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what to feed my pet budgie

by Mckenzie Daugherty DDS Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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  1. Buy pellets. One of the staples in a budgie's diet is pellets. You can buy pellets in your local pet food store that are suitable for budgies.
  2. One good option to feed budgies is seeds. [4] However, you shouldn't let your budgie fill up on seeds, as this can shorten a bird’s lifespan.
  3. Use fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables form a very important part of your budgie's diet. [6]
  4. Feed your budgie grains. Many owners and breeders feed a mixture of soaked grains, which is called "soft food", as an extra treat in the bird's diet.
  5. Provide hard-boiled eggs and grated cheese. Although this may sound unusual for a budgie, it adds a great source of protein for your budgie.

A Budgie's diet should be approximately 60-80% pellets/complete food, and then the remainder a mixture of fruits, nuts, seed, sprouting seed, treats, vegetables and other treats. These give a Budgie all the nutrients they need in their diet.Mar 14, 2019

Full Answer

What vegetables can budgies eat?

What vegetables can budgies eat?

  • Cabbage. Cabbages are easily one of the best vegetables you can feed to your budgie, and it’s all thanks to their vitamin B9, C, and K content.
  • Carrots. Carrots are another budgie favorite, especially when they’re fresh and crunchy. ...
  • Celery Stalks. ...
  • Spinach. ...
  • Cauliflower. ...
  • Radish. ...
  • Squash. ...
  • Ripe Tomatoes. ...
  • Bok Choy. ...

What fruits can budgies eat?

What Fruits Can Budgies Eat?

  • Apple. Of course, it should go without saying that your budgie will enjoy apples. ...
  • Kiwi Fruit. Kiwis are another all-in-one fruit you can throw into the mix. ...
  • Melon. Whether it’s a melon, watermelon, rockmelon, or even a honeydew lemon, your budgie will surely enjoy this tasty treat.
  • Grapes. ...
  • Oranges. ...
  • Mango. ...
  • Lemon. ...
  • Bananas. ...
  • Berries. ...
  • Apricot. ...

More items...

Are budgies good pets?

So, it’s no wonder that English budgies are such popular pet birds. English budgies make good pets because they’re friendlier, more affectionate, and less timid than the standard breed. They get along well with children and pets, and bond closely with their owners.

What food do budgies eat?

  • Millet seeds
  • Sunflower seeds (should be fed rarely as they’re rich in fat)
  • Safflower seeds
  • Canary seeds

What to feed budgies in summer?

How Much Should I Feed My Budgie?

What Seeds Can You Feed Budgies?

What Vegetables Can Budgies Eat?

What Foods are Harmful to Budgies?

Why are my budgies obese?

What do budgies eat?

See more

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What is the best food to feed my budgie?

I usually recommend a high quality seed diet with things like dried fruits and vegetables in the mix. A pellet diet is also usually great, as they...

Can budgies eat maize?

Yes, but it is a high calorie food and not particularly nutritious, so it should only be included as part of a balanced diet. Give a variety of see...

How often can you give a budgie fruit and vegetables?

It's fine to offer a small amount of fruit and vegetables every day, in addition to nuts, seeds, and grains. Remember to make sure that everything...

Is vegetable oil safe for budgies?

You should not need to give your budgie vegetable oil. Vegetable oil is safe, but it is high calorie and may strip out some fat-soluble vitamins fr...

Is it okay for a budgie to eat jam?

No. Jam is too high in sugar and not suitable for birds. Feeding jam could lead to the birds' becoming overweight or developing health problems. If...

How to Feed Budgies: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Pet

Buy pellets. One of the staples in a budgie's diet is pellets. You can buy pellets in your local pet food store that are suitable for budgies. The pellets are the best way for your budgie to have a nutritionally balanced diet because they contain tons of nutrients for the bird. When you buy the pellets, make sure they don't have any preservatives, added sugars, artificial colorings, or ...

What is the best food for a budgie?

Pellets are the best option for your budgie as they can't pick out the tastiest bits and leave the healthy bits behind.

What do you need for a budgie?

Provide a cuttlebone and a mineral block. Cuttlebones and mineral blocks are necessities for your budgie. They contain necessary minerals and nutrients that your bird might not be getting other places. The cuttlebone should be placed in the cage so the soft side faces the bird so he can scrape off the bone.

Why do you feed budgies raw?

Feed the fruits and vegetables to your budgie raw, because cooking takes away vital nutrients.

How to get a budgie to eat?

If he won't eat the fresh foods, chop up the veggies and fruits and put them in an empty feed cup. Hang the cup in his cage with a few leaves of leafy greens or another much-loved treat pegged above it.

