Millet....How Often?

[ruby 5]

I've just read a couple of posts about not giving Millet every day as it can cause fatty livers, I had no idea about this as seed mix consists of millet and feed our birds with a spray each day. Please can someone advise about this as I am worried now that I've been feeding it to often.

[Hezz]

Where did you read these posts, Lesley? Not on here I hope. As you say, their seed mix has heaps of millet in it. Barrie has assured us previously that this is an old wives tale, about millet being fatty. I think the idea originated from the pet-bird scenario where millet is given as a treat - as we know they all love the stuff, and I see it being more that they pets were eating more millet only and therefore not not as much other seed, or the piggies who would stuff themselves with millet during training and then still going back to the seed pot and eating what they normally would.

I presume you are talking millet sprays? I wouldn't begin to say how often is too often, I have no idea. I only give mine sprays rarely and when especially good as it is such messy stuff and I guess I am lazy when it comes to extra cleaning.

[ruby 5]

Thank you Hezz, I've been worrying about that , I did read it on here somewhere, not sure where, just when I was browsing....Our birds demolish a spray in no time and I know what you mean about the mess!! I put one spray in each morning but that's for 15 budgies so I don't think I'm over doing it (hopefully)

[BudgiesBuddy]

This idea was planted by USA companies who developed bird pellets and approached the vets with marketing tools and techniques. Of course if a vets tells so, everyone would believe him. It is exactly like the way medical raps try to market new medicines by approaching doctors.

Their diet in the wild is all grass seeds. Barrie has been keeping budgies for over 50 years and he must have realized by now that seed are not good, if it was true.

[ruby 5]

That makes sense BB, thank you for that, from me And the budgies ;D ;D

[eve]

Dec 10, 2012 23:55:42 GMT Hezz said:

Where did you read these posts, Lesley? Not on here I hope. As you say, their seed mix has heaps of millet in it. Barrie has assured us previously that this is an old wives tale, about millet being fatty. I think the idea originated from the pet-bird scenario where millet is given as a treat - as we know they all love the stuff, and I see it being more that they pets were eating more millet only and therefore not not as much other seed, or the piggies who would stuff themselves with millet during training and then still going back to the seed pot and eating what they normally would.

I presume you are talking millet sprays? I wouldn't begin to say how often is too often, I have no idea. I only give mine sprays rarely and when especially good as it is such messy stuff and I guess I am lazy when it comes to extra cleaning.

I made the post. About my bird dying last year of fatty liver disease. We'd had him only about 3-4 mos..........his diet before was provided by his breeder who fed him a spray or two of millet daily b/c Billy was his favorite bird in his aviary (tame from birth) and Billy begged for the millet daily.

As I said, we "stupidly" fed him part of a spray on an almost daily basis as he would fly over to my husband to get him to feed him, expecting to get millet, chirping softly in that soft voice that English budgies have.

I'm convinced that's the only thing that created his fatty liver........you can look up my post. #3 under
www.budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=budgiehealth&thread=4814&page=1#64747

[Hezz]

A person can have a high cholesterol count and heart disease without ever eating a fatty diet. Genetics are at play in these cases. The same can be applied to our pets, whether they be furred or feathered. My budgie also died with enlarged/fatty liver, but aside from the millet in his regular seed mix, he hardly ever got any extra millet. He also had a regular diet of vegetables and grass seeds. And no human foods. He was very active, as well.

With the discussion we had on the last forum regarding this, I think I will take my advice from someone who has bred and raised more birds than he can count. Barrie is much more knowledgeable about the benefits or not of millet than I so I defer to his experience.

On this, Eve, we will have to agree to disagree.

[Hezz]

Dec 11, 2012 6:51:50 GMT ruby 5 said:

Thank you Hezz, I've been worrying about that , I did read it on here somewhere, not sure where, just when I was browsing....Our birds demolish a spray in no time and I know what you mean about the mess!! I put one spray in each morning but that's for 15 budgies so I don't think I'm over doing it (hopefully)

Lesley, I can't see one spray among 15 millet-munchers being over the top.

