FINCHforum

Does anyone who uses only pellets give me some idea of what additional nutrition/supplements the finch need to stay healthy?....My new Linnies and Indian Ringneck are on Roudybush crumbles and I am considering trying to get my finch switched over to pellets.....Its seems to me I would be spending less time fussing over fresh food and eggfood if they were on pellets....I think I can reduce the times in a week that they are given fresh food if they are on pellets: except when breeding of course.....Any opinions or experiences would be greatly appreciated....
Thanks,

Debbie, if you go up to the little green boxes, tap search and type in pellets vs seed...there are several threads on this topic.

Roudybush makes a smaller pellet called Nibbles...I have used it ground in dried eggfood and mixed in seed. Mine prefer the Zupreem Fruit blend Canary/finch size. I also prefer the Zupreem over Roudybush for finches...I used Roudybush with parrotlets and lovebirds...I use a mix of seed and pellets or with some pairs use a separate dish of each. My owls love pellets and will go to that first.

Thanks Cindy!

My birds are primarily on pellet food (LaFeber's for the gouldians, and Zupreem for the societies and zebras)
The additional food are:
Gouldians
- not molting, 2 or 3x a week; veggies + egg + seeds
- during molt, 1x a day; veggies + egg + seeds
Societies
- not fostering, 2 or 3x a week; veggies + egg
- during fostering, every day several times a day; veggies + egg
Zebras
- not breeding, 2 or 3x a week; veggies + egg
- during breeding, every day several times a day; veggies + egg

veggies is a mix of various green veggies (kale, lettuce, beet tops, etc) + some orange veggies (carrots and yams).
egg is a hardboiled egg that is chopped up in a mini-food processor.

So in my case, I still FUSS over them.
The pellet food is to reduce wastage from the birds only eating some of the seeds in a seed mix and to reduce the amount of seed hulls blown out into the room, that I have to clean.

I'm thinking that reduced seed husks blowing around my bird room would be a good thing!....Thanks

I started blending the seeds and pellets (Zupreem Fruit Blend) together and putting that mix in the feed hopper. I use a 50/50 mix and it seems to work well. I tried for a while to slowly change it over to more pellets than seed with the goal of going totally pellets in mind but the birds (mainly the BCCB) wouldn't have it. When it gets more than a 50/50 mix they just push the pellets out of the way and dig out only the seeds. But when it's a 50/50 mix they seem to eat both equally.

Some of it falls in the the hopper catch tray and what I do with that is pour it in a paper plate (or tin pan) and shake it for a bit. All the empy husks come to the top, I skim them off then put the blend (with more 50/50 mix added) back in the hopper. It keeps me from having alot of wasted food but makes sure they get the seeds they want and the pellets that have all the vitamins etc. I treat their water with vitamins once a week to 'just be sure' they get what they need.

I only have 3 birds at the moment (2 societies and 1 BCCB) but they seem to thrive on it this way. And by using the hopper there is alot less scattered stuff! I highly recommend the hopper feeders!

I also give mine a mixture of seed and pellet. Some birds go for the pellets and some the seed. Since there are some that refuse to eat pellets at all, I always add grated carrots, lettuce, grated broccoli, and some fruit. They seem to only want to eat the red grapes, carrots, and broccoli or romaine lettuce. They all receive egg food, twice day, until breeding is over and then once a day to three times a week. Sometimes, I add freeze dried blood worms, if there are hatchlings. They vary on what they eat and so that give them a choice.

I used to own an african grey and cockatiel and both are in a pellet diet. My top three are Harrisons, Roudybush and Zupreem Natural. Currently my finches are on a seed based diet but I am using a grounded Roudybush pellet as substitue to egg food. Unlike the egg food they eat the grounded pellets. Maybe after this season when they are finished breeding I'll try to put them in a full pellet diet, I don't want to stress them right now. Since I can't find the smallest roudybush pellet in any stores I might go directly to their office since they are only 30 minutes drive from my place.

By the way did you know that they give sample of a small bag of their pellets. Give them a call and ask for a sample. Harrisons and La Feber do that too.

Rogie
You are lucky. The local bird shop that I work with, said they would order Roudybush for me, but several months later...nothing. I did not know they were a Calif company. I need to find a local company that stocks and will ship Roudybush. That will save $$ in shipping cost from dealers in the east.

Gary
Pet club carry Roudybush, I think the nearest store you can check is te one at So Sanfo at Westborough. I'm not sure if they have the smallest pellet size. Roudybush is at Woodland.

There is a PetClub near me.
I order my 5 pound tub of LaFebers Finch Food from them. The 5 pound tub is not a stocked item, so I have to order it.
But when I asked about the Roudybush nibbles, they told me that they cannot order it. I guess it is not on their order sheet. That is actually similar for many other stores, they carry the larger size but not the small nibbles.

http://www.bulkbirdfood.com/

sister company for smaller orders

http://www.foryourbird.com/mm5/merchant.mvc

I have used this company many times, prices and shipping good compared to others out there. They carry all forms of roudybush and Zupreem blends as well as seed and treats.

Cindy
I just checked the site and they only carry the "maintenance" food. I was also looking for the breeders blend. But at least that is a start.

thanks

You needed to go into their sister company

For Your Birds for smaller amounts and small birds

http://www.foryourbird.com/page/foryour ... GY/Nibbles

The have it listed and I have gotten it from them prior. They sell you anywhere from 3 to 50 lb bags.

They also sell ABBA products.

Cindy
Thank for the info