Do you know what's in your bird's food?

[lexx510]

Roudybush Daily Maintenance Ingreidents:
Ground Corn, Ground Wheat, Peanut Meal, Soy Oil, Soy Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Lignin Sulfonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, L-Lysine Hydrocloride, DL-Methionine, Yeast Cell Wall Extract, Niacin, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Asorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Lecithin, Silicone Dioxide(carrier for liquid antioxidant), Alpha Tocopherol Acetate(Sourse of Vitamin E), Ascorbic Acid, Manganese Sulfate, Yucca shidigen Extract, Biotin, Cacium Pantothenate, Zinc Oxide, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vit. A Acetate, Thiamine, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vit K), Cyanocobalamin (VitB12), Vit D3 Sup. Folic Acid, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Propionic Acid, Ammonium Hydroxide, Acetic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Tartaric Acid, and natural apple flavoring.


I use Roudybush Daily Maintance - a trusted pellet staple branby a lot of folks on this board. But after going over ingridents I am beginning to question its nutrional value. Aside from ground corn, wheat, peanut meal, soy and a few extracts, I do not see too many "natural" ingredients. I had to google a few of the ingredients (highlighted in red) in an attempt to dicipher their chemeical name and found the following info on Menadione Sodium Bisulfite (synthetic form of Vitamin K):

This ingredient can be highly toxic in high doses. Hazard information regarding menadione lists "carcinogenic effects" and states "the substance is toxic to kidneys, lungs, liver, mucous membranes. Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage." (http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Men... sodium bisulfite-9924604) More information on menadione sodium bisulfate and pets can be read at (http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index...) .

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/024244_food_pet_sodium.html#ixzz1dnX5QiH1"

http://www.naturalnews.com/024244_food_pet_sodium.html



So my question - why is Roudybush such a trusted name on these forums? How nutrional is it really? Most of the ingredients seem to be synthetic vitamins and amino acids. I've found much of the same in many other staple pellet brands and seed mixes.

 

[Nakiska]

Hello,

Yes, I do! LOL!

I go somewhat against the grain with all the people faithful to pellets. My birds get a hugely rounded diet.

I feed a conure diet called Healthy Select that I buy at Petco (my cockatiels get the cockatiel diet) and in it is everything you could imagine - aside from the sunflower seeds (which aren't THAT many in the mix) and safflower seeds, which there's quite a few..there's also pine cones, dried cranberry, dried sweet potato, split green peas, rose petals, parsley, dandelion, oregano, peppermint leaf, alfalfa, vitamins and supplements such as B12, Riboflavin..and on and on and on.

I also soak a teaspoon of Zupreem pellets, because my spoiled boy will only eat them soaked and I share that with all the cockatiels who are learning to eat the zupreems. When I first started giving them to Chiquita one of our cockatiels...she would go to her dish and deliberately pick out each and every pellet and throw it on the bottom of her cage...while looking at me with this evil eye of "how could you contaminate my food like that!" ROFLOLOL!!! She's a character!

Anyway, Franklin also gets a bulk parrot treat mix which has apple chips, banana chips, almonds, walnut, dried fruits etc. (I usually pick out a few pieces each day and I feed it because it's something bigger that he can hold and eat to keep busy.) Sometimes I hold back on the treat mix and use it when I have him out. He absolutely LOVES LOVES LOVES banana chips and I picked some up at our grocery store bulk food bin.

No matter what, each day I give him fresh cooked or raw "something" be it, apples, grapes, broccoli, carrots, squash, sweet potato, cooked beans, rice, just what ever I have in the house.

I also go against the grain with most folks and I feed free choice. His dish always has the Healthy Select in it, and I don't FILL it, I just cover the bottom of his dish about 1/4". This way, he picks through and gets all the "good stuff" he likes first, mainly the safflower seeds, then as the day goes on, he rummages through and cleans it up pretty good. Not really a lot of waste anymore. At first, when he got him, he'd only eat the safflower seeds and maybe pick at a pumpkin seed or something.

But when I quit topping off his dish all the time it forced him to try other parts of the diet.

