Choosing food for a budgie and preparing a diet

Here we consider the best food for budgies: Belgian Prestige, Italian Fiory and Padovan, Russian RIO, Dutch Witte Molen, Spanish CUNIPIC, German JR Farm. All these grain mixtures can form the basis of your pet’s basic menu. However, do not forget that the diet of a budgie should also include: porridge, sprouted grains, greens and branches, fruits and vegetables. This issue will also be discussed in this material.

If you want to get acquainted with the prices of the products, then you can immediately go to the section of our website where you can buy all the grain mixtures listed below:

Basic selection rules

Pet stores offer customers a large number of bird foods specifically designed for budgies. They differ in composition, cost, weight or other characteristics.

The appearance and health of the bird depends on the right choice, so the following recommendations are taken into account:

• 
  the composition should contain not only standard cereals, represented by millet and oats, but also other useful additives, for example, seeds, vegetable or fruit pieces, as well as minerals;

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• you cannot buy a product that contains peanuts, as it may be contaminated with aflatoxin, which leads to the destruction of the parrots’ liver;
• sweet additives, represented by pieces of dates or other fruits, should not exceed 20%, otherwise their excessive consumption will lead to weight gain in the bird and will also harm the kidneys;
• it is advisable not to choose mixtures sold in cardboard packages, since under poor storage conditions the products could become damp, which negatively affects their beneficial properties;
• there is no need to save on your pet’s health, so it is recommended not to buy food in bulk, even though it has an affordable price;
• Only food is purchased in reliable and undamaged packaging.

Manufacturers indicate the expiration date on the packaging, so you should not buy expired products.

Signs of quality food

Pay attention to the packaging: it must be sealed with a zip fastener. The detailed composition is indicated on the reverse side. Fruits need to be granulated. Ornithologists do not recommend using feed mixtures that are manufactured in the Russian Federation.

The optimal solution is to make granules that contain all the necessary components, but the bird cannot sort the feed mixture and select the tidbits. The innovation is not in demand among Russian parrot lovers; it is difficult to find in pet stores.

Which brand of food is better - top 10 brands with photos

There are several brands of budgie food that are considered the best and healthiest for the birds. They differ in cost and content , and are also produced not only by domestic, but also by foreign companies.

Cunpic

The product is created by a Spanish company that quickly became popular throughout the world. This is due to the high quality of the ingredients used. Although Cunpic food appeared on the Russian market relatively recently, it is now chosen by many parrot owners.

What food do you give your parrots?

I make it myself from the store.
The advantages include:

• a well-chosen composition in which ordinary cereals are combined with other healthy additives;
• if you give such food to a parrot daily, it will lead to increased immunity and a significant improvement in plumage;
• Products are sold in reliable and high-quality packaging.

The disadvantages are that such products can only be found in a limited number of stores. Its cost is considered high for many buyers, and not all birds are happy to consume pellets with a large amount of vitamins.

Prestige

This food is produced by a well-known Belgian organization that is famous for its quality products. These products are recommended by breeders and owners of breeding clubs.

The advantages of buying this brand include:

• the base is represented by high-quality grains;
• the packaging is made of high-density sealed material, so the ingredients are not exposed to moisture, insects or other harmful factors;
• there are no harmful additives or ordinary garbage;
• the packaging is equipped with a special zip lock, thanks to which, even after opening the pack, ideal conditions for storing the mixture are provided;
• affordable price.

The disadvantages are that it is quite difficult to find this brand in pet stores , so usually owners of budgies order it online.

Another disadvantage is the high dryness of the products, so you have to independently introduce additional fertilizers, represented by cottage cheese, herbs, vegetables or fruits.

Padovan Grandmix Cocorite

The product is produced by an Italian company, and it also has an affordable price. It is considered an ideal choice for creating a complete diet for birds.

Includes:

1. millet;
2. shelled oats;
3. pieces of fruit;
4. cookie;
5. canary seed.

There are many positive reviews on the Internet from parrot owners who claim that with regular use of Padovan food, the birds remain attractive and highly active, and there are no health problems.

The advantages of the brand include:

• well-chosen composition;
• high quality packaging;
• presence of minerals and vitamins;
• high prevalence among Russian pet stores.

The only drawback is the presence of cookies , which contain dye. Such a product can negatively affect the health of the bird.

But the owners note that the birds simply refuse to eat this ingredient, using it as a toy. If necessary, you can simply remove the cookies with your hands.

Vaka

This brand is known to almost every budgerigar owner. The company offers 12 different food options, which differ in composition and are also intended for parrots of different breeds or ages.

