FINCHforum

Do canaries enjoy white perilla seeds? Is it healthy or just like millet? Thanks

Christian - Hi, I've always liked perilla seeds because they are somewhat oily but not as much so as niger, sunflower, safflower, etc. It is very commonly used in different seed mixes in Europe for many of the native species (like European goldfinches) and siskins. In all these years I haven't been able to find it here in the US but I believe the siskin mix by ABBA contains them.
Have you been able to find them here? And if so, where? If you added some to your canary's mix, they would do no harm. Millets are very starchy seeds which most of the waxbills need/like.
Hope this helps,
Iso

Glam gouldians has them in the millet mix and as perilla only seed bag.

Hi there Christian,

I've used perila seed for over 30'years for the majority of me British finches and canaries and all seemed to eat it when it was fed to em,

However birds can become rather addictied towards it and I only really used to feed it during the breeding season because it's rather an oily seed but has protein and used to feed it soaked with red rape, a little hemp, Niger, teasel and sunflower hearts.

Perila can also be used dry mixed in with the normal canary mix and fed during the winter months aswell as a conditioner but I'd only feed in moderation

I bought a pound of perilla on Amazon. It is human food grade, clean, used as an Asian spice I think.
I only feed a little, and not year round. It is fattening. I grow a few of the plants in my garden. They are very easy to grow and produce enough seed for a few finches seasonally. The perilla leaves (shiso) can be used for yourself.

Emma4, in horticulture there is a Perilla that looks like Coleus. People use it just like Coleus in their gardens. I couldn't really tell it apart from Coleus except by the leaf color. It has dark red leaves with splashes of other colors.

When you grow Perilla did your plants look like that? Or is it perhaps a different species of Perilla? The colorful Perilla I have in mind is Perilla frutescens.

Hi Dave, I believe it is perilla frutescens that I'm growing. The leaves are dark (purple?) on one side and green on the other. I've grown the same thing from seed and from plants bought from a japanese nursery. It has a strong scent.

Thanks, I was just curious if it was the same.