I will say, that all my birds are extremely good eaters, they aren't afraid to try new things and all our cockatiels, 3 of them resuce birds in pretty sorry shape when we got them, have absolutely BLOSSOMED on this diet.

In a little while, I'll post some pictures of Franklin preening (our conure) I can't believe his vivid color and the pictures are NOT enhanced! I promise!

Anyway, that's what I do.

Have a good one,

Toni

 

[Remy]

Unfortunately, there are a lot of "trusted" foods and products that have bad-for-you stuff in them. I am a big label reader with everything I put on or in my body or my bird's body.

I use Harrison's High Potency because it's organic and has a lot of superfoods in it.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Why is "Natural" good?

"Natural" food would be good if you want your parrot first malnourished, then dead.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

To save retyping, I'll just quote myself from another recent thread:

In all seriousness though, if you want information on avian diets you should look into the peer reviewed, empirically based, scientific literature rather than just asking for opinions someone who "really really really loves birds".

Here's a good article:
"Nutrition of Birds in the Order Psittaciformes: A Review"
Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery 15(4), Dec 2001

This highlights all the problems with, and reasons to avoid, just mimicking a parrots 'natural diet' and argues quite clearly for the use of pelleted diets with ingredients that match quiet well with most of the common pellet foods.

That should not be surprising as the people who make the pellets work with veterinarians, food scientists, nutritionists, etc. They are quite familiar with the scientific literature on which foods are best for pet birds ... they DO most of the research.

Our society has a disturbing distrust of science and scientists that I have never really been able to understand - but personally I'll go with the decades of applied science over the whims of some hippies who just "really love animals".

 

[lene1949]

My birds get a seed mix with added vitamins, minerals, nuts and dried fruits. They also get sprouted seeds, fruit and vegetables... Occasionally they get a bit of chicken.. Of all their foods the sprouted seeds are their favourite.

 

[Mamanda]

My birds get a seed mix with added vitamins, minerals, nuts and dried fruits. They also get sprouted seeds, fruit and vegetables... Occasionally they get a bit of chicken.. Of all their foods the sprouted seeds are their favourite.

What are sprouted seeds?

 

[lexx510]

Why is "Natural" good?

"Natural" food would be good if you want your parrot first malnourished, then dead.

Why would a balanced staple diet made of natural ingredients (i.e, no artificial preservatives, artificial flavoring, artificial food coloring, etc) lead to malnourished and death?

In all seriousness though, if you want information on avian diets you should look into the peer reviewed, empirically based, scientific literature rather than just asking for opinions someone who "really really really loves birds".

That should not be surprising as the people who make the pellets work with veterinarians, food scientists, nutritionists, etc. They are quite familiar with the scientific literature on which foods are best for pet birds ... they DO most of the research.

Our society has a disturbing distrust of science and scientists that I have never really been able to understand - but personally I'll go with the decades of applied science over the whims of some hippies who just "really love animals".

The same scientists who designed high fructose corn syrup? The same scientists who designed growth hormones such rBST and rBGH? Sure, we should all trust those guys....

Most of these scientists have one thing in mind, profit - NOT your well-being (or your pet's). They are hired by food companies for that and that only. Well known toxins are thrown into food all the time because it's cheaper to manufacture, lasts longer on the shelf, tastes better, looks more appealing, etc, - not because it is good for our health.

By the way, "decades of applied science" has also shown the devastating effects of processed foods on the human body. There is countless empirical research on that as well. So it's not that I distrust science - I distrust companies which place profit above all else, including our health.

 

[Remy]

Many corporations are just in it for the money, and if they can make and cheaply produce something that is "passable", that people won't know is deadly for decades, they will. It's up to people like us to point those things out.

Unfortunately, the most popular corporations are the ones with the best advertising, and the best taste, not the best product.

 

[sarahdm]

Why is "Natural" good?

"Natural" food would be good if you want your parrot first malnourished, then dead.

Um..What? I'm guessing this is sarcasm, otherwise this makes no sense.

