Nutriberries

[Peeko]

Nutriberries say they're as nutritional as pellets, but I don't understand how, with all due respect? They're seeds and peanuts clumped together. Pellets have added vitamins, fruit/veggie ingredients, etc. Could somebody please explain to me if the label for Nutriberries is telling the truth and if so, what makes them different from ordinary seeds?

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

The only thing I know of Nutriberries is what my vet told me. I used to feed them to Peaches, but she is also on the Harrisons. The vet told me not to feed her Nutriberries anymore cause they have had complications with the two with other birds.

I'm sure they have good things in them, but nevertheless, it's processed and just like with human foods - processed food has additives, preservatives and loss of nutrition in the processing phase.

Also, ANY food that has 'coloring' in it, whether it be pellets or treats - has dye in it. Studies have shown an increased chance of liver & kidney problems in birds with prolonged use of colored foods. Not that you should never give them anything colored, it just shouldn't be part of a daily diet regimen.

 

[riaria]

One thing to keep in mind is that most pellets are simply processed seeds/nuts/corn with added vitamins, minerals etc. From what I've heard, nutriberries have similar nutritional content as many of the better pellets (nutriberries also have added vitamins and stuff). Though, I image that it's easier for a bird to pick and choose which parts of the nutriberry they eat, whereas a pellet is all the same so automatically get all the good stuff in every bite. If that makes sense

 

[t0mmick]

I thought nutriberries were more of a treat type of thing? At least the nutriberries i get around here(montreal) are sold as treats not a food staple for your birds, maybe they are nutritional but i still would only use them as a reward...if thats what your bird likes.

 

[kiwiS]

Yeah..I agree, they are only used as treats. In human ratio, a nutriberry would be a basketball-sized piece of chocolate (mmmmm). Anyway, where was i..oh yeah..only a little bit at a time ^.^

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

@tielfan Agreed. Better something than nothing. The primary reason I make Harrisons such a large part of my birds' diet is that they love it, so I see no need to add things that are 'less healthy' but healthy nonetheless to a diet that works.

When I had parakeets, I was never able to convert a single one to Harrisons, not even baby birds. I'm fortunate in that neither of my birds are fussy eaters. They're more, 'Um, we'll have what daddy's having' type birds. So I used to 'pretend' I was eating the pellets to get them to try them and it worked.

 

[Birdman666]

Each of my birds get three of these a day as a treat, and have for over a decade now...

Except the macaws of course, they get six a day.

I buy them buy the tub, and probably go through a tub a month.

 

[Blancaej]

I give my fids 4 a day. Quincy has had them since I got him when he was 3 months old. And my macs love them too now.

 

[Peeko]

My little guy gets them as a treat, but he loses interest after two bites and drops them, so I've resorted to crushing them up so they aren't clumped together anymore to get him to eat them. Otherwise, he wastes pretty much the whole thing. Downside is he just tosses any bits of the "vitamin glue" that holds them together... But at least he's eating them.

 

[riddick07]

Mine get these whenever I remember I have them. I think two or three for each is what I give them. They do pick out what they want from them so I wouldn't use them as a pellet replacement.