Pellet bird food

[JerseyGuy]

I've been watching my 2 Gouldians, and observe that they totally avoid the food dish with pellet bird food in it. Should I be mixing it in with the seed mix ?

[cindy]

What pelleted diet are you using? can you put a little on top of the seed. Mine do not go to pellets in a separate dish but will eat it if mixed with a little seed. My grasskeets on the other hand will eat it either way.

[JerseyGuy]

What pelleted diet are you using? can you put a little on top of the seed. Mine do not go to pellets in a separate dish but will eat it if mixed with a little seed. My grasskeets on the other hand will eat it either way.

I use Zupreem Fruit Blend. I will have to mix it in with the seed mixes. I have 4 seed cups in the cage - they only seem to be eating
out of 1 - the one next to their perch.

[Stuart whiting]

I've been watching my 2 Gouldians, and observe that they totally avoid the food dish with pellet bird food in it. Should I be mixing it in with the seed mix ?

Being onest Patrick I'm not atall surprised,

Gouldians are predominantly seed eaters and my view is that pellets have absolutely no place for em,

Why would anyone want to feed pellets to a seed eater , it doesn't make any sence,

I do not know one bird keeper in England that feeds there finches or canaries on a pellet diet,

Large softbills like thrushes and black birds then I'd say yes no problem

A Gouldians diet should consist of foreign finch mix, some oyster shell and grated cuttle fish bone, egg shell can be given aswell especially when breeding,

They are also very partial to plain canary seed when breeding along with some millet spray,

A quality egg food should also be given for youngsters as soon as they hatch along with some green food IE grated broccoli and carrot etc

[JerseyGuy]

Take me point. Ok then. Well. Good point.

I removed the pellet and added Millet seed mix to that seed cup.
Millet spray is only offered a few times a week (Gouldians get addicted
to it very fast, and will eat nothing else). Not hardly a good diet.
Take me point?

[Stuart whiting]

Take me point. Ok then. Well. Good point.

I removed the pellet and added Millet seed mix to that seed cup.
Millet spray is only offered a few times a week (Gouldians get addicted
to it very fast, and will eat nothing else). Not hardly a good diet.
Take me point?

Yes your very right about the millet sprays becoming very addictive, they can quiet quickly become over weight which is not good for them ,

As you'll notice that in me last post to you I stated only using millet spray during the breeding season, it is a very good seed to wean the baby Gouldians once they've fledged ( left ) the nest

[JerseyGuy]

I have 2 MALE Gouldian Finches - so I will not have to worry about any Breeding going on in my cage.

[cindy]

Mine eat the Zupreem and most the finches like the Lafeber's also. Lafeber's is like little flakes that you can add even to fresh egg food.

If you can't get them to eat any pellets you can use a really good vitamin, mineral and amino acid supplement... I like AviTech's AviVita Gold, it is very complete and very easy to use...I mix it right in soft food as directed. If you have a large flock I have a pdf file that contains how to use it when bulk feeding.

One thing I do with my birds on supplement day is grind my dried egg food and add the supplement to that and coat my chopped kale and finely chopped carrots... not issues with them taking it that way at all!!

[debbie276]

Absolutely agree with Stuart. They are seed eaters after all. With a good varied diet, hard boiled eggs, greens and a good mineral mix you should be good to go.

best of luck

[JerseyGuy]

I do have Egg Food, and as for the pellets, I've just mixed them in with their seed mixes. I have 2 MALE Gouldian Finches, and I also have Lefeber's too. I switch their food daily, as I have a lot of different brands of seed mixes. I have offered them hard boiled eggs, and they would not eat them.

[JerseyGuy]

Just a follow up to my original post ....

If finches do not eat a pellet diet, then who are the Zupreem mini-pellets meant for ?? Or, are they meant to be added to a seed mixture?

[debbie276]

Two males need just as much care and good nutrition as a breeding pair. The hard boiled egg will give them calcium, vitamins and minerals. The high protein is needed during the molt. I would keep offering the egg as sometimes it takes a few weeks before they are brave enough to try new foods.

Here's a link to
Nutrients & Their Sources
http://www.finchinfo.com/diet/nutrients_and_sources.php

You will find egg in many of the categories.

[paul-inAZ]

If finches do not eat a pellet diet, then who are the Zupreem mini-pellets meant for ??

People with extra money to spend.

[debbie276]

Honestly it was once believed to be a good idea to switch your bird over to an all pellet diet. Recently people and vets are recommending that seeds are added to their all pellet diet. Not positive what the ratio is set at at this time as I don't feed pellets.
Pellets were supposed to be more nutritious and no mess for the owner. I believe they are finding that the natural stimulus of de-hulling the seeds was not being satisfied along with other things I'm sure. All that powder in the bottom of their dishes were from the bird trying to de-hull their pellets.
The first few ingredients of zupreem:
INGREDIENTS
Ground corn, Soybean meal, Ground wheat, Wheat germ meal, Sugar, Vegetable oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Oranges, Apples, Grapes, Bananas,


I prefer a more natural diet with a much greater variety of choices then just that pellet.

I'm sure over time you will fine tune your particular preferences.
good luck

[cindy]

if using a pelleted diet also use seed, the old way was pellets only and they are now finding/saying seed and pellets, even with the bigger parrots....it is a personal choice to use pellets or not. I have had only one hookbill on all pellets and it was due to an medical issue and only for a short time.