Do You Feed Pellets?

[Martie]

I also don't feed pellets. It's a personal choice - pellets are fine as part of a healthy diet and breeders who feed them do really well. (Just look at the glowing good health of Cindy's beautiful birds!) I just prefer to feed my birds unprocessed foods and actually feel the same about my dogs, who eat a more natural raw diet.

[cindy]

the topic of "what do you feed your birds" comes up from time to time, in Diet and Nutrition there are 58 pages of topics mentioning pellets

here are a few

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php ... it=pellets

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=25128

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=25099

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php ... it=pellets

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php ... it=pellets

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php ... it=pellets

[cindy]

I also don't feed pellets. It's a personal choice - pellets are fine as part of a healthy diet and breeders who feed them do really well. (Just look at the glowing good health of Cindy's beautiful birds!) I just prefer to feed my birds unprocessed foods and actually feel the same about my dogs, who eat a more natural raw diet.

Martie, Thank you for the mention regarding my birds.

I tried the raw diet and several others with my cavaliers but had trouble getting one of my dogs to eat it....she also needed more of a what a top ranked dry and canned food could give her. Our vet recommended not to use the raw diet due to her condition, she has AIHA. She was fearful that if by chance she contracted a bacteria and her body tried to fight it off it could also result in her body turning on itself again. She can no longer be vaccinated since anything introduced into the body is viewed as foreign and triggers a negative response from her immune system. The other dog loves anything you offer her to eat. Top dog foods like Taste of the Wild both wet and dry seems to work well for both.

There are inferior pellets like there are dog and cat food kibble. You need to weed through it and decide what you want to use. Frankly I have way to much seed waste. All my birds powder and eat the pellets. I have watched other breeders feed just pellets and offer seed occasionally, it is a choice. Their birds look great. It is not a sub standard or a lazy way of feeding.

My birds eat more of the pellets than the seed. I am slowly increasing the ratio of pellets to seed as we go. The budgies and grasskeets all took to it within a week or so of being offered it. If I add a scoop of pellets on top of the seed mix I have watched the birds in the aviary go right to it ignoring the seed. Pellets are just another way to feed your bird, most good ones have a good mix of vitamins and minerals in it. I do notice a difference in my birds when given just seed vs seed and pellets ruling in favor of pellets.

I have used Zupreem in the past, they changed the size of the pellets about a yr ago, the coloring to, my bird rejected it. I switched back to Roudybush and order directly through them to get my pellets. They offer a breeder program, you need to order 300lbs every 4 to 6 weeks to get a good discount on the 25 lb bags, shipping is free. If you go in on it with a few people reaching the 300 lb mark is not hard.

I blend the pellets right into the seed, tried offering it separately several times, it does not work well. Right now in some of the cages I have mason jar feeders of just pellets....not working, they use the jars as a place to stand, so back into the bowls the mix goes. I also use the Roudybush formula which is creamy compared to the KayTee Exact, it does not expand like Exact does and the birds have an easier time of taking it. I order that direct to along with soak and feeds...their weight can add to the 300 lb total that they require you to meet when ordering.

[Acelin_Wolf]

At least none of us only feed just seed huh? We all care so much XD heck my birds eat more veggies than I do! lol

[Acelin_Wolf]

Also someone above said that pellets are basically just corn so I looked and what do you know! that's the first ingredient listed. makes me happy my finches get seed too! lol. XD

[Acelin_Wolf]

Picture of ingredients of zupreem

[debbie276]

Here's a chart to compare the different pellets if you are interested:
http://www.artemisaviary.com/pellet.html

[cindy]

Very interesting article by Sally Blanchard discussing the ingredients in the pelleted diets we select for our birds......it is a long read but very worth it.

https://companionparrotonline.com/Diet_ ... rrots.html

[debbie276]

Interesting read Cindy. I was curious what her stance was on soy, seems to be in everything these days.
Here's her opinion:
SOY BEANS ?, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, SOYBEAN OIL, SOYA OIL, SOY OIL?
Soybeans have become ubiquitous in many human and pet foods. It seems that soy is in almost everything. There is a great deal of controversy in regards to feeding foods with soybeans. Some consider it to be a miracle food and a quality protein source. Others consider it to be a dangerous food that causes a host of problems including sexual dysfunction, endocrine disruption, autoimmune thyroid disease, and that it even has carcinogenic properties. There is compelling evidence that soybeans contain many natural toxins. I suggest that the reader should do their own homework at the library or on the Internet and make up their own minds. However, I personally prefer to feed my parrots a food that doesn’t contain soy. Soy protein concentrate is a concentrated protein source made from soy. Protein is an essential nutrient that helps promote strong muscles, aids in tissue repair, provides energy and helps support a healthy immune system. SOYBEAN Oil that is pressed from soybeans. Soybean oil provides a source of both omega 6 and 3 fatty acids to support many health systems including skin and coat, joint and cognitive.
Some form or Soy is in just about all of the manufactured diets including Abba2500, Dr. D’s, Breeder’s Blend, Browns, Caitec Oven Bites, Goldenfeast (roasted soybeans), Hagen, Harrison’s (Organic), Kaytee Organic, Kaytee Rainbow, Lakes, Lafeber’s, Nutriberries, Mazuri, All Pretty Bird diets, Roudybush, Scenic, Ziegler’s, Zupreem Fruit Blend, and Natural. Soy is not found in Roudybush Rice and Totally Organics

Thanks for sharing

[cindy]

Debbie, I myself eat a good bit of soy, drink soy milk. I have discussed some of the links to cancer with my doctor especially regarding breast cancer. He did not express a deep concern over it and did not feel it was something I needed to give up. Soy like wheat is found in many of our products and our pet products. Wheat can cause issues in humans, wheat intolerance, celiac disease which can have serious complications to one's health if left unchecked. Others can be allergic to soy. I use it since I am allergic to milk.

