What is best food for parakeet?

Question

do they like seeds only or can they eat bread and stuff we eat once in awhile.??

Answer 1

Well...bird food isn't "formulated" as regularly as dog and cat food. Right now the "best" bird food on the market are the "bird pellets" - they have a uniform look, and have all the vitamins and mineral a bird needs (though they've noted some birds still have a vitamin A deficiency while on them - so they can be fed things like potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.)

The downside of these pellets is that they aren't visually appealing to most birds, and they don't want to eat them.

Birds on "normal" birdseed eat favorites, so they don't always get all the vitamins and minerals that way either.

Mixing pellets and seeds doesn't always work, because most birds will just pick out their favorites. Some birds will empty the whole food container just to get to that favorite seed on the bottom.

As for human food - you have to be careful - some birds will decide they like that better than their food and only eat that once they've been spoiled. Generally it's best to just let them stick to their own food unless they have a vitamin or mineral deficiency.

Also, remember to keep a gnawing stone/bone in the cage for a parakeet...(the white things that attatch to the side of the cage) - those provide minerals as well as keeping the bird's beak trim.

Answer 2

The Association of Avian Veterinarians recommends the following diet for a parakeet:
50% cooked beans, whole wheat bread, cooked rice, pasta, and seed
45% fresh broccoli, carrots, yams, spinach, dandelion greens, other green/orange fruits and veggies
5% eggs, tuna packed in water, well cooked meat
Parakeets are lactose-intolerant and cannot eat a lot of dairy product. Also, parakeets are HIGHLY allergic to chocolate and avocados and should never be given either. Junk food such as pretzles, potato chips, etc. aren't good for a parakeet either! You can feed a parakeet fresh fruit such as apples and cherries, but be careful about the seeds as those have toxins in them. Lettuce is fine, but it really has no nutrients in it. It's better to give them other, healthier greens.

Answer 3

OMG fool is right, LOL.... Feed it what you eat and the bird will live about 20-25 yrs, yea that's right, that longgggg.

I kid you not. I still have one that is 28 and still going strong. One i've raised since it's been born from a chick.

When pellets first came out they were all wrong, since then they changed and now only the fruit pellets are the one that are high in sugars. Some people STILL need to educate themselves on some things.

Feed your bird a variety of foods and your bird will be just fine. White rice, brown rice, pasta, cheese, pizza, meat, cheese, veggies, fruit, the list could go on and on.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

NO NO NO. Seed only diets lead to problems.Of course they like sed only diets. Think of seeds as candy and chocolate ok. I guess some people are still living in the 70's when it comes to bird care. Anyways heres what I feed my budgies. I feed Original Nutri Berries and Tropical Nutri Berries, Lafeber Pelleted foods, Beak Apitit Cooking entrees, and sometimes whole wheat toast crumbles.

Answer 5

Seeds only is BAD! Give a pellet diet, with seed mixed in. Provide fruits and veggies along with other things like little bits of bread here adn there as well as cooked beans and rice and past too.

Answer 6

I give mine parsley (loves it!) even grass from the bakc lawn.. dandelion greens, fresh vegetables (loves broccoli and carrots!) - only very occasionally a tiny bit of crust from my toast - bread can easily bloat birds.. and a good seed mix is always on hand for him and fresh water daily. They LOVE a lettuce bath - put lettuce in the sink.. run some water.. they can nibble on the lettuce aswell as get a really good wash.

Answer 7

I would probably stick to the nuts. Things like sunflower seeds, hazel nuts and such. You might contact a pet store or vet to know for sure.

Answer 8

Well, Polly was a parakeet and she always wanted crackers.