Polly Wants Cracker, But Needs a Healthier Diet: Why Nutrition Matters for Pet Birds

Some bird owners lovingly give snacks to their feathered friends without understanding that snacks are often of poor nutrition and contribute to one of the biggest health problems seen in our avian patients today. Here at Schroeck Veterinary Care, we frequently see birds with obesity, feather abnormalities, vitamin deficiencies and metabolic diseases that are commonly caused from having an improper bird diet.

While your feathered companion enjoys eating your food, this does not mean it is

healthy for them. Birds in the in the wild, they spend more time flying, foraging

and eating a wide variety of foods found in their environment. Birds in captivity rely heavily on us to provide proper nutrition, and enrichment.

Some birds can easily become junk food addicts and refuse to eat healthier food options. One example of an unhealthy diet is bird seed. Bird seed is highly palatable to birds but does not have any nutritional value. Bird seed is easy to find in stores, is relatively inexpensive, and birds love it- but unfortunately, is not a great food. 

Birds in the wild are highly adaptable foragers and consume a wide variety of foods depending on what is seasonally available. Research has shown birds eating fruits, seeds, flowers, leaves, nectar, bark, root, sap, termites and peduncle (main stem of a flower). Although these foods seem unusual to us, these are the types of food birds forage in nature.

So how do we offer a healthier food option for our companion birds? Veterinary experts have tried to formulate the best foods for birds, but it is difficult as not one type of food is perfect. The reasoning is because it is almost impossible to mimic what is found in the wild and each species of bird requires different food items.

There are options for a healthier diet. The commercial diets made by these companies are credible and have a long history of avian nutritional research. Harrison’s, Zupreme, Lafeber are all brands that we recommend here at SVC.

·        Harrison’s Bird Foods

·        ZuPreem

·        Lafeber Pellet-Berries

In addition, there are healthier “snack” like options that we recommend for your feathered friend.

These include:

🐦‍ Fresh vegetables

(Ex: broccoli, edamame, chick peas, green beans, squash, any type of bean and sprouts)

🐦‍ Limited fruit (fruits can add a lot of sugar)

NOT: Cashews, almonds, pecans, pistachios, etc. - these nuts are high in fat and in EXCESS can be detrimental. We like to save these highly desired treats and offer in limited quantities when trying to encourage foraging.

Never feed your bird the following items:

·       Avocado

·       Chocolate

·       Caffeine

·       Fried Foods (No fried Chicken!!)

·       Onions/garlic

·       Salty foods

·       Alcohol

·       Processed foods or foods with artificial coloring

The second aspect of a healthy diet is to incorporate the activity of foraging (hunting for food). Foraging is a huge component of a bird’s life. They need to hunt and gather! Birds in the wild will fly miles to forage and then return home to their nests with their gatherings.

Birds kept in captivity oftentimes do not have the opportunity to forage, and thus they end up with destructive behaviors (for example feather plucking or loud obnoxious vocalizations), become lazy, and overweight and end up with metabolic diseases.

It is important that we provide foraging options to help encourage mental stimulation and exercise. Our bird companions might also need to be taught how to forage. Teaching your bird how to forage may take several weeks to months to accomplish, so remember to be patient.

Here are some recommendations for foraging:

First, it is a great idea to have two cages: a smaller one for sleeping quarters and then a larger one for food foraging and daytime play.  A bird’s sleeping quarter (or roost) should be kept in a quiet place, containing only basic perches or hammocks for sleeping and a water bowl. You should aim for 12 hours of darkness and 12 hours of daylight to mimic the natural hours of light and dark found in the wild. In the morning, greet your lovely bird and happily move them to their foraging cage.

Some ideas for foraging that you can provide your pet bird are as follows:

• First, identify what is considered as a high priority treat for your bird. Typically, high value treats are cashews or any type of seed.

• Then place the high value treat in a dedicated treat only bowl. Still have a separate bowl that contains pelleted food for the bird to always have access to.

• After a couple of days of only having a treat in the treat bowl, then start to add some “clutter”. The clutter can be dried beans, shredded paper, twigs, leaves etc….anything that they have to move the “clutter” out of the way to get to their valuable treat.

• The “clutter” can be increased each day as much as the bird will tolerate without striking against it. Once the bird catches on, then you can start adding this idea to the pelleted food as well. Remember not to use EXCESS high valued treats, otherwise they will become complacent and not want to forage.

• After they accomplish the first simple approach to learn how to forage, then you can become more creative by hiding their treat or foods inside of things. Examples include, food/treats placed in a paper cup, or paper bag, or wrapped in a banana leaf, or in the center of rolled up twine. You can even wrap several treats up in something and then place those items in a bag for them to break through several different obstacles to get to their treat.

• You can also shop for foraging items through amazon.com

*A picture of a foraging box for birds

Signs Your Bird May Have Nutritional Problems

Watch for:

·        Dull or poor feather quality

·        Overgrown beaks

·        Obesity

·        Lethargy

·        Sneezing or nasal discharge

·        Difficulty breathing

·        Excessive sleeping

·        Flaky skin around the eyes or beak

Vitamin A deficiency is especially common in birds on poor diets and can lead to respiratory infections or abnormal tissue changes.

Transitioning Birds to a Healthier Diet

Converting a bird from seeds to pellets can take patience. Some birds refuse new foods at first.

Helpful tips:

·        Introduce new foods slowly

·        Offer vegetables first thing in the morning

·        Eat healthy foods near your bird (they love to copy!)

·        Try different textures and colors

·        Be patient and consistent

Some birds may take weeks or even months to fully transition.

Final Thoughts

A proper diet can dramatically improve your bird’s health, behavior, feather quality, and lifespan. Nutrition is one of the most important aspects of avian care, and small changes can make a huge difference. Foraging offers mental stimulation and tasks for your bird to accomplish throughout the day.  You will notice that your bird may be happier once they start to learn how to forage.

If you have questions about your bird’s diet or would like help creating a nutrition plan, our team at Schroeck Veterinary Care would be happy to help keep your feathered friend healthy and thriving!

References

Navarrette, A. (2021, December 2). Don't fly blind when it comes to bird nutrition. Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/bird-nutrition/

Spadafori, G., Speer, B. L. (1999). Birds for dummies. John Wiley & Sons.

A good reference for foraging is: The DVD ‘Captive Foraging’ by Dr. Scott Echols.

Another good reference for bird handling and resources is www.goodbirdinc.com.