Ingredients in your pellets?

Hi,

I am trying to find the best possible pellet for my birds. When looking at websites very few of them list the information I would like to have.

Would you mind looking at your bags and tell me the following from your pellets?

Percentages of fat, protein, calsium and phosfor, along with the brand of pellets they are from. It would also be great if you tell me your type of bird.

I would be SO happy if you will help me out.

Thank you so much in advance for your help and happy holidays

There's some info on this link about ingredients:
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-food-recipes-diet/28242-ingredients-pellets.html

The search for the 'best' Pellet for our Parrots has long been made difficult by the manufacturers. This occurs for any number of reasons from simply not wanting the buyer to know, -all the way to not wanting their competitor(s) to know. This all leaves the Consumer in a difficult position regarding how to judge between them.

As you will note with the package(s) shown above, none of the manufacturers list percentages of their ingredients. However, since manufacturers want to save costs and minimize inventory they will list ingredients based on volume provided, with the greatest volume at the top and the least at the bottom of the ingredients list. This based on the requirements of the most demanding Country that they provide (ship) product.

What to look for:
Processed in a Certified Human Grade Facility
Certified Human Grade Ingredients
Certified Organic Ingredients
No Colouring Used
Low to no Sugar (and all variations of the word Sugar)
Low to no Salt (and all variations of the word Salt)

Please understand that the process of finding all of the above listed items in a single Pellet package is impossible! So, by starting at the bottom and working up will be the method of selecting one product over another. Point being, they all use different 'Certified' levels, but all will, as part of their ingredients list Salt, Sugar and/or Colouring.

Note: Colouring is added for the Customer, the Parrot does not care! It is possible for Colouring to change the colour of your Parrots Poo, which can cause unneeded concern when your Parrot's Poo is red or some other colour.

Sugar is used to get the Parrot to eat the Pellet. Elevated levels of Sugar commonly causes Behavior Problems.

Honestly looking at all the ingredients of the different pellets, it seems to me that a mix of Harrisons, TOPs, goldenobles, and I think Roudybush would give the most complete diet if you were going to just use pellets, since all have common ingredients but all also have some different things that are good as well. Or maybe a rotation of them all if your bird accepts them all, and budget permits.

I wouldn't feed my birds pellets. They don't eat it in the wild, so why eat it in captivity? As long as their eating fruits and vegetables, I don't see why they should eat pellets.


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Remember sprouts! You can sprout most high quality seed mix. I really like the Abba Seed Soak. My JoJo loves the stuff! Also the Tops All in One, and Napoleon mix!
I buy large bags and store in a freezer. For any 'real food' this is a must!
SOAK

Napoleon's Seed mix | TOP's Parrot Food

Thank you for all your replies. Terry I can't find any percentages in the ingredient list in the thread, but it has been very educational to read, thank you

I have basically found a pellet, that has the right amount of fat and protein for the activity level of my birds and the calsium/phosfor balance is also perfect, however they don't really like it They will eat it, but not gladly.

My macaws are out flying every day and it's difficult to find a way for them to not loose weight. I have tried different setups, and the only thing that seems to work ok is 50% pellets and 50% seeds/nuts/fruits/veg.

I would love if I could feed 100% fresh, no pellets and no seeds, but since their weight is only just at the minimum of what it should be (would like a fuller chest on all of them) I am afraid they will loose further weight if I go 100% fresh. The vet is happy with their weight, but;

1. Sugar was 1200 g, when I got him. He is now flying every day and he is at 1100 g. I would like to get him back to 1200g again. The vet says I shouldn't expect him to go up to 1200g since he is flying every day. I just can't accept that he should loose weight, just because he is now active. If he were to catch something, he will have no fat to help him through.
2. Tino is 1100 g. I know it's on the high end for a scarlet, but his chest is pointy and he needs to put muscles on for him to be able to fly. He might never fly, but he will still need to add a lot of muscle mass and fat to be a healthy bird. His weight has been slowly gaining, so basically ok with his progress, but I think the only reason for his weight gain is the fact he gets peanuts and sunflower seeds, which is basically junk food.
3. Trudi is a 5 month baby and needs to gain weight as a part of her natural process. She is the only one, who I am happy with. She likes her pellets and most her fresh food. Her weight gain is at a relative good rate and she hardly gets any junk food.

In addition to their food, they get a supplement of coconut oil, vitamins and minerals.

If anyone has a high protein and high fat pellet they can recomment with a small amount of harmfull ingredients, I would be really happy.

I was basically hoping that I could find a pellet, where the phosforus:calsium balance was 1:2,5-3 along with my minimum requirements above, but I can add extra calsium, if that is not possible.

Maybe look for a diet designed for a bird that requires a hogher fat diet like a Hyacinth?

ParrotLover2001 said:

I wouldn't feed my birds pellets. They don't eat it in the wild, so why eat it in captivity? As long as their eating fruits and vegetables, I don't see why they should eat pellets.


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Click to expand...

Where are you getting your information from? I agree that an all Pellet diet is not the answer, but neither is an all vegetable and fruit diet. Today's recommendation is a balanced diet.

SailBoat said:

ParrotLover2001 said:

I wouldn't feed my birds pellets. They don't eat it in the wild, so why eat it in captivity? As long as their eating fruits and vegetables, I don't see why they should eat pellets.


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Click to expand...

Where are you getting your information from? I agree that an all Pellet diet is not the answer, but neither is an all vegetable and fruit diet. Today's recommendation is a balanced diet.

Click to expand...

Not all fruit and vegetable diet, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seed, grains, sprouted seeds things they eat in the wild. I get my information from books.

ParrotLover2001 said:

SailBoat said:

ParrotLover2001 said:

I wouldn't feed my birds pellets. They don't eat it in the wild, so why eat it in captivity? As long as their eating fruits and vegetables, I don't see why they should eat pellets.


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

Where are you getting your information from? I agree that an all Pellet diet is not the answer, but neither is an all vegetable and fruit diet. Today's recommendation is a balanced diet.

Click to expand...

Not all fruit and vegetable diet, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seed, grains, sprouted seeds things they eat in the wild. I get my information from books.

Click to expand...

Okay, that makes much more sense!