Getting rid of bird food

[U.S Marine]

Can my bid live off of Vegetables as there main diet?
I am thinking of quitting bird food from the store.

[Joanie]

hmmm, good question. i don't have the answer to that one. i'm thinking there is a lot of vitamins and minerals in the bird food that would be missing if you just fed veggies. maybe someone else will chime in here who knows more than i do.

[smallworld]

I think they can. Our birds get only vegetables and fruits. Once in awhile some rice and homemade bird food from various seeds and grains. I've found that mine love corn, apples, kiwis, strawberries and alot of other berries, carrots, parsley, green peas
etc etc. Ive never given them pellets from the store. I find that unnatural looking. They do get a small seed mix about once a week. Most of the time they earn their seeds though with tricks and so on. So that way they dont get too many

[Melika]

I'd have to say no.

A seed-only diet is bad. But seed provides essential fatty acids and they need a little bit of fat to be able to store their fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K). Seed eating is also a natural behavior for them.
A diet with no more than 10% fats (seeds, nuts) is recommended for parrots.

You also need fruits (different vitamins than veggies) and proteins etc. Your best diet is going to be a rounded one, not exclusive to just one food group.

If I had to pick just one article to read when developing my avian diet, it would probably be this one.
http://www.landofvos.com/articles/mydiet.html

I also love this article:
http://www3.upatsix.com/liz/articles/nutrition.html

Some owners have seen their own parrots snatch up and eat bugs. It is thought they do this in the wild, either intentionally or not. While some birds are more likely to have seed-based diets in the wild (budgies, cockatiels) it is acknowledged they all eat seed to some degree. A balanced diet is the most important thing.

[smallworld]

Well since the recommended intake for an African grey is only 2 teaspoons a day and 1 for small birds like the IRN, I'd say that the diet shouldnt primarily consist of seed. Fat can be derived from carbohydrates like rice and sweet potatoes (given once in awhile), not necessary from seeds. 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds mixed with some cooked grains also provides for wonderful source of essential oils during the moult. Seeds should not be absolutely restricted but it should be limited. Most food from the pet stores especially for the larger parrots like the IRN have a considerable amount of sunflower seed in them. Also an excess in seeds is not just fatty but contains alot of protein. Thats why it is alright to give your birds fruits and vegetables and supplement it with seeds (every now and then). If given everyday in larger than the recommended quantities, its the same as eating Double Whopper for lunch and dinner

[effekt]

Also, try adding some sprouted seeds to the mix. Soak the seeds in water over night, then put in a sprouting jar. Shake the jar to get rid of the excess water (they should be damp but not soaked). When they first show signs of sprouting, give them to your bird.

The sprouting process cuts down a bit on the fat in the seed and it also packs even more nutrients into each seed, as the little sprout is full of life and energy necessary to burst through the soil.


I also buy Dr. Harvey's seed mix for my IRN. It has a nice variety of seeds including the super seeds like hemp and quinoa as well as dried vegetables and herbs. Plus bee pollen which is loaded with nutrients. They can also be sprouted, which is convenient.

http://www.drharveys.com/products/line/18-birds

As everyone else says, variety is the key. Seeds are important, grains are too, but vegetables are top of the list in my opinion.