What do parakeets eat? Can they eat lettuce and grapes and stuff that people eat?
I am researching parakeets because i might get one, so any other advice would also help!
Comments
6 Responses to “What do parakeets eat? Can they eat lettuce and grapes and stuff that people eat?”Speak Your Mind
Tell us what you're thinking...and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
Snooty Pets
-
Advertisement
Yes, but they also need to eat seeds. Go to Wal-Mart and check it out. It’s not expensive, but important for your bird’s nutrition. Also, if you can go to a pet store, the people working there often have knowledge on how to care for animals.
Parakeets eat Parakeet food that you can find in any pet store. Parakeets can eat lettuce but not any other human food. I have had parakeets before so I know what they can eat. I went online to find out and that is what I got.
baklavakay did you know that if you only feed a bird just lots of seeds that it may only live a couple of years? and a parakeet raised solely on parakeet seed will have some form of malnutrition. Even the fortified seeds you find in stores are usually fortified with a powder sprinkled on the outside of the seed.
Also did you know that giving a Parakeet Lettuce will cause it to have diarrhea?
Parakeets are lactose-intolerant and cannot eat a lot of dairy product. So go easy on ice cream and anything with dairy products in them.
Fruits are great for birds, just do not give them Avocados because they are toxic to birds.
The Association of Avian Veterinarians recommends the following diet for a parakeet:
50% cooked beans, whole wheat bread, cooked rice, pasta, and seed
45% fresh broccoli, carrots, yams, spinach, dandelion greens, other green/orange fruits and veggies
5% eggs, tuna packed in water, well cooked meat
Yes meats!!! because there is protiens and other good nutritiants in it.
Our Parrots will get a plate of almost everything we have for our meals. Tonight’s meal was Spaghetti and meatballs, so I have some walls to go wash off my walls in a bit because they have fun throwing their food everywhere,
Since birds can see in color and smell and taste it is important that their meal be appealing so they will want to eat it.
Starting with a Parakeet is a good choice and learning all you can before you buy a bird is very good because once you have learned about a bird you might to buy you may find that may that isnt the right bird for you.
In many cases bird that have been turned over to my rescue were no longer wanted because the owners never educated themselves about the bird. It very sad to have a large parrot that is no longer wanted by its owner to come here because they love their owner’s but don’t understand what they did wrong to lose the people and home they loved.
Not all the books out there explain everything about birds. You can get general information, but you greatest learning tool is going to be your bird.
I think you should contact a Parakeet breeder and get a hand fed baby, they are very sweet and are less likely to be afraid of you.
If you need any other help please contact me.
Sapphyre
Certified Avian Specialist
http://www.borrowed-rainbow.com
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/BorrowedRainbowAviary/
They should be fed fresh,washed vegetables daily. Chopped small for your species of bird.
Grapes are fine, but wash well, then cut in half and inspect for mold. Mold kills birds so throw out any food thatis moldy.
Avocado,apple ( no seeds),caffine/coffee, chocolate,peach ( no pits)scented candles,household cleaning products, heated teflon cooking ware and cigarattee smoke are all Toxic to birds and will kill birds fast.
Also feed a quality seed mix and pellets daily with the “salad” mix of veggies and some fruits. Fresh water in clean dishes daily too. Keep water dishes very clean, dirty water can breed bacteria. Change bottom tray paper’s daily also.
Read about healthy avian foods> http://www.birdchannel.com/
http://www.birdsnways.com/
Do several web searches for bird sites.
For daily food I feed mine parakeet food from the local walmart. I give them sprays of millet twice a week (also available at Walmart). Fresh stuff they like are the greens of celery, kale, lettuce, thinly sliced carrots. They love whole grain toast and will snatch it from the toaster if I don’t grab it before it cools to their touch.
They also need a sand perch and I give them two mineral cuttle bones, one fruit flavored and one veggie. Mine do not care for any fruits but will drink peach herbal tea out of a little cup I put out for them on the kitchen table.
yes letas and cherrys no grapepsBut bird food too