Contravery on pelleted only diets.

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Contravery on pelleted only diets.

by anonymous
(Canada)

A pelleted diet is a very contraversial thing on the net. Some say to feed pellets without seeds, with more fruit and veggies, others say to to feed just seeds with fruit and veggies and others say to feed both.

Myself, I feed both with fruit and veggies. Some veggies they like raw or cooked, such as sweet potato and broccoli, others I cook, along with pasta, beans, etc. They also get treats once in awhile.

I have spoken to avian vets (more than one) and they have all said that my guys get a very well balanced diet.

Here is an article for anyone to read.
http://www.plannedparrothood.com/diet.html#PELLETS

I would be curious to see what others on the forum thinks.

Comments for
Contravery on pelleted only diets.

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Oct 04, 2011

Pelleted diet is necessary to insure proper nutrition
by: Avian Vet

(Dr B wanted to clarify and re-write his response)

While this article is well-meaning, the majority of information offered there is incorrect and has no scientific basis. Although I cannot address all of the misinformation points covered there, I can simplify it for you.

Pellets are the ONLY way to guarantee a complete and balanced diet. Avian veterinarians do not recommend pellet-only diets. Pellets should make up 80% of the diet (some variation among species), and 20% treats; treats are any food that is not a pellet. It is recommended that most of the treats be fresh foods like fruits and vegetables (raw or cooked), with about 5% seeds and nuts, and ay other safe treat. Organic pellets are recommended to keep artificial preservatives and other artificial ingredients out of the diet.

Seeds are deficient in approximately 35 different nutrients and most of these nutrients are not found in supplements like fruits and vegetables. Vitamin supplements should never be used. They are ineffective at providing complete and balanced nutrition. Water vitamins only provide water soluble vitamins, no vit E, D, A, or K. These are fat soluble and cannot be put in the water. Powder vitamins have lots of preservatives and cannot be properly dosed.

I am a practicing veterinarian and I see hundreds of birds monthly. I can immediately tell when bird comes in if it is on pellets or not based on the health status. I have never seen a bird with nutritional problems on pellets and every bird I see that is not on pellets shows some form of nutritional deficiency such as Vitamin A, calcium, protein, or other nutrients.

If you want your bird to live a healthy full life, feed pellets at 80% of the diet, with the remaining 20% treats. This author is right about the pellet debate ? it is over, and pellets are the right choice. I am happy to elaborate if you would like to arrange a phone consultation. I can give you specifics about your particular species of bird, too.

Dr B

Sep 12, 2011

Contraversy on pellet diets for birds
by: Tracie

We have already had enough going back and forth on this issue. I am closing off comments on this one.

The majority of Avian vets say that Harrison's or Roudybush pellets are the best to feed your birds. The junk pellets with high sugar and chemicals and the colored pellets for sure cause health problems in birds.

Table food is bad for birds. You may know someone that has smoked since they were a teenager, and say "they are healthy, they haven't died of cancer." I certainly knew someone that told me that last year. He said even his doctor said he was healthy. He died of a stroke this year.

I know of people that ate terrible diets, saying that they were healthy. Well, until they found out they had cancer or diabetes. Suddenly they changed their diet.

Our birds depend on us for their food. They are like kids and naturally like what is bad for them. We have to be strong, and work hard to change their diets to healthy diets and not cave into thinking they are like humans and need unhealthy treats and food.

Please read the Switching Birds To Pellets article and other health related articles on our Parrot Training page.

Although I like TOP's pellets the best, our avian vet says that they are relatively new and he hasn't seen birds eating these pellets long enough to say that birds will be healthy over many years eating them. He HAS seen birds on Harrison's pellets compared to other pellets and birds that ate "healthy people food" and can say that birds on Harrison's get fewer illness' and disease.

Sep 12, 2011

Pellet for birds
by: The Avian Vet

I have lots of experience with avian nutrition. It is a unanimous consensus among avian veterinarians that the only way to provide a complete and balanced diet is with pellets. If a bird is not eating a formulated diet, then there is no way that it is a complete diet. The controversy and debate about pellet diets should have ended a decade ago. There are some holdouts on the net, particularly those who know nothing of what they are spewing.

I and other avian veterinarians recommend 70-80% pellets and supplement with fresh foods, cooked foods, nuts, seeds, and other treats. No vitamin supplements should be given, especially when they are on a pellet diet.

Diets without pellets, regardless of what the diet is, will be deficient in 25-35 different nutrients, especially calcium and protein (amino acids). These and many other nutrients are not found in plant based diets.

Dr B

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