How long can a budgie go without eating?

Use a suitable container. Your budgie needs to be able to access his food whenever he needs to. A budgie can get sick if he goes without eating for 24 hours , so he needs to be able to access his food at all times. The container shouldn't be too deep so the budgie doesn't have to dig too deep to get to the food. It should also be in a place near his water so he can eat and drink together.

How to change budgie seed blend?

Any changes to his food should be done gradually over a long period of time. If you want to change his seed blends, add a little more of the new blend in each day and take away a little more of the old blend until he has completely transitioned to the new food.

How to keep budgies from being obese?

Prevent obesity. Your budgie needs ample cage space or room in your house to exercise. You should also pay attention to your bird's daily feeding habits to keep him from overeating. This can lead to obesity. An obese bird loses its streamlined appearance and can become lethargic and suffer health problems.

What should I feed my budgie?

"Budgies are vulnerable to obesity, iodine deficiencies, and other nutrition-related problems."

What is the best food for budgies?

The recommended diet for budgies is a pelleted food formulated for birds. Several commercial brands of pellets are available in different shapes, sizes, and colors.

How do I convert my bird to a pelleted diet?

Some birds are more difficult than others to transition on to pellets. Seek out the advice of a veterinarian familiar with birds to get tips on how to make this transition easier. Initially, birds may not even recognize pellets as food. Pellets should be offered straight, not mixed with seed, or the bird will simply pick around the pellets to get the seed. Pellets should be offered first thing in the morning, before other food, when the bird is hungriest. Since budgies eat off the ground in the wild, you may mimic this behavior by spreading the pellets over a flat surface and encouraging the bird to walk through them. You can also flick each pellet between your thumb and pointer finger and tap on the table top as if your fingers were a beak investigating the pellets. You can also grind the pellets up into a fine powder that you can sprinkle on to a very small amount of any moist food (vegetables, fruit, cooked egg, pasta) that your bird likes to eat. If the bird eats the pellet-coated food, you can gradually grind the pellets into larger chunks and mix them with smaller amounts of moist food over time so that ultimately you are offering nearly all pellets with minimal amounts of moist food mixed in. It may take days, weeks, or months to modify a bird's diet. If the bird is slow to take to pellets, you may offer a small amount of seed or fruits and vegetables later in the day. Seeds may be withdrawn completely only when you are sure the budgie is eating the pellets plus some fruits and vegetables. This can be a stressful time for you and your budgie, but with patience, you can transition your bird from an unhealthy seed diet to a balanced pellet-based diet.

Will my bird have any different needs throughout its life?

Birds that are extremely young, stressed, injured, laying eggs, or raising young may have certain special nutritional requirements. There are specially formulated pelleted foods available for birds with specific nutritional requirements . Consult your veterinarian regarding these situations.

Does my bird need extra vitamins, minerals or amino-acids?

In general, a bird that is eating 75 - 80% of its diet in the form of pelleted food does not need supplements. Specific vitamins or minerals may be more important at various times during a bird's life (e.g., egg laying requires calcium supplementation). Various vitamin and mineral supplements, as well as omega fatty acid supplements, are available for birds and should only be given under the guidance of a veterinarian knowledgeable about birds.

Does my bird need gravel or grit?

Budgies do not need gravel or grit because they remove the outer hull of the seed before ingesting the kernel. Previously, it was believed that grit was necessary for the mechanical breakdown of food in the gizzard, as an aid to digestion. However, now we know that only birds like pigeons and doves that consume seeds whole, without removing the outer hull, need gravel to help them digest. Some budgies, will in fact, overconsume grit when it is offered and develop gastrointestinal tract obstructions that are potentially life threatening. Thus, grit and gravel should not be offered to budgies.

How long does it take for a budgie to eat pellets?

It may take days, weeks, or months to modify a bird's diet. If the bird is slow to take to pellets, you may offer a small amount of seed or fruits and vegetables later in the day. Seeds may be withdrawn completely only when you are sure the budgie is eating the pellets plus some fruits and vegetables.

What is the best food for a budgie?

Fruits and vegetables, as well as protein and calcium sources are also very important for the health and happiness of your little budgie. You’ll want to read the full article here to get all of the specific dietary information, and also weigh the pros and cons of parakeets as pets.

Can you feed a parakeet pellet?

While parakeet pellets are a good source of food for your bird, they should not be the only thing you feed them and this article gives you specific items that you need to give to your bird to make sure they are healthy and happy and well cared for.

