All About Pellets (Guest Post)

Extruded pellets

In the US, most folks are becoming aware that bird nutrition is more than a sunflower-laden seed mix. Pet food manufacturers (including some who are avian vets) have stepped in and created pelleted/formulated diets to fill the gap. This is happening mainly in the US, but other countries (Germany and Hagen, Sweden and EcoBird) have their own brands as well.

But what exactly are pellets, and are they right for your bird? I hope to answer some basic questions on what they are, how to determine if you should incorporate them into your bird’s diet, and how to pick a good one of you do.

What are pellets?

Red Sided Eclectus like these need a special diet- and that
includes a special pellet, if you choose to use them.

Pellets are either compressed (looks like a rabbit or guinea pig pellet) or extruded (like Zupreem or Harrison’s) ingredient blends that are supposedly formulated for optimum nutrition for your bird. They vary widely in their quality. Not all pellets are created equal.

Some species should most likely NOT be served pellets, and just have higher maintenance diets that humans must cater to if they want to keep that species. Species such as:

Eclectus. For information on what to feed an Ekkie, visit Land of Vos.

Toucans, Aricaris, and Toucanets need a low iron diet that many pellet manufacturers do not meet well. Even many low iron formulas specifically marketed to be fed to these birds are too high. Be sure and check with your avian vet before choosing a pellet diet for them.

Lories and Lorikeets need a nectar based diet and pellets would be a small supplement to their diet, not a mainstay.

Corn, wheat, and soy should be in your parrot's diet in limited amounts- if at all. And only human grade, non-GMO versions!

Other individuals in other species there are plenty of other individual birds within species that I did not mention that should not eat pellets, or only eat specific kinds. Many birds have shown to be sensitive or allergic to artificial colors, synthetic vitamins, toxic preservatives used in many common brands, and ingredients that may or may not be GMO, or non-human grade (corn, soy, and wheat being the most common culprits).

At my flock's house, I do feed pellets to every one of my birds (along with a fresh diet), even the small Aussie birds that most people feed a seed-based diet to. And I have to brag that my birds are healthy, happy, are not obese and are quite athletic. Their feathers are glowing and their skin is not overly dry. My vet is always pleased when we come in for annuals. I am highly selective about what I feed my birds.


How to incorporate pellets into your bird’s diet

Pellets and other dried foods (which resist bacteria growth) are great as bird cage foods and food for playgym cups, and that’s how I use them at home. My birds eat the bulk of their food at “flock meals” twice a day, and that’s when they get fresh or cooked foods that make up the bulk of their diet.

When introducing any new food, try one new element at a time, not a bunch of new things. Wean slowly but deliberately- I offer pellets and other dried foods all day in cages & on gyms for when birds want a nibble.

Guest post by Danielle Eurynome, founder of Squawk and Howl. She is a parrot behaviorist, consultant, rescuer, and sitter.

Stay tuned for a new brand of pellets- Momma is looking to create an organic, soy-free, pellet without all those cheap fillers!

Coupon Code: humangrade for 20% off any foraging toy in the store! Now through August 27th!

Parrot Toys: More than "just a toy"

This guest post is by the owner of Squawk and Howl, a parrot centric pet sitting and parrot behavioral consulting business. for more info check out their website.

In my work with people and their parrots, I often recommend toys. I have heard common refrains from people with parrot behavioral issues: “Oh I gave him some toys once, but he wasn’t interested, so I stopped buying them.”

This is not the right attitude. Toys are NOT optional in the life of a captive parrot. Why? Parrots are wild creatures with all their instincts intact. Toys exist for them to harness those wild instincts and make the bird more suitable for life in a human home. quite simply, if a parrot does not have these outlets, behavioral issues likely ensue.

To that end, I have identified six specific instincts that need channeling for many birds, and the toys that help with that behavior:

The Six Kinds of Parrot Toys
(many fall into more than one category!)

Foraging Toys

Wild Behavior this replaces:
Parrots spend 6-8 hours a day hunting for food. It satisfies their mind & body. Studies show that most animals, including parrots, would rather work for a food- even if that same food is readily available to them without work. It gives them a sense of purpose and accomplishment. You are doing your bird no favors by serving it food in a dish and not giving it a job to do.

________________________________________________________________________

Destructable/Shreddable Toys
Wild Behavior this replaces:
Parrots are nature’s composters: they take a bite of food & let it fall to the forest floor. They chew wood & other materials to trim beaks, make nesting cavities, & sleeping burrows & generally make a huge mess. It is in their nature. If you haven’t enticed your bird to use one of these toys, perhaps you should try different shapes and textures.



