Pellets V.S. A Well Balanced seed diet.

[bob1]

I have been reading about people saying that pellets are better than seeds and then further reading I saw someone else state seed is better than pellets. I feed Chico pellets (and I don't plan on changing) but the bird shop in my area is seed pro. So I am wondering which one is better?

Thanks,
Evan

 

[aether-drifter]

Lots of fresh food supplemented with both pellets and seed is best, I think.

 

[cstambaugh]

a mix of both

 

[Freespin]

My barraband gets both though doesn't touch his pellets but it doesn't worry me. My eckie is just seed but both birds get a huge variety of fresh fruit and vege so I'm happy with their pellet free diet...

 

[Terry57]

My guys also get a mix of both, in addition to all the fresh fruits, vegetables, and birdie bread.

 

[crimson]

much to my astonishment my birds are starting to eat Harrisons mash

5 out of my 30 birds have been returning to the dish repeatedly.

most of my birds I've gotten have already been on a seed diet(uggg)
the really bottom of the barrel seed(like Hagen, or no name brand)

I now have my birds on Higgins Conure Sunburst seed, and add organic walnuts, almonds, flax seed, and pumkin seeds.

Along with the vegetables I give them, I think they'll do just fine.

yes, pellets are best, but trying to convert 30+ birds onto that staple diet is next to impossible.

I have tried on many ocassions, all been a waste of money.

 

[SoCalWendy]

Mine are on both, along with fresh fruit, veggies, and Volkmann Feathglow 15 min soak and serve. I think variety is the key.

 

[bob1]

Thank You all!!!


Evan

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I used to feed my cockatiel, Peaches, a blend of seeds, pellets and fresh fruits and vegetables. She kept getting respiratory infections and the vet told me that she was weak from malnourishment which completely surprised me. Granted, the pellet diet was one bought from the store and it was colored, which is just as bad as seed. It's manufactured and multi-processed leading to lack of nutrients.

Personally, I suggest an organic pellet diet, I use Harrison's. Then, provide fresh organic fruits & vegetables sparingly as a treat. I don't feed my birds seed at all, but if you want too - I would suggest only using it as a treat and not a daily staple cause given the choice, the bird will probably choose the seeds over the pellets rendering the pellets obsolete.

I've seen first hand the positive and dramatic effect an organic-based pellet diet can have. It WILL save you more money down the line.......on vet bills.

 

[Terry36887]

I put about 60% pellets, quarter a teaspoon of small parrot mix by Trill, and the rest loads of fruit and veg.

 

[DallyTsuka]

depends on your species too. birds like cockatiels and budgies and lovebirds (ones who come from arid habitats and eat mostly seed in the wild) shouldnt be on a diet high in pellets because there is too much nutrients for them longterm since they have not adapted to eating such a nutrient-rich diet in their evolution. it can cause kidney disease in their older years.

basically, variety is the best you can give. i personally believe all parrots should have some seed in their diet, but cockatiels and the like should have a higher portion of seed compared to pellets. pellets in the species mentioned should be 20-30% of the diet, supplemented with fresh veggies with the staple being seed. as much variety as you can offer, the better.

mine love their pellets. they go running to the dish every time i refill it, even with the choice of seed too.

but too much seed can lead to fatty liver disease. so its not good to have a high amount of EITHER IMO. variety, variety, variety

an all pellet diet in any species can cause kidney disease such as gout in the older years and should be avoided for those reasons. and an all seed diet should be avoided too because of liver disease.


pellets should be used to fill the gaps in your bird's diet. its very difficult to get all nutrients they need, so that's why pellets are a good thing in the diet

 

[pregodalliance]

hi
I give my parrots fresh fruits, veggies, greens and grains.
for dessert they can have nuts and seeds

I mostly have eclectus parrots, which eat fruits, veggies in the wild.

