Feeding Birds

Give Birds a Varied Diet
With most avian species, there is no single food that provides all the required nutrients, so it is important to feed birds a broad and varied diet. Seed mixtures or pelleted foods can form the basis of a bird's diet, but these should be supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables, spray millet, nuts and treat sticks.

A bird should be introduced to a variety of different foods early in life. Older birds tend to become more wary of new foods, unless they have been raised on a varied diet.

Feed Birds At The Same Time Every Day
Advise customers to stick to a consistent feeding schedule. Birds are "creatures of habit," and they grow accustomed to being fed at the same time every day.

If birds find their food dish empty at their "normal" feeding time, they will probably look for food at the bottom of their cage, and perhaps pick up moldy seeds or droppings. This will increase their chance of picking up a disease.

Check Food Dishes For Empty Husks
Don’t assume that a bird’s dish has enough food because it "looks full." Many birds will remove seeds from their husks when eating, and leave the empty husks in the dish. This will create the impression that the dish is nearly full, when in reality it has no food.

Fresh fruits and vegetables (in limited servings) should be a regular part of a bird's diet. Fruits and vegetables should always be washed. Do not feed fruit and vegetables straight from the refrigerator. Letting them warm to room temperature will avoid chilling a bird’s digestive system.

Fruit and vegetables should only be served as a supplement to bird seed and pellets, not as a replacement for them. Seed and pellets should always make up the main staple of a bird’s diet.

Do Not Feed These Fruits & Vegetables To Birds
grapefruit | entire cabbage family | lemons | raw and green potatoes
plums | green beans | rhubarb | sprayed leaf lettuce | avocado