My Conure

[Pls00812]

Henry follows me around where ever I go. He especially likes the kitchen as we eat a lot of popcorn. Not sure if it is good for him...he likes a lot of the food I eat. I feed him fresh veggies and fruits every morning.
I would like to know about pellets vs. bird feed. Henry throws his food out of his feeding cup and doesn't eat the sunflower seeds.

 

[Psittaciformes]

I would suggest pellets and fruit/veg, some nuts and stuff for treats
They tend to be messy eaters so don't worry about throwing food about.

 

[ZephyrFly]

fresh popcorn, no oil, no butter, no nothing. Its a great treat!
I would also suggest pellet and veg (some fruit). Keep seed to a minimal.

 

[Flboy]

Welcome to you! Pellets, yes.

 

[henpecked]

fresh popcorn, no oil, no butter, no nothing. Its a great treat!
I would also suggest pellet and veg (some fruit). Keep seed to a minimal.

NO SALT, salt can kill.

 

[BEWolf]

It appears that I may be in the minority when it comes to the pellet vs. seed debate, but I really am not a fan of pellets. Still I am not here to debate the choice between the two and recommend that whether you choose to feed a good quality seed mix or a good quality pellet that you limit the amount of either one. I feed all of my birds first thing in the morning as it is just getting light some fresh raw fruit, a fresh raw vegetable and a fresh raw leafy green about 1/2 hour later I give them a cooked mix of 40% half cooked whole grains, 40% mixed vegetables and 20% fully cooked white beans and lentils. I provide enough of this food and the fresh raw produce for all day eating and then for dinner just about the beginning of dusk I feed them a good quality seed mix with one or two tree nuts such as almonds or walnut or pistachios, which I remove from the cage after they go to sleep for the night.
I also give plain air popped popcorn now and then for a treat. At my home most treats are a piece of fruit or vegetable or a piece of a tree nut, sometimes a piece of whole wheat pasta just for added variety.

 

[BirdLover80]

Welcome! I have not been raising birds for very long (about 4 years now) but I can say for certainty that an all seed diet for birds is NOT good. An all seed diet is high in fat and carbohydrates and very low in minerals and vitamins. If you're feeding your birds all seeds, you're basically giving him/her a greasy cheeseburger for every meal. Not good at all. Now, that's not saying you can't feed them some seeds every now and again. It makes a nice treat sometimes and birds like a varied diet, just like humans do. Pellets are basically a salad for your bird. Pellets are loaded with minerals and vitamins that birds desperately need. Birds also love fresh fruit and veggies but make sure they're not spoiled or left in the cage for long.

A well-respected seed and bird store is where I would recommend you go. They can show you the different bird food varieties. Pet stores can be a good starting place but usually employees that work there are more keen on dogs, cats, and fish, not birds. Good luck!