You can even choose a composition that is ideal for sick or old individuals. But there are often negative reviews from customers who find foreign objects in the mixture.

The advantages of Baka food include:

• affordable price;
• balanced composition;
• no dyes;
• presence of vitamins.

But buyers note a large number of disadvantages, which include:

• use of cheap, low quality packaging;
• unpleasant and pungent odor from ingredients;
• the presence of foreign elements such as debris, husks and even dead insects.

If you choose this food, it is advisable to choose options sold in hard plastic packaging. The Baka Lux mixture has a high price, but it has a good composition, so it will not harm your pet.

JR Farm

The German manufacturer offers high quality food, since European standards and norms are taken into account during its production.

The positive properties of the product include:

• balanced composition;
• hermetically sealed and reliable packaging;
• low consumption due to high nutritional value;
• inclusion of vitamins and minerals, as well as oyster shells, ensuring optimal potassium-phosphorus metabolism.

The disadvantages include the high cost, and there are often fakes of low quality.

Trill

The company produces several food options that are intended for parrots of different breeds.

The benefits of using the product include:

• presence of iodine in the composition;
• excellent combination of components;
• The mixture is ideal for parrots with thyroid problems.

But it is not recommended to choose this food for healthy parrots, and it is also considered an expensive product.

Rio

The food is produced by a Russian organization that has established itself as the best domestic company offering quality products for birds.

The advantages of the mixture include:

• balanced composition;
• use of sealed packaging;
• providing several brands of food, so you can choose products for the molting period or for other problems.

Many buyers consider the high cost of the product to be a disadvantage. There are often fakes on the market, so you need to buy the product exclusively from trusted pet stores.

After opening the package, it is recommended to pour the mixture into a closed container to protect it from insects, direct sunlight or moisture.

offers mixtures not only for budgies, but also for other breeds of parrots.

Vitakraft menu vital

The products are manufactured by a well-known German company. The composition contains many useful substances, so regular use of the mixture has a good effect on the immune system and plumage of parrots. Owners of birds note that literally after a couple of weeks the color changes, becoming more contrasting and bright.

The advantages of the Vitakraft brand include:

• the composition contains vegetables, herbs, eucalyptus leaves and fruits, which increases the nutritional value of the mixture;
• high benefit for birds;
• absence of foreign objects and harmful additives.

The disadvantages include the high price, and the food is sold in a small number of large pet stores. The products are sold in a paper bag, so they have a short shelf life.

XtraVital

Dutch food of this brand is considered a premium product.

Its advantages include:

• high usefulness of all ingredients;
• inclusion of components that have a positive effect on the normal development of poultry;
• nutritional value and balance;
• pleasant smell from the food.

A significant advantage is that the parrots themselves eat this mixture with pleasure.

The disadvantages include the high cost and scarcity of goods in Russian pet stores.

Fiory

The products of this brand are popular with many owners of budgies.

This is due to the following advantages:

• the composition contains significant nutritional elements represented by millet, buckwheat, hemp, oats, millet, raisins and corn;
• During production, natural dyes are used that do not cause any harm to birds;
• convenient and airtight packaging.

The disadvantages include the use of honey, which birds do not like. Not all parrot owners can afford such food because of its high cost.

RIO

This is the most popular and best mixture for budgies on the Russian market according to many bird owners. The Russian manufacturer RIO has not just won the trust of pet owners. A rich composition, durable packaging and a wide range of mixtures for parrots are not all the advantages of the brand.

Ingredients: yellow millet, red millet, black millet, canary seed, oatmeal, flax seed, safflower seed, oats, hemp seed, wheat, dried carrots, fennel, algae, calcium gluconate, probiotic.

Pros: ideal value for money. Balanced variety of composition. No colored grains, garbage, bad grain. There is Abyssinian noug - a real delicacy for parrots. There are calcium granules and seaweed, which are the best source of iodine and have a beneficial effect on the body of birds. The food is economical: one pack of 500 grams is enough for two birds for a month. It is especially relevant during the molting period; it goes away faster and less noticeably. Does not cause allergies.

Cons: addictive. A large amount of gluconate in the composition. When the pack runs out, dust is noticed at the bottom. Not a very convenient packaging format, without a lock.

Daily value for a budgie

For a small parrot, 2 teaspoons of the mixture per day is enough.

In this case, the diet is divided into three parts:

• 70% - grain mixture, which includes millet;
• 20% - seeds, which can be flax, hemp or canary;
• 10% - oats.

To this diet you need to add fresh foods, represented by vegetables, herbs, fruits, cottage cheese or other ingredients. With the correct formation of the diet, various diseases of birds are prevented. The frequency of feeding depends on the condition of the parrot, and in winter they eat a little more.

