Pellets? Does he need them?

[vambosmom]

Hi All. I'm new to this forum and have some questions about Harley's (my quaker, 5 months old) eating habits. Harley eats everything and anything, except his pellets. His main diet consists of a few seeds in his pellets every morning (he only eats the seeds); veggies and/or fruit in the afternoon; cooked bird food at night (Katee Kitchen Creations); plus Nutriberries several times a day. I've tried two different brands of pellets (both fruit flavored) and he didn't care for either one. Does he need them? Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Sandy and Harley (the blue quaker)

[Monica]

I don't really suggest buying a seed mixture with pellets (especially if maybe you would like to sprout the seeds instead). As far as the pellets, you might want to try the plain, regular pellets (not the colored ones), or even different sizes.

However saying that, if your quaker gets a balanced diet which includes a lot of fresh/cooked foods, specially cooked eggs, and fresh veggies, then he doesn't really NEED pellets as some pelleted diets added with the nutrition and calcium of fresh foods can give a bird too much calcium.

[The Outlaw]

I totally agree with Monica. Pellets can save folks time, but they simply don't replace fresh foods anyway. If you still have to cook and chop and shop, what's the point of pellets anyway?

[Dayna]

Nancy, Monica:

I feed pellets kinda like I take a vitamen. My diet is not made up of my multivitamen, but I take it as insurance against maybe not having a perfectly balanced diet.

Same thing with my amazon. What if I forgot Vitamen A for a week? I have pellets available at all times in her cage, and she gets 4 squares a day. Usually whatever I am having, plus some fresh veggies that I don't care for (like hot peppers!).

I would never rely on pellets, or any other one food for that matter.

Maya never eats her seed anymore.

[Monica]

Dayna, right about that! They are always good to have just in case, however a bird should never be on a whole pellet, or a whole seed diet.... Fresh foods should always be given if at all possible. However, if feeding fresh foods is not always available to do, a seed and pellet mixture would be a better option if the person could get the bird switched to pellets somewhat (it would probably be better to feed 50/50 pellets and seed rather than 100% of either).

[two_bluebirds]

Originally Posted by vambosmom

Hi All. I'm new to this forum and have some questions about Harley's (my quaker, 5 months old) eating habits. Harley eats everything and anything, except his pellets. His main diet consists of a few seeds in his pellets every morning (he only eats the seeds); veggies and/or fruit in the afternoon; cooked bird food at night (Katee Kitchen Creations); plus Nutriberries several times a day. I've tried two different brands of pellets (both fruit flavored) and he didn't care for either one. Does he need them? Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Sandy and Harley (the blue quaker)

Sienna
Have you tried the new Zupreem pellets called Harvest feast or Hot and S picy? These new pellets come in many flavors and my birds love them.

[two_bluebirds]

Originally Posted by two_bluebirds

Sienna
Have you tried the new Zupreem pellets called Harvest feast or Hot and S picy? These new pellets come in many flavors and my birds love them.

I also feed a well balanced diet of fresh veges, fruits and birdie bread with veges and organic fruit home made cookies. I feed mine mostly organic foods and bake wkth organic flour. When we are gone for a while I like the freeze dried veges/fruits with pellets so the food won't spoil until we get back home from shopping and like them as a night treat to. My fids blood tests were excellent so they are getting what they need in the right amounts. It did take a while to learn all the right things to give them a good diet. The quaker has a high metabolism so eats a lot and often. Cags need the calcium in their diet so she gets more nuts and almonds with her food ands some seed along with veges/fruits/etc.

[Alika]

Everyone has a different philosophy on the ratio of pellets and fresh foods to be used. I think the important thing is that most everyone agrees that pellets should be included in a fresh food diet.

I use pellets as a staple for two reasons. The first reason is that as much as I try, there is no way I can give my fids enough variety every single day to constitute a good fresh foods diet. The second reason is that even if I could give them enough fresh foods every day, most of the crops grown commercially are grown in mineral depleted soil and don't have anywhere near the vitamin and mineral content that they should. I am paranoid about my fids getting everything they need, so I rely heavily on pellets.

I supplement with fruits, veggies, grains, meats (and eggs), nuts, and seeds partly for nutritional value, but mostly to give a nice change from eating nothing but pellets all the time. Pelleted diets claim that they have everything your bird needs and even advise against feeding anything extra, so I tend to go a little more conservative with my fresh foods and offer them more for enrichement than anything else. However, I do use eggs, nuts, and seeds for extra calcium, fat, and, in the case of my cockatiel, to give her something closer to what her wild diet would be, if that makes any sense.

And, even though it's frowned upon in many circles, I like the colored pellets. I know people say that parronts who buy colored pellets are more attracted to them than their birds and that the adding coloring *could* potentially be harmful, but I swear that the color and shapes are somewhat enriching and I haven't seen any studies indicating that there's any harm in the coloring itself. My birds will literally pick out the shapes and colors they like first, and leave the ones they don't like for very last. If it's making them think even a little bit, then it's a good thing.

That's my take on the whole nutrition thing.

Hats off to those of you who have the time and resources to prepare full organic meals for your fids every single day :)