________________________________________________________________________

Puzzle/Manipulative Toys
Wild Behavior this replaces:
Parrots are highly intelligent creatures that, like humans, get smarter the more you challenge them. Teach your parrot cause and effect, how to control its own environment and other like-minded principles that these toys teach and your parrot will have healthy self-esteem and understand the world better.

________________________________________________________________________

Preening Toys
Wild Behavior this replaces:
Birds preen one another’s heads (allopreening) for grooming AND bonding purposes, and preening themselves and flock members can be very soothing. Preening toys are like pacifers for stressed birds, feather pluckers, lone birds in a cage, and specific breeds (like cockatiels) in particular.



________________________________________________________________________

Acrobatic/ Athletic Toys
Wild Behavior this replaces:
Encouraging climbing, flapping, swinging and other athletic ventures replaces natural exercise the bird would have in the wild. Sitting in a cage all day while we are at work is just unnatural!

________________________________________________________________________

Creative Toys
Wild Behavior this replaces:
Again, parrots in the wild use tools, create things, and make lots of noise. This is a “blowing off steam” kind of toy, as well as teaching cause & effect. Noisemaking, nest weaving (in Quakers), painting, and other activities fall in this category.

Be sure and teach your parrot how to play with these new toys- toys are a displacement tool, and they do not inherently know how to play with them.

Be sure and check out Momma Bird's toy selection! Get 20% off any toys (and as many toys as you want!) when you purchase at least one bag of birdie bread (between now and August 31st). Just enter code toysaremandatory when checking out in the coupon code box.

Medicating Your Bird

NEVER buy over-the-counter medicines to treat your bird. Please establish a relationship with a Board Certified Avian Vet (BCAV) and take your bird to them when s/he is sick. Read more about that here.

Once you have real medicine that has been prescribed by your vet and a sick birdie to orally administer them to, the task can seem overwhelming. Read this great article on medicating birds for good technique.

How to find a Good Avian Vet

The term "avian vet" can be misleading. Any vet can use that term, regardless of their education, certification, or experience. All that is required is a willingness to treat birds! Therefore, it is best to find a "Board Certified Avian Vet"- one who has worked on birds a minimum of 6 years and has taken a rigorous exam (and passed).

How to find a Board Certified Avian Vet vet near you: ABVP.com (Search the "Find a Diplomate" database and pick "avian" as the specialty.)

You need to plan for emergencies, which means buy a Gram Scale! Assemble a First Aid Kit! Keep it stocked!

While we in the Bay Area are lucky to have several wonderful Board Certified Avian (BCA) Vets nearby, if you found this page and do not live here, the nearest avian vet may be hours away from you. This is due to the fact that there are only a couple hundred avian vets in the whole WORLD. If this is the case, you should do a bit of research and find a second if not third vet within a proper travel distance. Find the nearest BCA vet in case you birds life is in danger and you need someone that KNOWS what to do about it and fast. Then, find the nearest non-certified avian vet that specializes in birds. If that vet is quite a distance away local your nearest vet that accepts birds. Some vets only take dogs/cats, cows, horse, ect ect... You need contact them and speak with them to find out.
Given that avian medicine and nutrition are a new science that is advancing all the time, you may find that there is no Board Certified Avian Vet near you. In that case, ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS of any prospective vet. Many of these avian vets are wonderful- and are indeed studying toward the Avian Medicine Exam. (It does take 6 years of practice before they can take this test, remember.) The first question on your list should be, "How many birds do you see in your practice DAILY?" The answer that is best for your bird will be at least "four". Any less and they most likely do not have enough experience. Then ask what sorts of birds they have treated, and what sorts of conditions. Here are links to find vets treating birds:

toolady.com
babybirds.com
AAV.org
parrotmag.com

Also research emergency care. What happens if your bird gets stepped on at 9 PM at night? If it can't stand or is bleeding out its mouth. A broken wing or leg. An accident in the kitchen. What do you do? Who do you call? You should already know. Not knowing is irresponsible neglect of any pet. Researching vets does not cost you a penny but can save you a bundle of money and grief in the future.

Other Emergency Medical Contacts:

ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center (USA) 24-hour emergency phone number: 1-888-426-4435
(Vets are available to help 24-hours a day, but you are charged a fee for the call)

Poopology

All birds do it, so lets talk about it. Poop! Here's the basics of caring for your bird(s) and keeping an eye on their health -- because a healthy parrot is a happy parrot!