It is advisable to pour food every evening so that the bird can eat fully in the morning.

It is also useful to read: Selecting a pair for a budgie

Prestige Versele-Laga

Belgian food Prestige Versele-Laga is a traditional premium complete product for budgerigars, as well as other small parrots. This high-quality mixture contains a variety of balanced ingredients, specially selected to suit the specific nutritional needs of parrots.

The manufacturer offers two products: all-natural Budgies Prestige and Budgies Prestige Premium.

Ingredients: Canary seed, yellow millet, white millet, Japanese millet, yellow panicum, shelled oats, red millet, flaxseed, VAM granules, oyster shells.

Pros: the composition is well balanced. It contains fruit and BAM granules, amino acids, vitamins, as well as the prebiotic Florastimul, which helps normalize the digestion of birds. Ground oyster shells will help to establish smooth functioning of the stomach muscles and ensure the maintenance of an optimal balance of substances such as phosphorus and calcium. The food is clean, selected, free of dust and debris, and smells delicious. Dense sealed packaging with a convenient zipper closure. Nice price.

Cons: not always on sale. There is safflower, which is too large to feed small birds.

What supplements to include

It is recommended to add the following products to the main diet:

• 
  vegetables, berries or fruits;

• greens, represented by ordinary grass, carrot tops or spinach;
• nuts, such as hazelnuts or walnuts, but peanuts are prohibited;
• sprouted grains;
• low fat cottage cheese;
• boiled eggs;
• minerals and vitamins that can be purchased at a pet store;
• crackers without additives.

In addition to food, the parrot should always have access to clean water, which is updated daily.

Birds happily eat bananas, apples, pears and apricots. The best berries for them are raspberries, rowan berries, grapes or currants. It is advisable to first peel not only fruits, but also some berries.

Vegetables often chosen include turnips, zucchini, tomatoes, pumpkins and beets. It is allowed to periodically feed young peas, corn or beans.

It is forbidden to include in the diet watermelon, melon, fresh bread, celery, cilantro, radish, radish, onion, garlic, fried seeds, Chinese cabbage and exotic fruits, which include mango and avocado.

If you choose the right diet, buy only high-quality food and give the bird the required supplements, then the bird will live long and happily, and will never have to deal with serious illnesses or prolonged molting.

Possible causes of poor appetite

It happens that a budgie does not eat food. There can be many reasons, the most common being stress or problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

A parrot, finding itself in an unfamiliar environment, for example, when being transported home from a pet store, experiences anxiety, loses its appetite, and exhibits apathetic behavior. Creating a calm environment and eliminating annoying sounds will help correct the situation. There is no need to actively establish contact with the bird. It is better to leave the parrot alone, give it the opportunity to look around, get used to it, and its appetite will return.

If the bird has been living in an apartment for a long time and shows indifference to food, you can feed the parrot with adsorbents - enterosgel, polyphepan. If dangerous signs of illness, seizures, or blood in the droppings appear, you should immediately contact a veterinarian.

If you find yourself in a situation where special food is not at hand, you should know what budgerigars eat, analyze the availability of the necessary products at home and replenish the feeder. These colorful birds cannot go long without food, and a 24-hour fast can be disastrous for them. By being resourceful, you can always feed your beloved pet without harm to health.

What seeds and grains are allowed to be used in the diet of “wavy animals”?

The well-being of feathered pets directly depends on the balance of their diet. Therefore, it is important to use feed enriched with the following crops:

• millet (white, yellow, black, red) – grains should make up 65% of the total weight of the feed;
• oats – 20% of the bulk of the nutrient mixture;
• canary seed – 10% of the total feed mass;
• hemp seed - no more than 6 grains are allowed per day for one individual;
• a mixture of barley, sesame, Abyssinian nougat, rapeseed, buckwheat, paisa, sudanese, mogar, sorghum, chumiz, oatmeal, wheat, dandelion and plantain seeds - 5% of the total weight of the feed.

It is not recommended to use feed enriched with millet, since its frequent consumption by “wavy animals” can lead to the development of gastrointestinal diseases in them. The mixture does not have to be 100% of the described cultures.

Additional food

One grain will not be enough. Therefore, if you want to see a healthy and cheerful bird, you must include the following products in your diet:

• greens, carrot tops, radishes;
• vegetables;
• fruits;
• berries;
• eggs;
• twigs.

In addition, we must not forget about the water, which must be changed daily. It is important to understand that feeding is the most important thing in breeding parrots. Therefore, it must be approached with special attention. After all, the well-being of your beloved pet depends on a well-chosen diet.