Do budgies need to be pampered?

We all love our budgies and we all want to pamper them whenever we can, but when it comes to food related pampering, it’s still important to make those treats in a way that’s healthy for your little feathered friend.

Do budgies like pancakes?

Now when your budgie sees you having pancakes, they can have their own version as well and far from feeling left out, they will feel totally pampered.

Do budgies stay with you?

You just got your new budgie and they’re fast becoming your best friend, but you want to make sure you’re feeding them the proper diet so they will stay with you for many years to come. Plus, well-fed budgies are easier to train.

What to feed a budgie?

Add fruits and vegetables are important because it give your budgie plenty of unnatural unprocessed foods that are very easy on their digestive system. When feeding them be creative. Budgies are not picky if they have been properly socialized and most will eat anything you eat if they are tamed.

What should a budgie eat?

So what should the budgie be fed? The answer is a combination of seeds, pellets, vegetables, and fruits. If a budgie is well cared for and taken to the vet regularly you can easily expect your little friend to reach an age of 10 or more years. These little parrots are omnivores and will eat greens, meat, and seeds. Now that you know what a healthy diet should consist of, let us move on to food items.

How long should I feed my budgie pellets?

So to fix this, I rotate between seeds and pellets. I�ll feed seeds for four days and pellets for three days. This gives my budgies the variety and health they need for their base diet. During the pellet days I do not keep seed treats such as spray millet, or honey sticks inside the cage. A budgie will quickly ignore his pellets if he is given the option to eat what he wishes.

Do budgies need pellets?

The first thing is to introduce pellets to your budgie. This needs to be pellets that do not contain preservatives, artificial flavorings, or colorings. Though I will not name brands, many good quality commercial brands are available. Just be sure no added sugars are included inside the mix you choose. These pellets need to be kept in a sealed bag inside the refrigerator to avoid moths or critters.

Do you need to seal seed mix after feeding?

These pellets need to be kept in a sealed bag inside the refrigerator to avoid moths or critters. For the seed mixes choose any brand you like and be sure to ensure to seal it well after each feeding.

Is the color of the parakeet mix good?

In this way, the colors could be seen inside the mix and hopefully entice you to buy this product. Most owners think that this colored mix is good and that it looks healthy and app etizing for your pet parakeet. In reality, these seeds and grains should only be a small portion of your bird�s diet. Another advantage of feeding only seeds were ...

Can budgies eat pear?

Fruits need to be added to their diet as well. My budgies enjoy apple or pear slices that have been thinly sliced and hung inside the cage. I can�t keep them there to long because they brown easily. If you are going to add tropical fruit that is extra juicy, I always dab them with paper towels and cut them as small as I can. I then place them into their bowls. Fruit is very important and needs to be added as well.

Seeds

Seeds such as grass seeds, grain legumes, and oily seeds make a healthy seed mix. Fennels, chia, canola, fenugreek, and kale are some of the seeds derived from herbs that contribute to a Budgie’s nutrition. Depending upon the size and age, 1.5-2 tablespoons of seeds can be included in the total Budgie food.

Pellets

Available in a wide variety of colours, flavours and shape, pellets are recommended by experts as a key component in Budgie Food. Pellets contain vital nutrients hence, should account for at least 75-80% of a Budgie’s total diet.

Vegetables

Beetroot, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, cucumber, cauliflower, radish, pumpkin, kale, mustard greens, spinach, sweet corn, and sweet potatoes are few healthy vegetables that are safe to feed. Make sure that you wash them properly and cut into small pieces as large food pieces might cause choking.

Fruits

Fruits that make good Budgie food are apricots, bananas, cranberries, guavas, kiwis, lychees, mangoes, melons, pineapples, plums, papaya etc. These contain vital nutrients that can potentially contribute to good Budgie care. Remember not to overfeed them!

Water

Besides the regular Budgie food, hydration is a must for your little one. So make sure that the water you are serving them should be fresh and the utensil in which it is served should also be clean.

Other items

Cooked meat, fish and eggs can also be occasionally included in a Budgie food.

Why is it important to feed budgies?

It’s important to feed your budgie during these intervals because they’re most energetic when they’re eating properly. Once they stop eating, their energy levels drop.

How often do budgies eat?

Budgies are pretty needy when it comes to food, so you’ll want to make sure you’re feeding them often enough. They eat roughly every three hours in the wild, and that’s not very different in captivity.

What is a budgie bird?

Budgies are high-energy birds that can live for a long time but need a balanced nutritional diet to thrive. It’s also important to feed your pet bird at the right time of day.

Do budgies eat impulsive food?

