Converting Your Bird from Eating Seeds to Pellets

A diet that is entirely based on seeds is unbalanced and unhealthy for the majority of kinds of pets birds, 

particularly parrot species. They usually pick the items they like and will take them away and not eat the remainder. The availability of diets with formula is increasing and is being developed specifically for certain species. Ideally, they should form some (but certainly not the entire) of the diet offered to most birds that are pets.

Technically speaking, the term “formulated diets” is more precise than “pellets,” since these diets come in a variety of forms, including pellets crumbles, nuggets, and many more. A lot of birds are not eager to switch to pellets, however with perseverance and patience, nearly every bird will eventually adopt a diet formulated for them. The transition to pellets can be a couple of weeks or even a few months and any of the strategies listed below can be employed.

Health and Safety

It is important not to try to make your bird starved into eating pellets. This could be dangerous for you and your pet, as well as extremely stressful for you. If possible you can, keep track of your bird’s weight during the conversion time to ensure that there isn’t any loss of weight. Don’t convert a sick bird. Only do this if you are sure that your pet is in good health. Be sure to keep track of the number of bird droppings as well as the bird’s weight. If the number of drops decreases and the bird’s weight drops to more than 10% within the course of a week, cut back on the new food and continue to feed the traditional diet.

Easing the Transition

If you’re raising a new bird, begin feeding it pellets as soon as you can. Younger birds are generally more open to trying new food items than older birds that might be “set to their routines.” If your bird isn’t familiar with a wide range of food You might want to introduce new foods and vegetables prior to introducing pellets. Making sure your bird is used to new flavors and textures could assist in the transition into the formulated diet. You can introduce fresh foods alongside pellets, but try not to overload the pet with an abundance of different items at once.

Determining How Much Food

Find out the amount your bird consumes throughout the day (the amount that is given, less the remaining amount at the conclusion of one day). Take the total amount consumed every day for seven consecutive days before dividing by seven to calculate the daily intake average. The daily average is the number of pellets and seeds (combined) to eat every day. When you switch to pellets in the process, you’ll gradually cut down the number of seeds you feed to make up your daily average intake by eating pellets.

Schedule for the Transition

In the ideal scenario, the bird will accept new pellets, and you can make the change in a short time using an approach like this:

• Week 1: Feed 75 percent of the daily recommended intake of seeds, and replace pellets with the remaining 25 percent.
• Week 2: Feed 50 percent of your daily intake as seeds, and the other 50 percent as pellets.
• Week 3: Feed 25 percent of your daily intake as seeds, and 75 percent as pellets.
• Week 4: Reduce the seed component further to accommodate larger birds.

For more discerning birds The switch might have to be slower. For the typical bird that does not eat pellets, you might need to experiment with the following:

• Serve a meal with pellets first thing in the morning.
• After a few hours After a couple of hours, you can offer the seed mix, however, substitute the diet with a formula that only contains 10% of the number of seeds. Mix the pellets and the seed, so that the bird must work on the pellets until it gets close to the seeds. It is possible to grind some pellets and sprinkle them on the seeds so that your bird gets used to the flavor of the food you have prepared for them.
• When your bird has tried the pellets, you can begin decreasing the amount of seed and then increase the pellets in small increments until you have the amount you want.
• If your bird seems not interested, you can give the mix of seeds for just one or two hours every day, and have a bowl of pellets on hand throughout the day.
• Be patient. For birds who are stubborn, the gradual change could be months instead of weeks.
• If your bird falls into the more difficult category, make sure you be sure to keep an eye on the bird’s weight (invest in a tiny weight scale, and weigh it regularly).

Success Is Possible

For smaller parrots like Budgies as well as cockatiels Once you’ve achieved the diet of just 25% seeds (25 percent seeds pellets, 50 percent seeds, as well as 25 percent of fresh food) you’ve succeeded! for more large parrots keep reducing the number of seeds to ensure that your diet is less than 10 percent seeds in total (with approximately 50-60 percent pellets and the remaining comprised of fresh food as well as treats).

Switching to a different diet can be difficult, frustrating, and lengthy (not forgetting the lost pellets until your bird is able to accept the change). Remember, the efforts are worth it, and you’ll be given an energized bird that is fed an energizing and balanced diet.