Clean wax paper or other smooth surfaces can be used to collect droppings to evaluate or take to the vet.

Bird poop has three parts. All three should be examined on a regular basis. A sick bird may show a change in the volume, color, consistency, or frequency of droppings.

As birds are prey animals who hide their illnesses, droppings are one of the best and first ways to evaluate illness.

It is for these reasons that you should not use substrate on your cage dropping pan.

Here are notes about the three parts:

1. Feces: solid waste which should be coiled neatly on itself. The normal appearance is usually soft and brown when on a formulated diet (pellets) but may be abnormally dry and black or green with a seed diet. Color may also be affected by colorful foods, such as carrots or beets (orange/red/pink tint) or greens (greenish tint). If the feces are not the right color, and the bird has not consumed dyed toys, items or high pigment foods, a vet should be seen immediately. Neon green feces are a sign of illness, but other greens are not.

2. Urates: creamy white semi-solids which surround part of the coil, which are waste from the kidneys. If the urates are not white, and the bird has not consumed dyed toys/safe items or high pigment foods, a vet should be seen immediately.

3. Urine: which is supposed to be clear. The normally clear urine may be increased in amount when excess consumption of fruit or vegetables. Again, any discoloring in urine, when the bird has not consumed dyed toys/safe items or high pigment foods, means a vet should be seen immediately.

Note: Many birds have a larger poop than normal first thing in the morning, if they are laying eggs, or are babies on formula or crop milk.

Momma Bird's Birdie Bread is made of natural and holistic ingredients, with no artificial colors or dyes. Our Happy Bird Day Loaf does come out red, but that is from all the strawberries and sweet potatoes in the mix! So please remember to keep an eye on your birdie friend's droppings and talk to your vet if anything comes up.

In the meantime, give your parrot some birdie bread and hear those happy noises!

Nutritional Value of Seeds and Nuts

We have all wondered which foods contain the most nutrition for our birds. The tables below contain information on the nutritional values of these foods prepared in a variety of ways. Learn which contain the most beneficial vitamins and minerals your pets require and which is the most nutritious way to serve them.
The information included below comes from the USDA Handbook #8 and information from food companies. The numbers used are averages. Be aware that nutrient content of foods varies based upon how they are grown and stored. However, you can use these numbers as a guideline in choosing food for your bird's diet.
The numbers in the tables provide the nutrition found in 1 ounce of food.
SEEDS

Food Item	Calo ries	Prot (g)	Carb (g)	Fat (g)	satF (g)	monF (g)	polyF (g)	Cal (mg)	Phos (mg)	Sod (mg)	Pot (mg)	Iron (mg)	vitA (IU)	Thia (mg)	Ribo (mg)	Nia (mg)
Sunflower Seed Kernels Dried	161.60	6.46	5.33	14.06	1.47	2.68	9.28	32.89	199.87	.85	195.33	1.93	14.18	.65	.07	1.28
Safflower Seed Kernels Dried	146.57	4.59	9.72	10.91	1.04	1.37	8.00	22.11	182.57	.85	194.76	1.39	14.18	.33	.12	.65
Millet Raw	107.16	3.12	20.67	1.19	.20	.22	.60	2.27	80.80	1.42	55.28	.85	0	.12	.08	1.34
Sesame Seeds Whole Dried	162.45	5.02	6.66	14.09	1.97	5.32	6.17	276.41	178.32	3.12	132.68	4.14	2.55	.22	.07	1.28
Sesame Seed Kernels Dried	166.70	7.48	2.66	15.54	2.17	5.87	6.81	37.14	220.00	11.34	115.38	2.21	18.71	.20	.02	1.33
Pumpkin & Squash Kernels Dried	153.37	6.95	5.05	13.01	2.46	4.04	5.93	12.19	332.83	5.10	228.78	4.25	107.73	.06	.09	.50
Pumpkin & Squash Seeds Whole Roasted w/o Salt	126.44	5.27	15.25	5.5	1.04	1.71	2.51	15.59	26.08	5.10	260.54	.94	17.58	.01	.01	.08
Oats	110.28	4.79	18.80	1.96	.35	.62	.72	15.31	148.27	.57	121.62	1.33	0	.22	.04	.27
Watermelon Seed Kernels Dried	157.91	8.02	4.34	13.44	2.77	2.10	7.96	15.31	214.04	28.07	183.71	2.07	0	.05	.04	1.01
Dill Seed	146.57	4.54	15.65	4.11	.21	2.67	.29	429.79	78.53	5.61	336.23	4.62	15.03	.12	.08	.8