Many budgies are impulsive eaters so be patient.

Can budgies eat in cages?

It is best to feed your budgie when it’s in the cage. Your budgie will find its own food in your house which it can eat, and if you’re in the habit of feeding your budgie in the cage, you’ll need to clean the cage more often.

How to deal with a budgie that is toxic?

A happy pet owner is one with a healthy pet. Give your budgie the best of what is available and nutritious.

How to give pineapple to budgies?

It is rich in vitamin B and C. Peel the outer skin, chop the pineapple into the correct size then offer your budgies. The amount consumed may differ from one to the other. You can offer small quantities to see how they will love it. If they enjoy it, gradually increase the amount you give them.

Can budgies eat mango skin?

When it comes to mangoes, budgies can freely eat the fruit. How about the skin? Most people often remove the skin which apparently is rich in nutrients such as vitamin C and E, dietary fiber, and polyphenols. As much as the peels are nutritious, care must be taken when feeding them to the birds. This is because they may contain harmful pesticide residue which may have adverse health effects on the pets. These disadvantages make some not to present the mango skins.

Can budgies eat curry leaves?

Budgies can freely feed on these leaves. Many have been spotted eating them with no harm experienced. Some budgie owners call them their pets’ delicacies. Do not be scared to try them with yours and see the outcome. If the results are desirable, you are good to go.

Can budgies eat pineapple?

Yes, budgies can feed on pineapple. It is rich in vitamin B and C. Peel the outer skin, chop the pineapple into the correct size then offer your budgies. The amount consumed may differ from one to the other. You can offer small quantities to see how they will love it. If they enjoy it, gradually increase the amount you give them.

How long does it take for budgies to die from cyanide poisoning?

Many have reported deaths of budgies as a result of cyanide poisoning. The signs of this can be evident after one or two hours after the seeds or pits are eaten.

What is a budgie bird?

Some plants are beneficial as a whole while others have parts that are toxic. Budgies, also called parakeets, are popular pet birds. They have the ability to learn words, phrases, and whistles.

Warnings

Feeding a baby budgie is like feeding Goldilocks! Its “porridge” needs to be not too hot and not too cold, as well as not too thick and not too thin. Follow the package instructions to get the right consistency, and always serve the food at between 41–43 °C (106–109 °F).

About this article

This article was co-authored by Hayley Heartfield and by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD. Hayley Heartfield is a Bird Specialist and the Owner of About Birds, a Pet Bird Shop in Montgomery County, Texas. Hayley specializes in pet bird care, behavior, training, and breeding. Hayley studied Animal Science at Texas A&M.

Why feed fruits to your budgie?

This is true, as pellets are usually specially formulated to fulfill the nutritional needs of pet birds.

What Fruits Should Your Budgie Avoid?

Unfortunately, not every fruit is safe for budgies and knowing which ones are important if you want to include fruits in their diet.

What to feed budgies in summer?

Oranges – Feed your budgies oranges in summer months because oranges can hold a lot of water, so they can keep your budgies hydrated in summer months. Also, oranges are a great source of natural vitamins. Cut an orange into slices and give your budgies these slices.

How Much Should I Feed My Budgie?

Budgies can become obese if they overeat. To prevent your budgies from overeating, put your bird’s food in a shallow dish. Do you have several budgies? Put their foods in separate small dishes because some birds might not get a chance to eat if you put all the food in one dish.

What Seeds Can You Feed Budgies?

It is important to feed your budgies seed because seeds are high in starch, fat, and energy. However, do not give your birds these seeds daily because seeds are low in vitamins and amino acids. That is why an all-seed diet is not recommended. Seeds can be good treats for your birds.

What Vegetables Can Budgies Eat?

Add vegetables to your budgie’s diet because vegetables contain antioxidants and nutrients, which can boost the immune system of your bird. Here are some of the vegetables you can give your budgies:

What Foods are Harmful to Budgies?

Some of the foods harmful to budgies include rhubarb, avocado, tomato leaves and stems, fruit seeds and pits, mushrooms, uncooked beans, and chocolate.

Why are my budgies obese?

Fat – Fats can make your budgies obese because birds cannot digest high-fat foods. So, do not offer your bird foods containing lots of fats. To make sure your budgie remains lean, limit fats. Salt – Salt is not good for birds because it is toxic to birds.

What do budgies eat?

Budgies love fruits and they eat different types of fruits. Give your budgies a variety of fruits if you want to know what your budgies like. Once you know their favorite fruits, feed them these fruits regularly. Here are some of the fruits your budgies can eat.

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