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Post by Hezz on Nov 5, 2020 0:25:19 GMT
Cuttlebone is considered a necessity for budgies but I've found that many won't touch them. The main reason for supplying cuttlebone is for calcium so I use oystershell (soluble grit) instead. It is basically a mix of very small shells or bits of small shells that the budgies can munch on whenever they feel like, and is broken down in the birds' gut. It should not to be confused with insoluble grit which is made up of small pebbles and grains of sand and is not broken down in a bird's gut. Parrots should not have insoluble grit; it is for the birds that do not husk their seed, such as doves and pigeons.
You can also get calcium blocks to fill that gap, so try all if you wish or find one or the other easier to source, whatever works the best for you.
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Apr 25, 2024 0:13:00 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2020 3:22:22 GMT
I was about to give up on the cuttlebone when Indie decided to have a chew.
Yuki seems to quite like a pot of oystershell.
Definitely worth trying a variety of options to see which your bird prefers.
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Post by Morgan on Nov 5, 2020 21:40:24 GMT
karen101: just my two cents - Haith’s is supposed to be good quality, but sugar is pretty high on the ingredients list. Volkman seed is also good quality, and is ust seed, no pellets mixed in, and does contain sugar, but the sugar is purely in the fruit pieces and is very far down on the ingredients list (lots less of it). Budgies tend not to eat much fruit anyway because they don’t naturally eat very much of it in the wild, so that sugar is less likely to be eaten at all. Also, soaking the seed can help reduce the fat content of the seeds which is usually too high in pretty much all commercial seed mixes, and it will further soak out the sugar from the fruit in case your budgies happen to like the fruit. I also just made a post on pellets if you are interested in feeding some pellets. Provide veg every day, a few different options like you said, and you might need to chop it very fine, grate it, clip pieces up to the cage, or even make toys out of it to get your buds interested - if they have never eaten veg before they might take longer to try it depending on individual personality. If they are young babies (all black eyes, forehead bars right down to the cere) it may be a bit easier to get them to try new things right away. Also cuttlebone of course like others have said, and a good mineral block with iodine in it. Or you can try feeding dry unsalted seaweed (check at any nearby Asian food markets) clipped to the cage just like a mineral block. “Manu” clay mineral blocks are supposed to be good but through my own searching I don’t think they actually contain any iodine. Common vitamin deficiencies in buds are iodine, Vit A (sweet potatoes and carrots can help), Vit D (bring their cage outside in the sun for a bit every week), and too high fat is another common problem, causing fatty liver and overgrown beaks. Pure pellet diets have been known to cause kidney issues, potentially because they have much less water content than fresh foods. Too much sugar can cause Megabacteria. Just a few things to look out for. Good luck! 
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Oct 6, 2020 16:21:24 GMT
karen101
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 57
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Post by karen101 on Nov 6, 2020 11:23:43 GMT
Good idea blue48, I'll have a look around the house and see if I can fashion something to hold the door Tweetiepiesmom, I will definitely get a few Kevins and I will let you know if they like their Kevs  |
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Oct 6, 2020 16:21:24 GMT
karen101
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 57
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Post by karen101 on Nov 6, 2020 14:08:23 GMT
Doh, I missed page 2 of replies!  Thank you Hezz and Ira, sounds like I need to try a cuttlefish and oystershell and calcium blocks and see what the birds go for. I have to remember that every bird is different so what works for one will not work for another but so great to hear how your birds have got on with things. Thank you so much Schizm23 - I have made notes from your post as there is so much good info in there! That is very interesting that Haiths seed is high in sugar, I will look into Volkman seed as I would prefer to get them eating something where the sugars are naturally occurring. That's a good tip about chopping veg up/grating it and almost turning it into a toy so they play with it (and hopefully eat it) - the breeder said to me that they have been eating seed and quite a bit of veg so I am hoping they'll carry that one when they come home to me. I will go and look for your post on pellets now as I have to confess I don't know much about pellets so will be fab to read. Thanks all - you are a godsend to an expectant budgie mum!! |
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Oct 6, 2020 16:21:24 GMT
karen101
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 57
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Post by karen101 on Nov 6, 2020 14:12:29 GMT
Schizm23 are you in the UK? If you are, can I please ask where you buy Volkman seed from? I've just had a look but can only find it on US websites  |
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Oct 6, 2020 16:21:24 GMT
karen101
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 57
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Post by karen101 on Nov 6, 2020 14:22:37 GMT
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Post by jellybean on Nov 6, 2020 14:28:17 GMT
karen101, Haiths are not the only seed provider that members use. skysmum uses Johnson & Jeff, you could try them
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Apr 25, 2024 0:13:00 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2020 15:27:43 GMT
Haiths is common but not the exclusive choice, especially lately as their available quantities are weird. I would be surprised if they contain sugar. I always thought it was just bundles of seeds mixed together, but you never know I suppose.
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Post by Hezz on Nov 7, 2020 0:52:30 GMT
The Hagen only has four different types of seed and one of them (oats) you don't want your bird eating anyway, due to its fat content, so I'd rule that one out. Actually it is not so much the fat content, if they ate it in the same ratio as their other seeds, but they don't; they eat the oats first, and fill up on them. The other has a lot more ingredients but again, there is a lot of added extras in there. I can't help you with your seed mixes in UK, but a number of our members are very happy with Haiths and Johnson and Jeff. While looking around, check out the same brands' finch mixes. These often are very similar to a budgie mix without the oats and often a better range of different millets and canary seed as well. You need at least five different types of seed without resorting to the oats and oil seeds - flax, linseed, sesame etc. I found this very interesting table in my search just now. I'm actually a bit surprised at the low fat content of oats listed in this, but so be it. I'm sure different varieties grown in different parts of the world do vary somewhat but this is a good gauge, I think. www.avigrain.com.au/nutrition-informationPS. This is an Australian product, so not available to you, of course. |
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Apr 25, 2024 0:13:00 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2020 6:18:46 GMT
Hezz Some oats are almost pure carb I think, but that'll just get turned into fat if it's not used up anyway.
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Post by Hezz on Nov 7, 2020 10:33:20 GMT
Most seeds and cereals are, @sillycat84, yes. It'll be turned into glucose, which will then be stored as fat if not used up.
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Post by Morgan on Nov 8, 2020 0:40:41 GMT
Whoops so sorry! Haith’s does not have sugar in it, my bad. I believe it was Higgin’s brand that had the sugar. Got mixed up with the H’s. karen101: sorry I am in the US. I think Haith’s should be fine. |
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Oct 6, 2020 16:21:24 GMT
karen101
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 57
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Post by karen101 on Nov 9, 2020 11:17:36 GMT
Thank you all, it's really interesting to read what's in some of the available budgie food. Interesting too that a finch mix would work for budgies.
That is good that Haiths is fine after all, I think I'll try them seeing as there isn't sugar in it. Johnson and Jeff sounds good too.
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