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Feeding Your Budgie

Feeding a budgie is a lot like feeding a human. These birds need food throughout the day and they will eat almost anything we provide for them. As a responsible owner, however, it is important to provide a varied and healthy diet to ensure that your bird remain healthy. Some owners go the extreme and really prepare gourmet type diets for their pet because they truly enjoy spoiling the budgie. Feeding a pet budgie is not difficult and optimal health can be achieved once it is understood what the budgie needs to remain healthy and happy.

A Base Diet for a Budgie

Budgies in general should be given a base diet of seeds. A good base seed mix will contain Canary Seeds, Millet, Linseed, Niger, Rape, and Groat seeds. The owner should ensure the seeds are fresh and sealed before giving them to their pet budgies. Old seeds will lose their essential oils and nutrients over time. For this reason, seeds should never be bought in large quantities. If a lot of seeds have been purchased, the owner can place them in the refrigerator as this will help the seeds attain their nutritional value for a longer period of time. If the seeds contain any moths, have lost their luster, or do not smell like fresh grain, they should be discarded.

Pellets should also be given to a budgie in addition to seeds. A commercial brand of pellets has many benefits and a lot of nutrients that are not found in seeds can be had with the pellets. It is important the pellets be rotated with the seeds throughout the week as most budgies will avoid the pellets if seeds are included in the mix. The pellets should be small as budgies have smaller beaks.

It is also important the pellets be gradually introduced into the budgies diet before being rotated with the seeds. Most budgies will starve to death if they have not been given a chance to convert to pellets. See our section about converting your budgie from seeds to pellets.

Along with the base diet of seeds and pellets, vegetables are also essential for optimal budgie health. Freshly grated carrots, broccoli, or zucchinis can be given to your pet budgie. Additionally, greens such as dandelion leaves, spinach, kale, and carrot tops provide excellent sources of calcium and iron for a pet budgie. Fresh brightly colored peppers are also highly enjoyed as their bright colors will peak a budgies curiosity. The more colorful the peppers, the more antioxidants it contains and the healthier the budgie will be. Vegetables should be given daily as they provide the budgie with the extra minerals and vitamins. This is even more important during the breeding season.

Fruits are also enjoyed by budgies. Fruits should be given periodically throughout the week as they too offer essential minerals and vitamins. Apples, pears, oranges, Kiwis, mangoes, or grapes can be provided daily. It is important that all perishable items be removed within a few hours as they can quickly spoil.

Cooking For Your Pet Budgie

Budgies also enjoy cooked foods as well. A favorite of many budgies is a mixture of lentils and Brown Rice. Some owners will create a salsa comprised of tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and diced mango and then incorporate this mix into a brown rice. On occasion, a budgie should also be given proteins such as cooked chicken, turkey, or lean beef. This provides them with extra protein and keeps their muscle tissues and feathers healthy.

Some budgies have become so accustomed to cooked foods that they may even enjoy warm foods. It all depends on their exposure to foods. It is important the owner ensure the food is never too hot and therefore should always test it to ensure that it does not burn their budgie. A good rule of thumb to remember is: If the food is too hot for an owner to eat, it is also too hot for the budgie.

When cooked foods are given, the owner should avoid using foods with preservatives and salt. These ingredients are not good for a budgie. Instead of using salt, many owners can sprinkle KeeTee hand feeding formula on their bird’s food. This provides an extra boost of nutrients and ensures each bite is nutritious.

Preparing Budgie Food

Preparing a pet budgies food is not difficult if planned into the owner's daily schedule. Many owners should cut the food into smaller chunks and store them in the refrigerator throughout the week. This helps to ensure that the owner always has healthy food available for their pet budgie. This is important, as many owners become busy with work and little time is taken to maintain a healthy budgie diet. For example, an owner who is cutting vegetables for dinner can easily set aside a few for their budgies throughout the week.

Because budgies cannot manipulate their food with one hand like their larger parrot cousins, a budgie owner should take the time to cut the food into tiny pieces. This allows the bird to handle the food more easily. Budgies enjoy food that is shredded, cubed, or sliced because this allows them to enjoy their food more easily.

Toxic Food Items to Budgie

A pet budgie should never be given avocado, onions, chocolate, or any alcoholic beverages. These items are poisonous or may cause allergies to the parrot. If the bird has ingested any of these harmful foods, immediate action should be taken and the bird should be seen by a veterinarian.

Variety Is the Key to a Healthy Budgie