Could a no pellet diet work?

[Love My Perch]

When I first got her I had her on seeds and chop and she was alright and wasn't really hormonal but then when I took her to the vet that's when they told me she needed to be on pellets so I've followed that ever since and I've had problems ever since.

I've also had her on a mix of seed, pellets and chop and I thought she was pretty hormonal then, but since going to 50% pellets and 50% chop it's gotten so much worse. She likes pellets and will actually eat them over seed so I used to give it to her mixed and sometimes she'd leave seed but eat all the pellets.

I think I'm going to give her the pellets when she's in the aviary as they can last longer outside than chop, and when she's inside I'll just give her chop and seeds. I'm hoping this is what's wrong with her, otherwise I think she has a neurological issue. She has a scar on her head where the feathers don't grow so I wonder if she hit her head before I became her owner and has something more going on with her.

Every exotic bird store or parrot owner has told me no pellets, especially Harrison. It’s simply ground up seed, maybe a bit of nutrients. My birds hate them. Seed, veggies, fruit and whatever I’m eating (depending on what of course). I would have so say ditch the pellets for a while and see if she gets happier.

 

[Free as a bird]

I agree. My grandparents, then parents, then brother all had parakeets/cockatiels growing up. They didn't have pellet foods back then and they ate just bags of bird seed and all the birds were healthy, happy and fine. Never once went to the vets. Their food consumption/nutrition is only seeds/grain in the wild and in large outdoor aviaries, they don't invade people's gardens, they don't eat chemical/processed food when they're too lazy to forage, so why wouldn't you give them what they're Natural born habitat gives them to survive. I don't understand why vets say that their natural food selection is considered to be like eating junk food, that doesn't make sense? I can't help but think that the pellet pushing industry is much like the junk dog food industry....
I'm also coming to realize that my budgie is just as moody as I am, sullen and sleepy when the weather is lousy and happy and playful when the sun is coming in. Some days constantly foraging and some days just wants to rest. Seems like she's just like me and my dog when it comes to the behavior changes so I'm not expecting her to be the same every day, all the time as she grows.

I agree with everything you said, its common sense which unfortunatley is being lost these days, people cant think for themselves anymore and just blindly follow the mainstream no matter how absurd it is. "Seeds are bad eat pellets instead"... Please

I started a thread on this forum once about pellets and seeds and the backlash I received was unbelievable. Many people here believe that a seed diet is bad despite pellets being made out of seeds anyway with corn, soy and other crap.

Another reason is that our parrots go to the effort of taking the husk from the seed because it has no nutrition value. Their beaks are especially designed for this and their stomachs are not good at digesting the husk like a pigeon does. But pellets are made from the whole seed including the husk. So much of the pellet is the husk that has no nutrition and is hard to digest.

I think there is also a psychological component at play. Some people will feel like they're treating their parrot better by buying it more expensive food. They think that more expensive food is better

My vet and my bird shop owner both recommend seed based diets. I don't know why vets say pellets are better and cannot believe a vet called it junk food given pellets are just fake seeds, but i suspect their motivations are financially driven as pellets are much more expensive than seed and require little processing.

Anyway it's good to hear that not everyone is on the fake food bandwagon

 

[Jexnell]

See this happy, beautiful Sunny.

Not even one time did he ever eat pellets. Seeds/nuts fruit/vegetables and very small portions of what ever I was eating. He was never moody, never lethargic, always out and about, happy. Not once in the three years I had him did he bite me. Just a happy playful bird.

 

[Jexnell]

Just wanted to add that during the whole three years his weight never fluctuated more than a gram or two from 125grams. Even after such treats as

Yes that's steak. Not a lot but even in the wild they would take advantage of a carcass for protein.

 

[Free as a bird]

See this happy, beautiful Sunny.
View attachment 58662
Not even one time did he ever eat pellets. Seeds/nuts fruit/vegetables and very small portions of what ever I was eating. He was never moody, never lethargic, always out and about, happy. Not once in the three years I had him did he bite me. Just a happy playful bird.
View attachment 58663View attachment 58664

One day humans will eat fake food in the belief that it's better than real food. It's already happening with GMO food, plant based meats and other processed foods

 

[Jexnell]

One day humans will eat fake food in the belief that it's better than real food. It's already happening with GMO food, plant based meats and other processed foods

I hear you, just moved to the Philippines and I feel sooo much better. Lost 15lbs, but eating real food, nothing processed no gmo, just real food grown from the land, meat from animals that don't get shots every other day of who knows what...
A little gross, but the last 20 years 90% of my bowel movements were diarrhea. Took three day here and that's gone.

 

[Free as a bird]

I hear you, just moved to the Philippines and I feel sooo much better. Lost 15lbs, but eating real food, nothing processed no gmo, just real food grown from the land, meat from animals that don't get shots every other day of who knows what...
A little gross, but the last 20 years 90% of my bowel movements were diarrhea. Took three day here and that's gone.

To be honest I wish i could loose 50lbs myself or at least 30lbs. I try my best to eat natural foods like you said, stopped snacking on chocolate, chips and junk, my job is physical, im on my feet all day but still I remain fat and I fear getting fatter.