 

[sarahdm]

Well, I'm sure there are plenty of scientist that do care and mean well. Unfortunately, the fact that there are so many mouths to feed as well as the obsession to make a quick profit in our world seems to dominate the health factor. Just think of how many products are labeled "natural" now after people began to question their food. That's why really reading and understanding the ingredients in your(and your parrot's) food is so important.

 

[lene1949]

What are sprouted seeds?

Seeds, when planted, sprouts before they turn into plants...

I use a special sprouting seeds, and when sprouted they are actually vegetables instead of seeds.. and with lots more nutrition.

You can buy a special 'germinator' for them, which makes sprouting much easier...

Just google 'sprouting seeds'..

 

[Auggie's Dad]

If you do not trust "science" then please do not bring your birds to veterinarians, especially not avian vets.

No sarcasm: "natural" is generally *not* better, and often worse.

What our taste buds detect as 'almond' flavor is the chemical benzaldehyde. Artificial almond flavoring is synthesized in the lab. The reactions to produce benzaldehyde lead to a high degree of purity, *and* for any impurities or byproducts we can know exactly what they are. "Natural" almond flavor on the other hand does not come from almonds, it just comes from 'nature'. In fact natural almond flavor is extracted from peach pits which also contain cyanines (eg cyanide). They may also contain any number of other chemicals we are not aware of. While the levels of cyanides in natural almond flavor are trivially small, by any standard the artificial flavoring is safer.

Why is natural bad in bird foods? Read the article I posted.

But I suppose I'll refrain from commenting any further, as facts do not seem to be welcome.

 

[oled]

I have done a lot of reading regarding food, pellets and I dont think that I ever will find out all about what they put in it. I use Harrison and Nutribird and some other brands in a mix just so that if one manufactor close down then my DYHA is use to others. I think that Harrison is the biggest brand in Sweden and what most vet is recomending.

 

[Amber]

I'm open about what I feed Alex, my Jenday. Due to not only carcinogens (and other things) in many parrot pellets, but the high amounts of what we call "fillers" in the aquaculture industry. Filler ingredients are things like ground soy or ground corn that bulk out the product while not adding much nutritionally wise. In the case of parrots additionally some birds (my own included) can not digest some of these filler products. Their will always be a 'base' product of corn or soy in a pellet that binds it, but if the levels are reaching over 20-30% (Say 20% soy and 30% corn and suddenly, half the pellet is filler product) I wouldn't be to keen on it. In Australia food (both people and animal) manufactures don't have to list the percentage, they just have to list ingredients from highest concentration to lowest. But I know from my avian vet that one well known and used brand (In the version exported to Aus anyway, I do not know if the overseas one are the same) has upwards of 35% soy alone in one flavour. Now, I'm not going to criticise peoples choice of pellets here, because a pellet based diet is MUCH healthier then a traditional seed one, but it pays to be aware of what is in those feeds (And yes, they are processed feeds, just like cattle pellets. They are produced in the same way.) so you can make an educated choice on what is the best pellet for your bird.

As for 'natural' diets, which is something I do try to work into my bird's diet (with pellet supplement) under the supervision of my avian vet, I am yet to see a non-zoo parrot keeper pull it off. In the wild most parrots (varies species to species) would eat seasonal fruit, parts of plants, seeds (usually in a state of germination due to moister and rainfall, so sprouted seed would be the captive equivalent) even sometimes flowers to get at nectar (lorikeets have adapted to nectar/pollen feeding so much they have brush tongues) even the occasional insect. Some species (macaws etc) eat clay as a mineral supplement. Others go for natural salt licks in the bush. Long story short, it's not feasible to try to emulate a 100% natural diet.

When it comes to diet I look at it this way. Is the birds nutritional needs, not just for survival, but for optimal health being met? If so, you're doing fine. The fact that we have these birds in little artificial environments in cages in our homes is unnatural. What you feed your bird, regardless of how hard you try, will also be unnatural. Why? Because unless you can go into their native forest and collect the fruit currently ripe, the bugs, the flowers, the plants and all that every day, every season as they change (and what the birds are eating week to week, month to month through the year cycle changes as things come in and out of flower and fruit), it's not their 'natural' diet. Hell, feeding your bird apple is unnatural. Does that make it bad? Nope.