I do avoid wheat in my dogs' diet and am slowly removing it from mine. The list on the site of the many different ways wheat is presented in foods is concerning. Birds like people can become allergic to wheat, something to also watch for.

Soy is controversial and something to consider so far I have not noticed issues with my birds. The larger birds and hookbill have been on Roudybush or some of the other foods/pellets containing soy, have had physical exams and blood panels done and we have not had anything out of the ordinary appear.

Sally Blanchard's article is a bit older and some manufacturers may have made modifications to their ingredients, best to check current labels to see if the ingredient in question/concern is still listed.

I do notice some pellets contain antibiotics...I would strongly question that since it is not necessary or recommended to dose daily with antibiotics, one tends to become resistant to the drug.

Some contain AMORPHOUS SILICA ?
Also called diatomaceous earth, it is used for internal and external
parasite control. Synthetic amorphous silica serves as carriers and
anti-caking agents in vitamins and mineral premixes. (my opinion is if the bird does not have internal parasites why feed this to them on a daily basis?


another concern in some:
BHA/BHT (BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE)
These are chemical antioxidants. Both BHA and BHT have undergone the additive application and review process required by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, the same chemical properties which make BHA and BHT excellent preservatives may also be implicated in health effects. The oxidative characteristics and/or metabolites of BHA and BHT may contribute to carcinogenicity (development of cancer) or tumorigenicity (development of
tumors); however the same reactions may combat oxidative stress. There is evidence that certain persons may have difficulty metabolizing BHA and BHT, resulting in health and behavior changes. The only manufactured parrot diets
still uses BHT as a preservative are all of the Pretty Bird Colored Pellets and Lakes. BHA is an ingredient in DR Ds

HYDRATED AMMONIUM PHOSPHATE
This chemical used to be used in soaps and cleansers until it was determined to be an ecological problem. In foods, it is used as an acidity regulator.


PROPYL ACETATE
From Wikipedia: The chemical compound propyl acetate, also known as propyl ethanoate, is a common solvent. This clear, colourless liquid is known by its characteristic odour of pears. Due to this fact, it is commonly used as a flavoring additive.

TERPENES NATURAL
Wikipedia: Terpenes are a large and varied class of organic compounds, produced primarily by a wide variety of plants, particularly conifers though also by some insects such as termites or swallowtail butterflies, which emit terpenes. Terpenes and terpenoids are the primary constituents of the essential oils of many types of plants and flowers. Essential oils are used
widely as natural flavor additives for food, as fragrances in perfumery, and in traditional and alternative medicines such as aromatherapy. Synthetic variations and derivatives of natural terpenes and terpenoids also greatly expand the variety of aromas used in perfumery and flavors used in food additives. Research into terpenes has found that many of them possess qualities that make them ideal active ingredients as part of natural agricultural pesticides.

You really need to read the labels, discuss this with your vet, weigh the options and decide for yourself if you want to pellet or not. Same with different brands of dry dog and cat food kibble. One leading diet dog food high in fiber at one time and may still have the ingredient had peanut shells as one of the top 5 ingredients, claimed it was good for fiber. Grocery store brands tend not to be as good as some of the high end dog food but manufactures are attempting to bring the standards up to a more natural, organic level.

[debbie276]

I have discussed some of the links to cancer with my doctor especially regarding breast cancer. He did not express a deep concern over it and did not feel it was something I needed to give up.

Yup, famous last words till enough studies are done to say otherwise I just wish it wasn't in EVERYTHING so that we could decide for ourselves whether to eat it or not and how much

[cindy]

I know what you mean...the same with wheat. I am being forced to cut it down or give it up if introducing gradually into my diet does not agree with me after removing it for months. Wheat like soy is in everything, things you would not think it would be in. Makes shopping a nightmare in the beginning but it gets easier... better with mostly fresh fruits and veggies.

I am going to try a special soak that sprouts it may be another route to explore diet wise if all the birds take to it. I then could possibly offer pellets a few days a week alternating it with the fresh soak/sprout in between vs pellets daily.

[Sunbay]

I did not feed pellets till I got the tanagers. (Blue Dacnis) When I put the pellets and soft food in for them, everyone else in the aviary ate them, so I started offering a small dish to all with the Zupreem x-small, plus soft-bill diet mixed together.
All the finches, Siskins, and canaries eat a bit every day.

I don't think it can hurt, and seems to offer them other nutrients they are not getting in seed diet alone.

[beachbird]

The only way my birds would eat pellets is grinding them up in a food processor. I think they believe they are getting a treat. The only reason I have pellets is they came in a mixed bag of food which I will not buy in the future. I don't like to give my birds artificial food coloring and feel that seed is a better choice.

[cindy]

one of the reasons your birds may not like the pellets that come premixed in the seed mixes is that they are generally hard, stale.

If you decided to go with a pellet in the future try one of the other companies like Lafebers finch/canary, Roudybush (Nibble size) or Zupreem XS. they are fresher.