I notice you posted a picture from the view of your balcony in the Phillipines. Nice. Must be a big move from America but im guessing you know the language a bit. Are you close to Manila? I heard that city is nuts. How did you go getting your parrots freighted?

 

[Jexnell]

You don't really need to know the language here. English is tough in school here from kindergarten and to graduate HS you have to pass a basic English test. So most can at least understand what you say. A major reason why I came here versus Vietnam etc. I am not close to Manila at all, major tourist trap, everything thing cost more there. I didn't bring any pets. Phoenix went to my daughter about a year ago do to my apartment, lose the bird or homeless again. You can bring pets it's just a pain, have to have all shots, current vet check within 30 days, and when here 30 day quarantine upon arrival. Not to mention the airline costs.

 

[Greenhouseparrots]

I agree with everything you said, its common sense which unfortunatley is being lost these days, people cant think for themselves anymore and just blindly follow the mainstream no matter how absurd it is. "Seeds are bad eat pellets instead"... Please

I started a thread on this forum once about pellets and seeds and the backlash I received was unbelievable. Many people here believe that a seed diet is bad despite pellets being made out of seeds anyway with corn, soy and other crap.

Another reason is that our parrots go to the effort of taking the husk from the seed because it has no nutrition value. Their beaks are especially designed for this and their stomachs are not good at digesting the husk like a pigeon does. But pellets are made from the whole seed including the husk. So much of the pellet is the husk that has no nutrition and is hard to digest.

I think there is also a psychological component at play. Some people will feel like they're treating their parrot better by buying it more expensive food. They think that more expensive food is better

My vet and my bird shop owner both recommend seed based diets. I don't know why vets say pellets are better and cannot believe a vet called it junk food given pellets are just fake seeds, but i suspect their motivations are financially driven as pellets are much more expensive than seed and require little processing.

Anyway it's good to hear that not everyone is on the fake food bandwagon

I did loads of research before I got my conure, took her to the vet and did everything right. I initially had her on seeds and chop because I have celiac disease and so I can't be around gluten and most pellets (anything with wheat, barley, rye and oats) will make me sick. The powder from pellets gets everywhere and my birds cages are in my room so that's not a risk I wanted to take. My vet said they had to be on pellets though and found one they could have so that's the one they've all had the last few years.

It's been about three weeks now and she's calmed down a lot, though on the weekends when I feed her pellets I've noticed an increase in the screaming so I might stop them completely for a while. She's been such a good bird and has been really happy to be eating seeds. She loves fruits and vegetable too so she's been having them as well and she's been fine! My other conure is going through her first hormonal season and has laid a few eggs and isn't doing so well unfortunately so I am questioning the seeds a little bit, though it might just be coincidence.

 

[Free as a bird]

I did loads of research before I got my conure, took her to the vet and did everything right. I initially had her on seeds and chop because I have celiac disease and so I can't be around gluten and most pellets (anything with wheat, barley, rye and oats) will make me sick. The powder from pellets gets everywhere and my birds cages are in my room so that's not a risk I wanted to take. My vet said they had to be on pellets though and found one they could have so that's the one they've all had the last few years.

It's been about three weeks now and she's calmed down a lot, though on the weekends when I feed her pellets I've noticed an increase in the screaming so I might stop them completely for a while. She's been such a good bird and has been really happy to be eating seeds. She loves fruits and vegetable too so she's been having them as well and she's been fine! My other conure is going through her first hormonal season and has laid a few eggs and isn't doing so well unfortunately so I am questioning the seeds a little bit, though it might just be coincidence.

WoW that's interesting. I had my doubt whether a birds diet would have much effect on its behaviour. But it seems like it does. Well that's good to hear and adds credit my thought that pellets are way overrated.

Now I wonder why your bird became well behaved... Maybe the extra chemicals and stuff they were adding to the pellets was making your bird too hyper. Maybe all the husks made its digestive system overwork, causing an anxiety. Who knows

Just goes to show that processed foods should be avoided for natural foods regardless of the mainstream narrative

 

[Greenhouseparrots]

WoW that's interesting. I had my doubt whether a birds diet would have much effect on its behaviour. But it seems like it does. Well that's good to hear and adds credit my thought that pellets are way overrated.

Now I wonder why your bird became well behaved... Maybe the extra chemicals and stuff they were adding to the pellets was making your bird too hyper. Maybe all the husks made its digestive system overwork, causing an anxiety. Who knows

Just goes to show that processed foods should be avoided for natural foods regardless of the mainstream narrative

I honestly don't know why she's become well behaved now. Maybe it's just a coincidence? I have tried everything for three years prior to this so I don't think so though.

Food really fascinates me. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and nothing I did would stop it. I did the therapy, the healthy eating, exercise, sunshine, positive thinking etc. because I just wanted to be better but nothing really worked. When I found out I had celiac disease and cut the gluten out of my diet within three days my anxiety disappeared and I could suddenly do things. I was having panic attacks at work daily for no reason because I actually really like my job and then suddenly I was fine once I cut the gluten out.

I can understand if something in the pellets is making her react like the gluten was for me. As long as she's happy, I'm happy though. I'm glad I was the one to get her as I think she would have been rehomed a lot due to her screaming unless she got lucky.