Feeding bird?

Question

So I have a red rump parakeet, and im starting to train him and get him more comforable around humans. I would also like to figure out a good diet for him. I think wha tI have right now is a mix or cockatiel food and parakeet food.
So im wondering basically like what fruits and veggies can I add to his diet
And also how can I make some foraging toys for him

Answer 1

Any vegetable is good. Fruit are apples,oranges and bananas. What ever you would eat, is added nutrients and makes for a well balanced diet for the red rump. Experiment with different things in it's food bowl and see just what it likes. Here is a link with some added info on the red rump...
http://www.petngarden.com/exotic/voucher/vouchere4.php
http://www.singing-wings-aviary.com/redrumps.htm

Answer 2

It's great to know that things are getting better. A good pellet food for parakeets is best. There is no standard for bird nutrition but things have improved greatly. I use Zupreem because the designer also made Science Diet for dogs. Also it is better to get what is available in your area. Roudybush will send you a free sample if you call them.1-800-326-1726, Harrison is another. DrsFosterSmith.com offers good choices. You can also call them at 1-800-443-1100. To convert from an all seed diet, you can replace the seed with 1/4 of the pellet diet every week and being flock birds, pretend to eat it in front of the bird. Act like it's sooo delicious and this will get your bird interested in any new food since you are flock leader. This really works. With the fruits and veggies, avoid avocado that has persin in it and is toxic. Chocolate has theobromine which is an alkaloid birds cannot metabolize so it also is poisonous.Foraging toys can be done with things around the house. For example, wrap food in small pieces of wax paper with the ends twisted close. I put treats in small pine cones and have them held in place with peanut butter. Show your bird what you are doing. Foraging is natural for birds and helps stave off boredom. Just like people, birds have their favorite fruits and veggies. Mine like steamed broccholi, corn, raw spinach, banana, apples, pears and shredded carrots. Just remove the fresh stuff after a few hours because of bacterial contamination. Pellet food, limit seeds to 10% and fruits and veggies 10-20% is a formula that has worked for me. With pasta, I try to stick to whole grain pasta. Have a great experience and may you have a mutually beneficial relationship with your bird.

Answer 3

You should feed a well rounded diet of about 80% pellets (Roudybush, Harrison's, and Zupreem are always my personal recommendations, and fairly widespread recommendations as well), 10% seed and 10% fresh fruits, vegetables, pastas, and grains. With pellets and seeds, avoid artificial colours and flavours because some of these ingredients may harm the bird's insides, and dye on food can dye poops - sounds weird, but poops are very important to watching your bird's health. If the colour is off, it could be organ failure, it's that important.

With fruits and vegetables, you can feed virtually anything, but all birds like different things. Basically, avoid avocado, apple and fruit seeds and pits, tomato leaves, mushrooms, onions, chocolate, alcohol, carbonated and caffeinated items. Some calcium-rich foods are leafy greens, and they're very popular with my lovebirds - bok choy, Romaine lettuce (iceberg lettuce is fine, but has little to no nutritional value and is mostly water), broccoli, spinach, kale. It's best if they're organically grown (for example, strawberries that aren't organically grown should never be fed because it's nearly impossible to clear them completely of pesticides), but otherwise should be very well washed.

Foraging toys are really easy. You can buy them from your pet stores, or do something as simple as crumple a piece of paper around a treat and wait for them to find out how it works. If you want them to catch on that there are treats inside some of the toys, you can wrap the treat inside while they're watching. You can use virtually any material, and going to a craft store helps a lot. You can get doll heads and candle covers, little spongey pieces, and treats can be hidden in all of those. Eventually, the bird will be curious enough to check them out. Just toy around with ideas and hiding treats ANYWHERE possible, within perches, within existing toys, in paper, in wood, in straws, etc. And you can eventually mush all those ideas together and make it even more stimulating for the bird.

Answer 4

Some guy answered and said any vegetable or fruit was ok to feed your bird. WRONG!! Avocado is deadly! Chocolate (although not a vegetable) is deadly. Salt, sugar, caffeine and alcohol are very bad for your bird. When you feed him fruit, don't give him the seeds, like apple seeds, the pits of apricots, nectarines, etc. They have a toxin in them that will kill him. Pomegranetes are fine. Birds love them and they are very good for them. They eat the little red seeds in the middle.

Also, don't feed rhubarb to him -- I have heard it is ok raw, not cooked -- or maybe the other way around, but I would never chance it. There are tons of nutritious veggies/fruit out there that you don't have to worry about. Just make sure that when you give fresh veggies, you wash them very well to get rid of the pesticides and waxes --- veggie washes are good to get for this, or you can find recipes to make your own - grape seed extract is good for this (mix it).

An ideal diet is made up of a mixture of foods -- although there are varying opinions about feeding seed, not feeding seed, feeding pellets or not and also about the percentage of them in the diet -- a good quality pellet (Zupreem, Harrisons, Roudybush) and also supplement with a good, clean seed mix with a minimal amount of sunflower seeds (Sun Seed is great). Also, in addition (and important!) is to feed lots of fresh veggies,and some fruit. You may also choose to feed bird breads, mashes and other foods you prepare.

Do realize that everything the pet stores sell that is made for your bird is not good for it. That includes the new flavored "toppings" for the food, seed treat sticks (made with molasses/corn syrup). Lafeber makes nutriberries and avicakes which are good for treats and rewards.

I have put some links to nutritional information and bird food/bread recipes below.

Good luck and have fun with your friend.

Answer 5

Parakeets have a wide range of food. They can eat almost anything a human can eat, along with almost any type of bird food. But Just like humans they have to have nutrition!

Answer 6

you could feed your poultry a great style of ingredients. some birds will consume fruit and vegetables, some won't. As for the traditional nutrition, you may desire to feed your poultry pellets. Seeds are fatty and are "junk nutrition" for birds. additionally, for treats- rice, bread, pasta. vegetables- kale, carrots, celery, spinach not something CITRUS- it somewhat is poisonous to birds!

Answer 7

Parakeet can eat anything what ever you eat ,A parakeet can eat All fruits all veggie.

Answer 8

look for a group on yahoogroups I founfd very helpfull groupd for the birds I own

Answer 9

ill give you a great e-mail address that will give you a list of treats just ask them your question there great

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