Questions about using multiple brands of pellets at once.

[Yama500017]

Hello, So for my young sennnie the pellets I give him are Zupreem natural and Roudybush. I was wondering if having other pellet brands in addition for variety would be a good idea or something I should avoid. Such as Harrisons high potency, TOP'S, Higgins Intune and etc. My main wonder is if the combination especially with the Harrisons (since it says not to use it with other pellet brands) would either inhibit some of the vitamins or overload on vitamins. Im not sure if that is possible just making sure.

 

[osklvste53]

Mixing brands is done all the time for transition from brand to brand. A combination between the two to make to much of something can cause upset stomach and diarrhea. So watching carefully is warranted. The experts familiar with those brands will need to give more detail.

 

[LaManuka57]

Hello, So for my young sennnie the pellets I give him are Zupreem natural and Roudybush. I was wondering if having other pellet brands in addition for variety would be a good idea or something I should avoid. Such as Harrisons high potency, TOP'S, Higgins Intune and etc. My main wonder is if the combination especially with the Harrisons (since it says not to use it with other pellet brands) would either inhibit some of the vitamins or overload on vitamins. Im not sure if that is possible just making sure.

I feed Harrisons Adult Lifetime in combination with TOPS and I've just started introducing a third brand called Murphy's (which is probably not available outside Australia/New Zealand). I was not aware that Harrison's recommend feeding their brand exclusively, and I cannot speak for why they suggest that. However my avian vet fed his birds virtually any brand he stocked at his clinic - and I use the past tense here since he retired due to illness and sold his clinic a few years ago now. His opinion was that it was better to feed different brands so they get a wider range of ingredients and I agree with him, hence why I do it too

 

[Yama500017]

I feed Harrisons Adult Lifetime in combination with TOPS and I've just started introducing a third brand called Murphy's (which is probably not available outside Australia/New Zealand). I was not aware that Harrison's recommend feeding their brand exclusively, and I cannot speak for why they suggest that. However my avian vet fed his birds virtually any brand he stocked at his clinic - and I use the past tense here since he retired due to illness and sold his clinic a few years ago now. His opinion was that it was better to feed different brands so they get a wider range of ingredients and I agree with him, hence why I do it too

Yes thank you, I believe on the Harrisons website it says not to feed in addition to other pellet brands because it could "reduce benefits" but im not sure if thats true or a marketing scheme.

 

[osklvste53]

Harrisons is very high in protein and some other nutrients. Smaller healthy birds can have troubles with it alone. Vitamins and minerals need to be mixed in a way so they are absorbed. Easy example especially for owners of African Grey who are prone to calcium deficiency. Vitamin D is good in correct amount. It needs proper formatting (whatever the chemical guys call it). You mix Harrison with another brand and a different Vitamin D type. It can over whelm or interfere with binding calcium, phosphorus causing deficiency. So mixing can easily cause problems. I doubt this is a marketing ploy. I think Harrison has a formula that is geared for easy absorption. Making it sensitive to other brand interference.

 

[Vampiric_Conure53]

I now know not to mix Harrisons with other pellets . Thank you for the information!! As for me, sometimes I mix my pellets with Zupreem. My guys like Tropican and were fed Zupreme Fruity Blends for a while, too. I stopped again, for whatever reason, and I'm tempted to try it again.