I don't give them pellets unless you count goldenfest Goldn’obles I. (there are very few pellets for eclectus parrots)

They are the only thing where sunflower seeds is not the main ingredient. And since Pellets are steamed, or modified, It makes sense to me to just give them a few plain sunflower seeds (so they get nutrition from the sunflower seeds) instead of added vitamins and minerals.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

The best way to tell if you have them on the right diet is to consult with your vet at their annual. The vet can tell you if your bird is lacking any essential nutrients and if so, what to feed your bird to ensure they are getting what they need.

 

[Kinny]

So many great answers already....

I feed my birds on Vetafarm pellets, a good seed mix (which includes some grains, mainly oat groats), and whenever I have it, fresh veggies and fruit. (which is most days as I have kids who need fruit and veg). After having a couple of Vets do health checks, they have stated to me that the birds cannot be healthier, and that they can't have a better diet.

No one single food is best.. just seed is not good, just pellets is not good (though probably better than seed) and just fruit and veggies isn't good.. as a lot of food nowadays doesn't have much nutrition in it anymore.

 

[Mekaisto]

Personally, I think it depends what type of parrot you're dealing with. I feed granivorous birds pellets with seed mixed in (plus fresh veggies and fruit), but no seed for fructivorous birds like macaws or conures. They get coconut or other nuts for training.
That's just my personal preference though, I doubt giving your bird a couple of seeds will cause too much damage, unless it's overweight.

 

[Frumpydumple]

I give my birds Harrisons pellets and organic fruit and vegetables. Seed is only used for training. And I agree that a varied diet is best. An only seed diet or an only pellet diet is bad but a mix of both is good.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I feed harrison's pellets, veggies and prepared foods, and some seed. In no way am I pro seed, for the species of parrots that I have I am strongly against it. In small moderation seeds are alright as treats. I never just feed plain seed through, I feed treats that have whole seeds present in it.

As treats I give Kenji Nutri-an cakes, and avi-cakes.

While Rosie gets various flavors of nutri-berries

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I give my birds Harrisons pellets and organic fruit and vegetables. Seed is only used for training. And I agree that a varied diet is best. An only seed diet or an only pellet diet is bad but a mix of both is good.

That's pretty much what I do. My birds have Harrisons pellets for 70% of their diet. The power treats for 10% of their diet organic fruits/veggies for 20% of their diet. I don't give them seeds in their regular diet - but I do give them millet spray as a treat to give them some exposure to seed texture.

 

[lquan]

For pellets, I feed my GCC mainly 50/50 of TOPS and Zupreem Natural Premium. She eats them both, although, I think she like Zupreem more. 60% of her diet are of those pellets. 10% are fruits (banana, apple, mango, grape) and cooked rice. She is crazy about cooked rice. 30% is seed mix.

I am wondering what brand of seed mix is best?

She doesn't eat proso millets (red or white). The only seeds she likes are sun flowers, soaked oat groats, and safflowers.

She also likes pumkin seeds, cooked walnuts, almonds, and pistachios.

I usually buy Ecotrition Parrot Seed mixed. It is very expensive. I ended up throw most of everything away but those seeds listed above. I also throw away the junk pellets that come with it (for wild birds). I think if I buy human grade seeds and mix them together myself, I will save more $. What bird seed mixed brand do you guys recommend if I continue to buy from pet stores?

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

@lquan In general, the best seed mix is the one with the most amount of variety of nutrients with the least amount of artificial fillers. This usually means the more 'expensive' brands. When I had parakeets, I used to feed them the 'VitaVittles' seeds which are just one step below the 'Bonanaza'. I didn't give them that cause it had dehydrated fruits & veggies in it that they never touched.

I know a lot of people use sunflower and safflower seeds as a treat. I hear they are high in fat and low in nutrients so I wouldn't necessarily make it a significant daily staple, but use it more for treats and snacks. Same goes with peanuts. I feed my birds the Harrisons power treats cause 'peanuts' are the first ingredient. My birds LOVE peanuts!