Cereal for enrichment?

[Marianne Marlow]

I saw a photo of a budgie shredding a weetabix block on Facebook. Someone also mentioned that they give their birds cornflakes.

Question? is it safe to do this? it sounds like it would be a lot of fun, but messy!!

Ira Thought you might be able to help on this one.

[ladybird]

I just read this, but wouldn’t know if it’s correct or not……..

Budgies need grains in their diet, but natural grains don’t have the added sugars, colorings, flavors, and preservatives of boxed cereals. So, you’ll need to choose the kinds of cereal carefully.

Budgies can eat cereals such as whole oat groats, natural granola, and muesli. Plain cheerios and cornflakes are good options if you want a commercial brand.

Budgies shouldn’t eat frosted flakes or instant oats and never add cow’s milk or chocolate to cereal. Also, avoid mix-ins to cereals….

[Marianne Marlow]

Interesting. I am sure they add sugar to everything these days, so I am not sure it would be suitable then.

I'll have to look at the packets. I know the cheerios Eve eats are sweet.

[ffiscool]

most things have sugar sadly.. especially packeted stuff

[ladybird]

Also salt……I personally can’t think any of it can be good for budgies.

[Marianne Marlow]

Maybe i can find one free from sugar and salt. They do all sorts these days.

I'll start a search when I get home.

[Ira]

Yeah, I'd check the ingredients and nutrition carefully. They might just shred it, but if they eat it you want to know it's not going to do them any harm.


I'd heard that dried corn cobs make a good chewy toy, you can dry ones they've already eaten.
Or wholemeal toast.

[Loz]

Wholemeal bread from shops contains rapeseed oil.
Not harmful in itself to budgies but bear this in mind with regard to the amount of oilseed your buds have access to.

[Marianne Marlow]

I really like the idea of weetabix. Might take a peek in Holland and Barrett and see what they have.

[Ira]

Jun 16, 2022 13:39:49 GMT @loz said:

Wholemeal bread from shops contains rapeseed oil.
Not harmful in itself to budgies but bear this in mind with regard to the amount of oilseed your buds have access to.

Definitely another good point to remember.

I like using a little red palm oil when I make bird bread or scrambled egg for them, which they have infrequently and in small quantities, because it contains carotenoid precursors. I think that's what it was, but I might be misremembering.

But then I try to weigh the budgies often to make sure they're not getting too pudgy.

[tweetiepiesmom]

Whenever I take my two to the vet, she gives them a dish of dry cereal to eat/play with. Its something she mixes herself and she said its ok occasionally but not everyday due to the sugar/salt. Not being a cereal eater myself, I did recognize only a couple things like the cheerios and either a plain corn flake or wheat flake. I didn't want to buy the boxes at the grocery store and have them go stale in my cupboard so I didn't ask for the recipe.

[Marianne Marlow]

I don't eat cereal either, it's mostly for Eve, Husband likes cornflakes.

This is the top of our fridge.

[ladybird]

I have oatabix because I have high cholesterol…..they are low in salt and sugar.

[Hezz]

I saw this as well. Both weetbix (weetabix) and cornflakes contain sugar and salt even if in small(ish) amounts. It’s not something I’d be making a shopping trip for or giving to them every day, but I guess the odd one here or there wouldn’t hurt too much.

[Marianne Marlow]

I went in to Holland and Barret (health food shop) and all they had was gluten free weetabix. Checked the sugar and salt and it was no better than the branded one, so didn't buy it.

They did have a cereal that was 100% millet, called millet flakes, but I'm not sure how much good that would be either?