[BudgiesBuddy]

Dec 12, 2012 0:26:52 GMT Hezz said:

A person can have a high cholesterol count and heart disease without ever eating a fatty diet. Genetics are at play in these cases. The same can be applied to our pets, whether they be furred or feathered. My budgie also died with enlarged/fatty liver, but aside from the millet in his regular seed mix, he hardly ever got any extra millet. He also had a regular diet of vegetables and grass seeds. And no human foods. He was very active, as well.

With the discussion we had on the last forum regarding this, I think I will take my advice from someone who has bred and raised more birds than he can count. Barrie is much more knowledgeable about the benefits or not of millet than I so I defer to his experience

I agree

[BudgiesBuddy]

Dec 11, 2012 12:05:03 GMT ruby 5 said:

That makes sense BB, thank you for that, from me And the budgies ;D ;D

You're welcome

[eve]

Dec 12, 2012 0:26:52 GMT Hezz said:

A person can have a high cholesterol count and heart disease without ever eating a fatty diet. Genetics are at play in these cases. The same can be applied to our pets, whether they be furred or feathered. My budgie also died with enlarged/fatty liver, but aside from the millet in his regular seed mix, he hardly ever got any extra millet. He also had a regular diet of vegetables and grass seeds. And no human foods. He was very active, as well.

With the discussion we had on the last forum regarding this, I think I will take my advice from someone who has bred and raised more birds than he can count. Barrie is much more knowledgeable about the benefits or not of millet than I so I defer to his experience.

On this, Eve, we will have to agree to disagree.

Gosh. Your response seemed almost unkind.


........don't think that Barrie has addressed the use of sprays of millet, only in the seed mix that I can recall. I could be wrong, but I've been a reader of this forum since 2008, back when it was the previous one.

I will continue to limit the use of sprays of millet in my bird's diet, and not use it on a daily basis as if there are greater amounts of millet sprays within the reach of a budgie, the bird will eat nothing else. This will lead to overweight and it could also cause a lack of vitamins and minerals that are the content of common seed mixtures. Millet sprays should be seen as a goody that is served in small quantities only once or twice a week.

I guess we will disagree then.

EDIT: OK, I've found this:
Do not serve too much Red Foxtail Millet. Your budgies would not eat anything else. Use it only in small quantities. Otherwise there is a danger of overweight and vitamins and minerals lack. I serve it once a week or fortnight.
Use it as a gift during taming and training.
adnort.webs.com/My_html_Cookery_BookE.html

[Deleted]

Dec 12, 2012 22:28:09 GMT eve said:

Dec 12, 2012 0:26:52 GMT Hezz said:

A person can have a high cholesterol count and heart disease without ever eating a fatty diet. Genetics are at play in these cases. The same can be applied to our pets, whether they be furred or feathered. My budgie also died with enlarged/fatty liver, but aside from the millet in his regular seed mix, he hardly ever got any extra millet. He also had a regular diet of vegetables and grass seeds. And no human foods. He was very active, as well.

With the discussion we had on the last forum regarding this, I think I will take my advice from someone who has bred and raised more birds than he can count. Barrie is much more knowledgeable about the benefits or not of millet than I so I defer to his experience.

On this, Eve, we will have to agree to disagree.

Gosh. Your response seemed almost unkind.


........don't think that Barrie has addressed the use of sprays of millet, only in the seed mix that I can recall. I could be wrong, but I've been a reader of this forum since 2008, back when it was the previous one.

I will continue to limit the use of sprays of millet in my bird's diet, and not use it on a daily basis as if there are greater amounts of millet sprays within the reach of a budgie, the bird will eat nothing else. This will lead to overweight and it could also cause a lack of vitamins and minerals that are the content of common seed mixtures. Millet sprays should be seen as a goody that is served in small quantities only once or twice a week.

I guess we will disagree then.

