Feed The ‘Rainbow Diet’ For Optimal Health!

June 23, 2021

Budgies on a single seed diet have long been recognized as inadequate in supplying your bird with essential nutrients. Budgies owners have been conditioned to eat "seed only" diets, and it is in these birds that nutritional health problems are still common. Feeding budgies, just canary seeds or millet seeds, will result in an unhealthy bird with many health problems in the future. It is your responsibility to keep your bird safe and healthy. Budgies enjoy eating a diet rich in flavours, textures and colours! It is essential to include a variety of foods each day. Budgies do not understand the food pyramid, nor do they understand that some foods are given every day to keep them healthy, but it may not be their favourites. A rainbow diet should consist of at least six different items in their meal every day.

Chop your vegetables into small pieces as it is the best way to get your budgie use to eating their vegetables. Small particles mixed have residue from all the other pieces on them. Thus, when your budgie is eating one item, he/she is actually getting a taste of everything in the mix. This makes the whole transition stage to vegetables VERY easy. Budgies like consuming little bits of food each day, so small pieces make it easier to provide a well-balanced and interesting meal. In the morning, our day starts with me removing overnight food remains. In a clean bowl, put 1 tablespoon of chopped, organic vegetables and/or fruit per bird. I have four birds, so that's four tablespoons of fresh veggies for my birds, all in their own designated food bowls. When we are close to the afternoon, I throw away breakfast meals and wash the food dish with water and soap. Their afternoon meal often me giving them Harrison pellets. The remaining of the day goes on with me offering something exotic for them to eat. Sometimes it's fruits, flowers, or occasionally I offer herbs. My birds enjoy eating flowers. I offer roses or dandelion flowers since they seem to really enjoy eating them. They also like strawberries and pomegranate.

There are few ways you can get your budgies to eat their veggies. Some people put broccoli heads inside their seeds where the birds can nibble on them. You can also figure out the colours your budgie might like by figuring out the toy they prefer to play with. You can use the same approach on their food so they can be more inclined to eat it. For instance, if they like a red toy, you can offer them beets. If they try it, you will know, as their poop will attain a more colourful hue. Note that budgies that came to their new home will likely be scared of everything. Ask your breeder, rescuer or the individual you got your bird from if they are used to eating vegetables. If they aren't, I suggest waiting things out until they are comfortable with you. Understand that your bird might not be moving as fast as you are. Allow them to get acclimated to their surrounding before trying so many new things all at once.

Another favourite of mine is adding sprouts to my bird's meals! Sprouted seeds and grains are more nutrient-dense and are packed with proteins, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. They are also lower in fat and offer a lot of health benefits for your budgie. I will talk more about sprout seeds, but few things you can try sprouting are mung beans, millet, buckwheat (in null), lentils, quinoa and chia! I prefer making my own tiny mixing sprouting mix and sprout them in small batches. I also use a mason jar to sprout my seeds/grains! It's more cost-efficient! You can also find many online shops that have their own sprouting mix!

If your budgies are really good with eating their vegetables, a pelleted diet can occasionally be given or at certain times such as molting. I know some owners prefer not to give their birds pellets because it's manufactured food. It's best to check with your avian vet to see what they recommend. Make sure that the pellets you choose are the size for the budgies to avoid waste. If you pick a pellet size that is too large, blend the pellets in a food processor slightly to make them smaller and easier for your bird to consume. Budgies should be fed maintenance pellets lower in protein, not high protein pellets; only birds in breeding conditions or growing chicks should be fed on higher protein pellets.

Ensure that regardless of which bird comes to your home, it's your responsibility to provide it with the best care and diet. Always ask your veterinarian about a specific diet for your bird about its specific needs.