My parakeet\budgie cross won't eat seed, just millet--why?

Question

We got him at a bird seller's exhibition. Stupidly I forgot to ask the lady what he's used to, and he's only eaten one plume of millet and not his Kaytee Fiesta blend for parakeets! With the millet gone now, if he doesn't eat regular seed in a couple of days, should I be worried?

Answer 1

Millet is a very nutritious grain and is often a baby bird's first solid food. It is an excellent comfort food for young birds, sick birds, and distressed birds (i.e. getting a new home) and should be fed without limit during times of stress. I recommend that you buy some more millet and keep it in the cage along with his new seed mix. If he hasn't started to eat his seed mix after a week, then you might want to try mixing it with a different brand or trying to find the breeder to ask what he's used to.

Here are two links on millet nutrition:
http://www.holisticbirds.com/Hbn02/febmar/pages/phyto2.htm and http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=53

By the way, parakeet and budgie are the same thing. A budgie (budgerigar) is a type of parakeet, and both English and American budgies are the same species of bird just bred to be different sizes. "Parakeet" is just a broad term for parrots with slender bodies and long tails.

Answer 2

Millet is a rather fatty treat for budgies and most budgies will eat it in preference to other types of food (except for my female budgie Ducky, who has never touched the stuff!) It's great for a treat and to give your budgie some fun but I wouldn't have it as a main part of the diet.

Try only putting out the seed you have and soon enough he should eat some, but keep a careful watch and if he doesn't eat anything within a day give him just a little bit of millet (feed him from your hand if he'll allow you) Only allow him to eat the millet for a few minutes then take it away again and only leave the seed in his cage. Most seed mixes are rather similar to millet so he should soon start to eat it. Remember, once he is settled in you will have to start filling up his diet with food other then seed, such as fresh fruit and veggies. Broccoli is a favorite of my birds, as the little bits on the end look like seeds but they taste much better!

Do a net search for what diets are good for budgies, and while you're at it you might find some more tips on how to get it to eat the seed and lay of the millet. Good luck! I hope it eats properly soon!

Btw parakeet is a more general term for a few types of birds and yours would be a budgie!

Answer 3

Millet is similiar to potato chips for humans. It's a junk food. If you were offered broccoli or potato chips, most people would eat the junk food. Same in birds.

Remember, most animals (unless they have an underlying disease) will not starve themselves. Stop the millet & just give the bird seed. When hungry, he'll eat.

Answer 4

You should try to contact the breeder and find out what your parakeet was eating. Millet is like a treat for our birds and if that s all they eat they won't be getting the proper nutrients. That said it is also not good for them to miss eating any meals so in the meantime until you find out what his food his, please keep feeding him millet. They can't afford to miss meals.

Answer 5

Budgies see millet as a treat; it's like chocolate or ice cream to you or me. If all he's gotten is millet, he's probably really spoiled and wants only that. He's probably trying to adjust to his new surroundings as well. If he doesn't eat soon, try another blend of seeds. My budgie loves "Vita Vittles."