Dog food for finches?? And mozzarella cheese?

[Lacybug]

Ok, so I read in the information center that sometimes people feed their finches dog or cat kibble?
Is any kind of kibble ok, or should I watch out for some things that shouldn't be in there? My finches love their grit, and was thinking maybe crushed dog food would be a crunchy alternative since they don't really need that.
Here's the nutrition info for the food my dogs currently eat:
Ingredients: Whole grain corn, soybean hulls, meat and bone meal, whole grain wheat, soybean meal, soybean germ meal, corn germ meal, egg and chicken flavor, corn gluten meal, chicken, animal digest, soy flour, turkey by-product meal, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of vitamin E), glycerin, salt, calcium carbonate, vitamin E supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), red 40, zinc sulfate, sulfur, choline chloride, ferrous sulfate, yellow 5, blue 2, manganese sulfate, niacin, vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, garlic oil, riboflavin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, folic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), biotin, sodium selenite

Also, is mozzarella cheese safe?

Any tips would help! Thanks!

[Sally]

I've never fed any of these, but they are listed as safe in the FIC. I use hardboiled eggs to supply extra protein. But you can play around with it.

[Lacybug]

I just gave them some, and they absolutely loved it, so as long as it's safe I'll let them have it. Thanks Sally!

[Sally]

Hmmm, I might try that myself for my waxbills that are highly insectivorous anyway and need extra protein.

[MiaCarter]

I know that cat kibble is safe from experience, as we have about half a dozen "regulars" who fly into our screened-in porch every morning to eat the crumbs left behind by the ferals/stray cats that we feed!
They haven't dropped dead yet, as they come back every morning (and have been doing so for years.) So I wouldn't hesitate to give it to my birds. (In fact, I may!)
They really love it. When I saw them visiting, I started putting out bird seed. It gets ignored in favor of the cat food!

I would opt for cat food, as it's *much* higher in protein and more nutrient dense than dog food. Dog food has lots more fillers.
I'd also opt for a premium cat food brand, as they're also free of lots of harmful fillers and unnecessary coloring.

As for mozzarella cheese, I'd avoid that along with any other dairy products. Birds' digestive systems aren't designed to handle milk products.
I doubt they'd have the enzymes required to break down milk products, so you risk upsetting their digestive system (and filling their bellies with food they can't absorb/use; better to opt for foods they can digest.)

[Angela&Shalamar]

Dry dog and cat foods are safe and actually rehabbers will use it as a base for feeding baby birds that come in and it's what is recommended to use SHORT term if someone can't get an animal to a rehabber right away. It's also can be a safe way to get fluid into a bird versus straight liquid as it can be so easy to aspirate them. I would use it as a treat though as some brands can be pretty high fat. I wouldn't feed cheese though as dairy can make birds ill, and frankly I can't see anything in cheese that wouldn't be found in eggs.

[Madcat]

Wet dog food/ cat food too?

[Rox]

Madcat

Personally, I wouldn't suggest using wet food. It could go 'off' too quickly.

I've read about the use of dry dog food before for birds, especially when rearing insectiverous birds like Myna's. Might be worth giving it a try with the waxbills.

That said, I wouldn't go and buy cheap dog/cat pellets. If the cheap stuff upsets my dogs stomach, I can't imagine it being good for the birds either. Try get some sample packets from the vet (Eukanuba etc) for dogs and cats. If the birds like it, a small bag would last you ages!

[Madcat]

Understand.