Post by cierlo on Jun 12, 2021 16:51:36 GMT
We are blessed with 4 budgies who are all completely different characters.
They are on a seed diet but are only given a small amount each day and are weighed regularly to ensure that they are maintaining a healthy weight, and the seed volume is adjusted accordingly. I try to find a mix with as many different seeds as possible. They also have access to a mineral block, dry egg food, and soluble oyster shell grit for calcium. They have ACV in their water too.
My problem, as it is for many, is fresh foods. They will always eat cooked brown rice, quinoa, sweetcorn, scrambled egg, pick the seeds out of a strawberry, and grass. Currently the grass is developing seed heads and we're able to pick long blades from the local park most days and give them a good wash. However, being in the UK, we don't have access to grass in the winter when it is slower growing. I'm trying to figure out if we could grow enough grass for the 4 of them, but I'd have to do more research. Sadly we have no garden.
They will sometimes eat leafy greens such as spinach, peas, and grated carrot. The occasionally nibble slices of carrot, celery, herbs like basil and bell peppers. They do like a slice of apple when it is offered. After 9 months, they did finally try broccoli but now ignore it. And a few weeks back they had a week of really enjoying bell peppers of all colours, but now ignore those again too.
The majority of the foods they'll eat consistently are either grains or higher calorie, so I usually give less seeds on the days they have those. But I'm not sure if those few foods are enough to meet their nutritional needs.
However, even though they know that the other vegetables are food and edible they won't eat them even if we withhold their seed for a while. They'll be hungry but rather than eat the vegetables they will just badger for seed instead. They are slightly better when we are at work and they are in their cage, but the amount consumed could usually just be the work of one of them. If we're home they will badger, in the cage or out.
I feel like the eldest did better when he was a single budgie. He used to get excited to see food that weren't seeds, and he would also want to eat whatever I was eating, which meant that he might take a bit or two of something. Not a lot, but at least it was a few nutrients.
I have tried adding pellets to their diet to at least supplement for vitamins and minerals but they'd have none of it.
Does anyone have any advice about encouraging them to actually eat more variety, or is what they will eat suitable?
They are on a seed diet but are only given a small amount each day and are weighed regularly to ensure that they are maintaining a healthy weight, and the seed volume is adjusted accordingly. I try to find a mix with as many different seeds as possible. They also have access to a mineral block, dry egg food, and soluble oyster shell grit for calcium. They have ACV in their water too.
My problem, as it is for many, is fresh foods. They will always eat cooked brown rice, quinoa, sweetcorn, scrambled egg, pick the seeds out of a strawberry, and grass. Currently the grass is developing seed heads and we're able to pick long blades from the local park most days and give them a good wash. However, being in the UK, we don't have access to grass in the winter when it is slower growing. I'm trying to figure out if we could grow enough grass for the 4 of them, but I'd have to do more research. Sadly we have no garden.
They will sometimes eat leafy greens such as spinach, peas, and grated carrot. The occasionally nibble slices of carrot, celery, herbs like basil and bell peppers. They do like a slice of apple when it is offered. After 9 months, they did finally try broccoli but now ignore it. And a few weeks back they had a week of really enjoying bell peppers of all colours, but now ignore those again too.
The majority of the foods they'll eat consistently are either grains or higher calorie, so I usually give less seeds on the days they have those. But I'm not sure if those few foods are enough to meet their nutritional needs.
However, even though they know that the other vegetables are food and edible they won't eat them even if we withhold their seed for a while. They'll be hungry but rather than eat the vegetables they will just badger for seed instead. They are slightly better when we are at work and they are in their cage, but the amount consumed could usually just be the work of one of them. If we're home they will badger, in the cage or out.
I feel like the eldest did better when he was a single budgie. He used to get excited to see food that weren't seeds, and he would also want to eat whatever I was eating, which meant that he might take a bit or two of something. Not a lot, but at least it was a few nutrients.
I have tried adding pellets to their diet to at least supplement for vitamins and minerals but they'd have none of it.
Does anyone have any advice about encouraging them to actually eat more variety, or is what they will eat suitable?