How Can I Get My Cockatiel and Lovebird (Back) On a Nutritionally Balanced Diet?

Last Updated on October 1, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

I have two birds: a peach-faced loved bird (Maisie) and a parrotlet (Nell). We’ve gone along with bird food purchased from the local Pet Supplies Plus (the cockatiel mixture) and Krazy Korn Rainforest Pudding.

I’ve tried to vary the offerings with things from the grocery market’s salad bar and chopped fruits and vegetables that are in season.

I’ll cut to the chase: Neither one wants anything to do with anything other than the birdseed. For at least 3+ years they were flexible but now I am very worried that they are not getting the right nutrition and buying different kinds of food winds up to be a serious financial waste.

How can I get them (back) on a nutritionally balanced diet?

Best,

Susanne

Hi Suzanne

There are a couple of ways to approach this. Generally, birds on an all-seed diet will not get all of the vitamins and minerals they need. Items that you need to look at to be included in your bird’s diet would be Silver beets, Red and green bell peppers, Broccoli, Dandelion flowers, Corn on the cob or corn, kernels, chickweed, banana, apple, celery, mung beans, and snow peas.

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We are also advising people not to introduce any citrus to the birds. Things like oranges and tomatoes. Vegetables with a high pH, which means there are acidic. Fruits that are highly acidic will lower a bird’s pH in their digestive system posing issues with the assimilation of food through the intestines.

That said you have a couple of choices. Continue with the seed blend that you have been buying although I would ask for a complete ingredient panel and a written guarantee from the store that the bins they are dispensing from are sanitized. When these bulk food dispensers are not washed and sanitized on a regular basis, there’s a strong likelihood that mold can grow at the bottom or along the edges of the interior of the dispenser.

You can simply introduce an all-purpose supplement to your bird’s diet like Hagen Prime. By adding Prime you’re ensuring that your birds get all the essential nutrients and minerals necessary for a healthy life. Prime is best added to food by placing the wet leafy green vegetable or a piece of fruit not in the water as it will get tossed out on a regular basis.

Your other option is to put your birds on a more robust blend of bird food like Hagen Tropimix Cockatiel and Lovebird food. Tropimix is unique in that it is a robust blend of yummy things like cooked cracked green split peas, brown rice, cooked soybean grits, dehydrated papaya in addition to the seed. The seed is also unique in this blend in that all the hulls have been removed from the seeds making it a much cleaner food to serve your bird and the analysis of the food that you read on the bag is much more accurate because the hulls of the seeds are not taken into consideration when calculating these measurements.

Let me know if I can answer any other questions

Thank you

Catherine Tobsing
Windy City Parrot Birdie Boutique

Thank you very much….I am going to look at the floor lamp you have again, I still working on my food order too. Is the 5 ft. Floor lamp the one you have?

Debi

Dear Debi

We spoke this morning about the Featherbrite lamp. etc.

Yes, the brackets that come with the light should allow you to mount it on top of your Victorian cage without problem. The new brackets are adjustable. We recommend once you figure out the best configuration for your cage that you use cable ties to attach the brackets firmly.

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As far as to how long to leave it on, it can be 4 to 10 hours, but the company recommends you ask your Avian Vet for what is best for your birds.

It is also recommended if your bird is going to climb around the outside of the cage that you remove the light or at the very least unplug it.

Having a lot of toys inside the cage will distract the bird from the cords. Otherwise, it just can become a new “toy” and that could become harmful if your bird decides to destroy the lamp.

I have not located any standing lamp that will be taller than 5 feet.

We also have these light bulbs that can be put in any lamp fixture (prefer ceramic socket) and you may locate something taller.

We will be back in the shop Monday after 10 am CST if you need to speak with us.

Otherwise, you can email me and we may be able to answer your questions.

Thank you,

Catherine