EDIT: OK, I've found this:
Do not serve too much Red Foxtail Millet. Your budgies would not eat anything else. Use it only in small quantities. Otherwise there is a danger of overweight and vitamins and minerals lack. I serve it once a week or fortnight.
Use it as a gift during taming and training.
adnort.webs.com/My_html_Cookery_BookE.html

that is correct eve BUT the ordinary white millet can be feed every day ...
ok i had 19 budgies and put in 6 peaces of this millet every day as well as there seed mix...over 12 years in total ...8 years the first aviary and 4 years with this aviary...and never had a problem because of it....
so stick to the normal one ....
and your birds will be fine..

[outnumbered]

Dec 12, 2012 23:13:28 GMT @mickmay said:

Dec 12, 2012 22:28:09 GMT eve said:

Gosh. Your response seemed almost unkind.


........don't think that Barrie has addressed the use of sprays of millet, only in the seed mix that I can recall. I could be wrong, but I've been a reader of this forum since 2008, back when it was the previous one.

I will continue to limit the use of sprays of millet in my bird's diet, and not use it on a daily basis as if there are greater amounts of millet sprays within the reach of a budgie, the bird will eat nothing else. This will lead to overweight and it could also cause a lack of vitamins and minerals that are the content of common seed mixtures. Millet sprays should be seen as a goody that is served in small quantities only once or twice a week.

I guess we will disagree then.

EDIT: OK, I've found this:
Do not serve too much Red Foxtail Millet. Your budgies would not eat anything else. Use it only in small quantities. Otherwise there is a danger of overweight and vitamins and minerals lack. I serve it once a week or fortnight.
Use it as a gift during taming and training.
adnort.webs.com/My_html_Cookery_BookE.html

that is correct eve BUT the ordinary white millet can be feed every day ...
ok i had 19 budgies and put in 6 peaces of this millet every day as well as there seed mix...over 12 years in total ...8 years the first aviary and 4 years with this aviary...and never had a problem because of it....
so stick to the normal one ....
and your birds will be fine..

Thanks goodness for that Mick. My budgies get the white stuff every day ;D However it's only a little morsel held between my fingers. I often wonder though when we compare a lone house budgie to avairy budgies and whether thier lifestyle and environment is different to the extent that they react different to meds, food etc. Just something I have always wondered

[outnumbered]

Dec 11, 2012 15:27:43 GMT eve said:

Dec 10, 2012 23:55:42 GMT Hezz said:

Where did you read these posts, Lesley? Not on here I hope. As you say, their seed mix has heaps of millet in it. Barrie has assured us previously that this is an old wives tale, about millet being fatty. I think the idea originated from the pet-bird scenario where millet is given as a treat - as we know they all love the stuff, and I see it being more that they pets were eating more millet only and therefore not not as much other seed, or the piggies who would stuff themselves with millet during training and then still going back to the seed pot and eating what they normally would.

I presume you are talking millet sprays? I wouldn't begin to say how often is too often, I have no idea. I only give mine sprays rarely and when especially good as it is such messy stuff and I guess I am lazy when it comes to extra cleaning.

I made the post. About my bird dying last year of fatty liver disease. We'd had him only about 3-4 mos..........his diet before was provided by his breeder who fed him a spray or two of millet daily b/c Billy was his favorite bird in his aviary (tame from birth) and Billy begged for the millet daily.

As I said, we "stupidly" fed him part of a spray on an almost daily basis as he would fly over to my husband to get him to feed him, expecting to get millet, chirping softly in that soft voice that English budgies have.

I'm convinced that's the only thing that created his fatty liver........you can look up my post. #3 under
www.budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=budgiehealth&thread=4814&page=1#64747

Whilst I am not convinced that it is fattening. I do only give mine a morsel every day. It won't harm them to give them less as maybe it's a bit like humans and some are more prone to beng overwieght than others. I could imagine my two eating nothing but millet if I let them, therefore missing out on other nutrients from thier seed, a bit like kids, give them sweets all day and thats all they would eat. In your case and your poor budgie It is perfectly understable that you are cautious

[Hezz]

crazymuffin, I have moved your post to it's own thread "Feeding veggies".