Caged Avian Diets
Dr. Hinkle
Cage bird nutrition is far from being the scientifically orchestrated diets that the world of canines and felines enjoy. The test of time and huge competitive markets have driven the science and quality found in these mammalian diets to very acceptable levels. Instead our feathered family members still rely heavily on "Mom's cooking" for all their nutritional needs.
It's because of these facts that caged avian friends suffer considerable nutritional insult. In general most owners feed a large proportion of limited types of grains to their birds. Seed products (including millet and sweet treats) are generally high in carbohydrate, which birds and mammals need for energy, but are often low in calcium, water-soluble vitamins, and especially proteins. Therefore long term problems with disease resistance, metabolic conditions (especially liver diseases), digestive disorders like diarrhea and sour crop, reproductive problems, feather and skin problems, and psychological disturbances; all are exaggerated. Adding to the unknown insult, if owners experiment with human foods, they tend to pick foods from the same category as seeds, namely the carbohydrate foods. These include things like cereals, starches (spuds, rice, breads, and pasta), and junk foods (chips, pizza crust, pretzels, etc.) Birds accept these foods more readily. Most birds when they are first purchased, come "hooked" on these restricted and limited diets. They're easier for breeders and commercial wholesalers to feed.
There are a variety of pelleted bird feed types on the market too. These are variable in content, and not yet proven to be the sole diet you need to feed any one species of bird. Because of the lack of testing and great species differences, it's recommended that pelleted bird feeds only make up a portion of your bird's diet. Until these diets are more proven, rotating among the varieties could also help minimize any one pellets' excesses or deficiencies.
The seed one chooses is also a consideration. Old seeds stored in a warm warehouse will be far less nutritious than fresh stock. Retail stores that don't turn over stock frequently should be avoided. You can test your seed viability by placing some of the seeds on a moistened paper towel between layered plates. Keep the seeds moist, and they should sprout in less than a week. The percent of germination relates to the seed quality. In fact, sprouted seeds are more nutritious than the dry ones! They can be part of a bird's regular diet. The more variety in diet, generally the safer and more balanced it will be. Seed contaminants like mold and insect larvae can be avoided as well, by keeping all food products in the refrigerator, or freezer (including supplemental vitamins). Vitamins degradate with time and heat.
Hand raised young by the owner have the best chance of developing a taste for food variety. In the wild this is forced on birds due to availability, mimicking, and hunger. The best way to feed your bird is to reference all you can from "respectable" sources about the natural diet that your species thrives on in the wild. Yes this means you should find out the genus and species (scientific name) of your birds, and do some scientific investigating. The internet is great, but the best sources there are found searching with the species name, not the common name. Zoos, and private breeders can also tell you what to avoid and what works for best for them. Not all species of birds will eat or can eat the same diets. In general though, a wider range of fresh foods is better.
Carbohydrates are generally no problem to acquire in a birds diet. The water-soluble vitamins can come from fruits and veges (always wash well and remove before spoiling), or any good bird vitamin supplement will work. The preferred vitamins are placed in the water, which should be made fresh daily. Regardless of the recommendation on the product, they should only lightly yellow the water. A small amount of fresh vitamins daily is far better than not drinking enough water due to bad taste. Calcium and protein are often found from the same sources. Yogurts, low fat cheeses, and knuckles on chicken bones that are cleaned, are good sources of both. Keep the cleaned cooked chicken bones in a zip lock in the freezer, and hang one in the cage now and then as a nutritious chew toy. Additional calcium can be acquired from crushed eggshells, instead of using cuttle-bone or grit. Proteins are found in beans of all kinds, as well as bits of egg and cooked meats.
Many fresh foods can be suspended or attached to the cage as toys for the birds to destroy and taste. Hanging sliced carrots, celery, corn, leafy greens, bones, string cheese; etc can be novel and nutritious for birds. Remember fresh foods need to be replaced or removed sooner due to spoilage. Most lettuce is not very nutritious so use other greens in general.
Now how do we get a seed hooked bird to eat other diets? Patience is required most of all. The principle of being smarter than your bird must prevail. Start by knowing that as long as seeds are present in the cage, the bird will refuse to try new foods. In addition, you cannot starve a bird to try new foods; many birds would rather starve than try something new. They perceive the new foods as strange and non-foods. So here are the strategies:
Most cage birds do not eat at night naturally. The only time they have to make hay is when the sun is up. Start by reducing the time in the day they have to eat seeds. Put they're regular diet out in the morning 2 hours, and then in the afternoon 2 hours. You can adjust this, but the principle is to reduce the time they have to eat what they want. During the remainder daytime leave what you want them to eat, cut in small pieces and in the same container the seeds were in. The idea is as they get hungry they will want to nibble on something, and they won't starve experimenting on new substitutes. If the bird is trying new things, gradually reduce the seed-time. The "monkey see monkey do" idea works with some birds too. If you have two or more similar birds, and one shows an interest in something new, the other will attempt to get his fair share too. The competition may just start a taste contest.
How about using the seed to your advantage? Placing some seed in a small amount of soft food like ripened banana, applesauce, or yogurt will force a bird to taste the food around the seed when it picks the seed out! This develops a taste for new foods.
In addition there are bird treats sold commercially made with seeds impregnated in a nutritious matrix that will again attract the bird because of the desire for seed, but force the bird to try something new.
Gradually reducing the seed amounts and availability pushes a bird hooked on seed alone to try new foodstuffs. In addition all of the fruit juices can be offered in containers similar to the water cup. They may try the juice as is, or you may add just a little every day to the water. Increasing the juices very gradually, they may acquire the taste for nutritious fruit juices as well.
Now not all veges and fruits and juices will taste the same to birds, and they will select favorites too. Always direct them to some variety. If grapes are good for birds and your bird likes them, don't call the doctor when you gave your bird 5 grapes as well as diarrhea! Moderation and variety in diet must rule.