: SUPPLEMENTING with a pellet. That's exactly the way I think they should be used, to help fill in any gaps in the diet. My tiels eat more homemade sprouts than anything but also get fresh veggies, freeze-dried fruits (because they refuse to eat fresh), a good quality dry seed mix consisting of my own custom mix of Volkman, Goldenfeast, and a few other things, plus a little red palm oil and powdered "green foods". They're persnickety about eating pellets, and I'd be thrilled if I could get them up to 20% of their diet being pellets. They are NOT eating as many vegetables as they should, especially the orange ones. Vitamin D3 is an issue too, because it isn't practical to put them outside for direct sunlight.

[Belinda]

I use a combination of seeds, harrisons pellets and heaps of veggies with my guys. :) Feeding all of one thing would be unhealthy but a variety is good.