NUTS

Food Item	Calo ries	Prot (g)	Carb (g)	Fat (g)	satF (g)	monF (g)	polyF (g)	Cal (mg)	Phos (mg)	Sod (mg)	Pot (mg)	Iron (mg)	vitA (IU)	Thia (mg)	Ribo (mg)	Nia (mg)
Acorns Raw	104.61	1.76	11.57	6.78	.88	4.28	1.30	11.62	22.40	0	152.81	.23	11.06	.03	.03	.52
Almonds Dried	166.98	5.67	5.78	14.80	1.40	9.61	3.11	75.41	147.42	3.12	207.52	1.05	0	.06	.22	.95
Almonds Dry Roasted w/o & w Salt	166.41	4.62	6.86	14.63	1.39	9.50	3.07	79.95	155.36	3.12 221.13	218.30	1.08	0	.04	.17	.80
Almonds Oil Roasted w/o & w Salt	175.20	5.78	4.51	16.36	1.55	10.61	3.43	66.34	155.07	2.84 220.85	193.63	1.08	0	.04	.28	.99
Brazil Nuts Dried	185.98	4.05	3.63	18.77	4.58	6.53	6.84	49.90	170.10	.57	170.10	.96	0	.28	.03	.46
Cashews Oil Roasted w/o & w Salt	163.30	4.59	8.08	13.66	2.70	8.06	2.31	11.62	120.77	4.82 177.47	150.26	1.16	0	.12	.05	.51
Chestnuts European Raw	55.57	.45	12.53	.37	.07	.12	.14	5.39	10.77	.57	137.21	.26	7.37	.04	0	.31
Coconut Meat Raw	100.36	.94	4.31	9.5	8.42	.41	.10	3.97	32.04	5.67	100.93	.68	0	.02	.01	.15
Coconut Milk Raw	65.21	.65	1.56	6.75	5.99	.29	.07	4.54	28.35	4.25	74.56	.45	0	.01	0	.22
Filberts Dried	179.17	3.69	4.34	17.75	1.30	13.92	1.70	53.30	88.45	.85	126.16	.94	18.99	.14	.03	.32
Filberts Dry Roasted w/o & w Salt	187.68	2.84	5.07	18.80	1.38	14.73	1.80	55.28	91.57	.85 221.13	130.98	.96	19.56	.06	.06	.79
Filberts Oil Roasted w/o & w Salt	187.11	4.05	5.44	18.03	1.33	14.13	1.73	55.57	92.42	.85 222.83	131.83	.96	19.85	.06	.06	.79
Macadamias Dried	199.02	2.35	3.88	20.89	3.13	16.49	.36	19.85	38.56	1.42	104.33	.68	0	.10	.03	.61
Macadamias Oil Roasted w/o & w Salt	203.55	2.07	3.66	21.69	3.25	17.12	.37	12.76	56.70	1.98 73.71	93.27	.51	2.55	.06	.03	.57
Peanuts Raw	160.74	7.31	4.56	13.95	1.94	6.93	4.41	26.08	106.60	5.10	199.87	1.30	0	.18	.04	3.42
Peanuts Oil Roasted w/o & w Salt	164.71	7.48	5.36	13.98	1.94	6.93	4.42	24.95	146.57	1.70 122.76	193.35	.51	0	.07	.03	4.05
Pecans Dried	189.09	2.21	5.16	19.16	1.54	11.95	4.75	10.21	82.50	.28	111.13	.60	36.29	.24	.04	.25
Pecans Dry Roasted w/o & w Salt	186.83	2.27	6.32	18.31	1.47	11.42	4.53	9.92	86.18	.28 221.13	104.90	.62	37.71	.09	.03	.26
Pecans Oil Roasted w/o & w Salt	194.20	1.98	4.56	20.19	1.62	12.58	5.00	9.64	83.35	.28 214.33	101.78	.6	36.57	.09	.03	.25
Pine Nuts Pignolias Dried	146.00	6.80	4.03	14.37	2.21	5.41	6.05	7.37	144.02	1.13	169.82	2.61	8.22	.23	.05	1.01
Pine Nuts Pinyon Dried	161.03	3.29	5.47	17.29	2.66	6.50	7.28	2.27	9.92	20.41	178.04	.88	8.22	.35	.06	1.24
Pistachio Nuts Dried	163.58	5.84	7.03	13.72	1.74	9.26	2.08	38.27	142.60	1.70	309.87	1.93	66.06	.23	.05	.31
Walnuts Black Dried	172.08	6.92	3.43	16.05	1.03	3.61	10.63	16.44	131.54	.28	148.55	.88	83.92	.06	.03	.20
Walnuts English Dried	182.01	4.05	5.19	17.55	1.58	4.02	11.09	26.65	89.87	2.84	142.32	.68	35.15	.11	.04	.29

If you would like more information on these or other foods, visit the Nutritional Analysis Tool (NAT) website at http://www.nat.uiuc.edu/mainnat.html. NAT is provided as a public service by the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department at the University of Illinois.

