Budgerigar food

If you decide to have a pet, initially you should learn everything about the nuances of caring for it. Quite often, parents buy parrots for their children because they think they require less attention than other pets.

If you are interested in budgies, then you should familiarize yourself with the features of choosing food for them, consider the rating of the best producers and figure out how to properly care for these birds.

As you know, the body temperature of birds is higher than that of humans and is about + 41-42 degrees. Therefore, their metabolism is carried out much faster and birds need more frequent feedings... If parrots live in nature, then they usually eat berries, twigs, seeds, herbs and even some insects... Of course, at home it is almost impossible to provide such food for budgerigars, but you can choose the right balanced food.

For proper nutrition of budgerigars, you should adhere to the daily feed rate. Most of the diet should be grains - 70%. Quite often, various types of millet are included in the diet. 20% of the volume should be allocated for flax, wheat, hemp seeds, and only 10% should be allocated for oats. In addition to grain, budgerigars need the following components:

• greens - you can add the tops of radishes or carrots, pluck the grass from the garden;
• fruits and vegetables - not all species are suitable for parrots, so you should first consult a specialist;
• eggs - the daily dose is from 3 to 5 grams, which will resemble a pea in volume, but if the bird is preparing for breeding, then the number of eggs should be doubled;
• sprouted wheat - it contains all the necessary components for the normal development of the bird;
• water is a very important element of the bird's diet; it should be replaced in the drinker every day;
• tree branches should also be placed in the cage, as occasionally the parrot likes to nibble on them.

For budgies, proper feeding is a prerequisite for normal development and full growth. To begin with, it is worth considering what food for budgies are. These birds can be fed with two types of grain mixtures:

• ready-made feeds that are sold in stores;
• self-prepared feed from different types of grains.

To choose quality food for your pet, you should pay attention to rating of the best premium food manufacturers. It should be noted that there are not as many of these companies as, for example, manufacturers of food for cats or dogs.

German manufacturer Vitakraft offers food for parrots called Menu vital. It is very nutritious, because it contains a large number of useful components. Regular consumption of this food has a positive effect on the state of the immune system, the plumage becomes strong and thick, and the color is expressive and bright. The presence of vitamins and minerals has a positive effect on the general condition of the parrot.

The advantages of this food include the following points:

• the presence of vegetables and eucalyptus leaves in the composition, which are responsible for high nutritional value;
• is of great benefit to birds;
• affordable price;
• correctly selected and balanced composition.

But there are also disadvantages, namely:

• feed is sold in a tissue paper bag, which leads to a short shelf life after opening the package;
• the composition is quite difficult to find on the market.

The domestic company "Rio" is one of the best Russian producers of bird feed. The brand's products are characterized by the following advantages:

• carefully selected composition;
• high quality paper packaging;
• a wide variety - both basic food and specially selected for the period of molting or germination are presented for sale.

Among the disadvantages of this product, it is worth noting the following:

• high price, although the composition is produced in Russia;
• there is a high probability of acquiring a fake.

The Belgian company Prestige is known for producing high quality feeds recommended by the best specialists. Prestige mixes have the following benefits:

• they are based on grains of the highest quality, and additives and garbage are completely absent;
• the packaging is made of dense sealed material, which protects the feed from insect attacks, as well as the ingress of water or harmful substances;
• to protect an open pack from moisture, each package has a special lock;
• affordable price.

But among the disadvantages of products from Prestige are the following:

• the food is very dry, so feeding the birds with fruits and vegetables should be juicy;
• quite difficult to find on sale.

Trill products are quite popular, since it has such advantages:

• well-chosen composition;
• high iodine content;
• an excellent option for feeding parrots that have thyroid problems.

Among the disadvantages of Trill brand products, the following are worth noting:

• not suitable for regular feeding of healthy birds;
• high price.

Fiory products are popular with many bird owners. Fiory African blend has the following advantages:

• The food contains many nutrients, as it includes buckwheat, millet, hemp seeds, corn, oats, millet and even raisins;
• only natural dyes are used;
• the packaging is characterized by convenience, because the feed is divided into three parts, each in a vacuum package.

Unfortunately, it has the following disadvantages:

• the food includes granules covered with honey, the birds do not like this option;
• high price.

The Baka company is a fairly well-known brand of parrot products. The line includes 12 food options, which allows you to choose a specific type of food depending on the breed of the parrot, as well as its age and health. But many users note the poor quality of the product. So, the pluses of the feed include the following characteristics:

• low price;
• correctly selected balance;
• a sufficient amount of vitamins in the composition.

Among the disadvantages are the following:

• poor quality packaging;
• Strong smell;
• presence of foreign particles.

The Dutch company Beaphar offers excellent premium food XtraVital for medium-sized budgies. It contains all the vital components for the normal growth and development of birds. Among the advantages are the following:

• well-chosen composition;
• nice smell;
• birds like its taste;
• excellent nutritional value.

Bad traits include the following:

• rarely found on sale;
• high price.

This is a German manufacturer that offers excellent quality feed, because they are manufactured in accordance with European standards and requirements. This food has such advantages as:

• optimally matched balance;
• good packaging, characterized by tightness;
• due to the excellent nutritional value of the composition, it has a low consumption;
• it contains additional components, for example, oyster shells, which help to ensure potassium-phosphorus metabolism.

Among the shortcomings, the following are often noted:

• a large number of fakes;
• high price.

The Spanish company Cunipic is quite famous in Russia, although its products have recently appeared on the domestic market. The advantages of the brand's products include the following characteristics:

• correctly selected composition;
• regular use increases immunity, improves the appearance of the parrot;
• packaging of excellent quality.

Among the disadvantages are the following:

• difficult to find on sale;
• overcharge;
• birds don't like fortified granules.

A wide selection of quality food for budgerigars is on sale today. The best manufacturers have been described above, and now it's worth dwelling on what products should be avoided.

• You should immediately give up feedwhich are simply packed in a regular cardboard box. It is impossible to guess how they were stored and in what conditions. There is a high probability that the feed could be damp and dry several times before being sold. This negatively affects the beneficial properties of the product. Also, parasites and mold could enter the paper boxes. Therefore, you need to buy food exclusively in a hermetically sealed pack (polyethylene is often used).
• It is worth immediately abandoning the compositions, which include fruits. They could negatively affect grain storage. Plus, dried fruit doesn't offer the same benefits as fresh fruit.
• You should refrain from buying cheap analogs. It is better not to buy bird mix by weight.

It is necessary to be guided by the following rules in order to correctly calculate how much feed a bird needs per day:

• the daily allowance should not exceed 2 teaspoons of feed for young individuals, and for adults - no more than 2 tablespoons;
• it is necessary to exclude overeating of the feathered friend, so you should not pour food in excess of the daily norm into the feeder;
• sometimes a bird eats its daily ration in half a day, but this happens very rarely;
• before giving the parrot a new type of food, you should seek the advice of a specialist.

The number of feedings depends primarily on the birds themselves, more precisely, on their well-being. At low temperatures, they eat more.... Usually the budgerigar eats 1 tablespoon of feed, but this figure increases slightly during the growth period.

Usually feed is poured only once a day, and it is better to do this in the evening. From early in the morning, the bird can already have breakfast. If desired, the daily dose of feed can be divided into 2 times and sprinkled in the morning and evening.

Particular attention should be paid to winter feeding, because during this period the birds need better nutrition. Experts recommend adding a little lemon juice to the water, which will positively affect the feathered friend's immunity. It is forbidden to be limited only to dry food, you should definitely give boiled cereals to budgies. Birds love lentils, chickpeas, and peas.

For information on how to feed the budgerigar, see the next video.