FINCHforum

So... I got a Lafeber catalog to buy directly through them and decided to read the whole thing. It says

"In captivity, birds are mistakenly treated as if they're on a Caribbean cruise where the tables are covered with goodies all day long. For numerous physiological reasons, birds need only two meals a day. Once you convert, you'll notice other reasons as well. Your bird will be more excited about the food, tend to throw a lot less of it around and it will turn mealtime into a greater "bonding" activity between you and your bird.

To simulate nature, you should provide the food for about forty minutes to an hour and then remove it.This will allow you to feed your bird and go about your usual morning actvities before you remove it.

What do you think about this? Pros/cons?

Well I don't know what to think really, it does sound plausible but I would never try it on my birds. After all I think they know when they 're hungry and don't need me to regulate their feeding time. Plus I think a hungry bird would make a lot more mess, not to mention what would happen in an aviary!

Ha, I just sent for that too, I look at it again tonight. I wonder if they were talking about parrots and so forth instead of our finches?

Hoji makes a good point - I think a lot of larger parrot owners do give their birds two "meals" each day. Honestly, especially for tiny finches who fly around a lot, I don't think it's a good idea. Their metabolism is very quick, and their stomachs are very tiny. They are constantly burning energy, and need to be constantly replenishing it. My birds are probably at the feeder 20 times a day, and just eat a few pellets, and go back to their flying. It seems best to me. I'm no avian expert, though.

I agree with Steve. Finches need to have access to food 24/7.

I would never limit my birds to "mealtimes".

Plus who has time to feed everybody TWICE a day?

I would never give my birds meals, with the reasons mentioned above. Finches eat throughout the whole day.

When having chicks I feed my birds three times a day
But of course this living food is beside their normal diet.

Every pet I've ever had, dogs, cats, hamsters, birds have had constant access to food--never on a schedule. I have never had an obese animal and I don't live in the country where they can run around and get a lot of exercise either. I think animals regulate their own diets if they have food whenever they please. I realize this goes against everything I've ever read, but hey, the proof is in the pudding

Steve is correct. Sounds like that info packet was written with parrots in mind.

Ya, I believe meals are a bad idea as well. In the wild birds have constant access to food even if they have to find it. Along with what everyone else said, finches' metabolisms are very fast.


Even though less food = less poop