Proper Avian Nutrition Plan

According to several avian vets that we have consulted, a varied healthy diet is key for all companion birds.

Below are recommendations, summarized from 4 board certified avian vets. We intend to update this page as any new information becomes available. As avian medicine and nutrition is a new science, there may be changes to this information. Additionally, your bird may have special nutritional needs. Please ask your avian vet what is appropriate for your bird.

There are 3 types of birds outlined here: hookbills (parrots of all sizes- from budgies to macaws), hardbills (small birds like canaries and finches), and lories and lorikeets.

Bird Type	Main Diet (Have available to bird at all times- in cage, on playstand, etc)	Secondary Diet (Serve multiple times a day for two hours maximum to avoid bacteria growth)	Comments
Hookbills (Budgies, Lovebirds, Cockatiels, Parrotlets, Parakeets of All Types, Parrots of All Types)	Pellets (Formulated Diets): 60-75% of total diet Vets recommend looking for a brand that meets this criteria: (organic, fortified with calcium, vitamins and minerals, no artificial colors, and no toxic preservatives (such as ethoxyquin, BHA, BHT) Water (unless prescribed by your vet, do not add supplements or medicines to water)	Vets prefer organic and free-range foods whenever possible. Fresh Foods in this order of importance: 1. Fresh dark leafy greens (kale, chard, collards, dandelions) 2. Vitamin A rich veggies (yams, carrots, winter squashes, pumpkin 3. Other Veggies and Greens (broccoli, bell peppers, parsley, zucchini, spinach, etc) 4. Proteins (hard boiled eggs (with shell), nuts, plain yogurt, chicken, fish)* 5. Fruits & Cereals (all fruit except avocado, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, other grains, unsweetened cereals) 6. Seed & Treats * It is especially important to serve free-range organic animal products to avoid bioacculation of hormones, anti-biotics, and pesticides.	Notes on Seed: Contrary to popular belief, most parrots do not eat seed as a main component of their diet in the wild. Seed is high in phosphorus, and can amplify calcium deficiencies in birds. Seed does not provide enough vitamins and minerals, even the "coated" variety. African Greys & Laying Hens: These birds need more calcium than other parrots. Please feed pellets with extra calcium (such as Harrison's High Potency) and/or extra calcium in other ways. Macaws: Macaws need more nuts & palm than other parrots.
Hardbills (Canaries, Finches)	Seed Mix: 60-70% of total diet Vets recommend looking for a brand that meets this criteria: organic, no sunflower seeds Water (unless prescribed by your vet, do not add supplements or medicines to water)	Vets prefer organic and free-range foods whenever possible. Fresh Foods in this order of importance: 1. fresh dark leafy greens (kale, chard, collards, dandelions) 2. Vitamin A rich veggies (yams, carrots, winter squashes, pumpkin 3. Other Veggies and Greens (broccoli, bell peppers, parsley, zucchini, spinach, etc) 4. Proteins (hard boiled eggs (with shell)*, nuts) 5. Fruits & Cereals (all fruit except avocado, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, other grains, unsweetened cereals) 6. Treats
Lories and Lorikeets	Nectar: 70% of total diet (there are commercial mixes available where all you have to do is add water.) Water (unless prescribed by your vet, do not add supplements or medicines to water)	Vets prefer organic and free-range foods whenever possible. 1. Fruit (all but avocado) 2. Vegetables 3. Pellets (specific lory pellets)	Due to the mainly liquid diet of this bird, please consult your vet about proper droppings, care, and diet.

Momma's Birdie Bread is designed with optimum nutrition in mind- it isn't "just a treat". Avian vets agree on our formula- and we have a lot more veggies, fruits, and nuts than that other "vet made" brand. That brand relies on cheap ingredients like corn meal and wheat flour for a significantly higher percentage than Momma's loaves.

Try it yourself and see!