My pellet of choice at the moment is Tropican

CONTAINS: Fruits: orange oil, banana oil (for flavor) Seeds: corn, wheat, rice, sunflower kernel, flaxseed, oat groats Vegetables: tomato Legumes: soybean, peanut kernel Others: spirulina, rosemary extract, vitamins and minerals Protein: 14.0%, Fat: 9.0%, Fiber: 4.0%.

It does have fillers, but less then the others and it is more 'potent' in actual nutritional ingredients. Since I use it as a supplement feed (which is what it is designed as) an not as a diet staple, this meets my needs better then most others. If I was going for a staple pellet though, I would probably not use this as it's colour is boring (brown!) and it only comes in one flavour.

Also worthwhile looking into extruded feeds (My pellet is one, food is steam heated, pasteurizing the ingredients and increasing digestibility rather then pelleted. Holds more fat, better for birds like macaws then normal pellets) and so on. "Pellet" is a broad term referring to many different feeds produced in many different ways. Most commonly just as other animal feed is, but their are other (debatabley better) mass produced similar feeds out there.

 

[Amber]

I should mention Tropican lacks in the fruit area as it is designed to be fed along with fruit. With other pellets by feeding fruit you can decrease pellet consumption as the bird fills up on fruit an veg beforehand. As a result they don't get enough protein etc from the pellets. It also uses soybeans instead of soy meal, which is nice. It's not the BEST pellet if your feeding pellets as a staple, but if using them as a supplement since it's potent as it is designed to be fed in conjunction with other foods, it's one of the better ones for that purpose.

From the site (As found here TROPICAN )- "Tropican's generous levels of important nutrients allows it to be diluted by the addition of, up to 20 per cent on a weight basis, fruits and veges."

By weight, thats a lot of other things you can feed without reducing the efficiency of the feed. When you actually weigh it out, it ends up being more like a days worth of fruit and veg and some seed or other + a few teaspoons of pellet = the above recommendation. I mix it with my seed (As I've said in previous threads, I make my own seed mix as approved by my vet, it is not a traditional store bought mix) on a 3/4(30% by weight) seed to 1/4(70% by weight) pellet basis and leave it in the cage all day, along with the day's fruit and veg. I do 'dilute' the pellet further then recommended on the advice of my vet, as Alex requires more fat in his diet then most birds.

I like Tropican because they are open and honest about what goes into the feed. If you call or email them about the composite of the feed they will disclose it to you. I do think it could be improved (varied flavours and colours would add interest for birds) but it is a sound feed. Full nutritional analysis is here TROPICAN

I've posted elsewhere about my feeding schedule and what goes into it, so I won't cover beyond my pellets here

Also worth noting that the nutritional needs of parrots are not fully understood yet. The other reason I like Tropican is because of the testing (ethical testing!) behind it through it's development and the ongoing study of the 300+ birds it was original designed for an tested on. They are actually trying to understand parrot's dietary needs, not just mass produce a feed for quick profit.


EDIT

I have to ask, is this (from the first post) a full ingredient list for this pellet?

Ground Corn, Ground Wheat, Peanut Meal, Soy Oil, Soy Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Lignin Sulfonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, L-Lysine Hydrocloride,DL-Methionine, Yeast Cell Wall Extract, Niacin, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Asorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Lecithin, Silicone Dioxide(carrier for liquid antioxidant), Alpha Tocopherol Acetate(Sourse of Vitamin E), Ascorbic Acid, Manganese Sulfate, Yucca shidigen Extract, Biotin, Cacium Pantothenate, Zinc Oxide, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vit. A Acetate, Thiamine, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vit K), Cyanocobalamin (VitB12), Vit D3 Sup. Folic Acid, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Propionic Acid, Ammonium Hydroxide, Acetic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Tartaric Acid, and natural apple flavoring.

Assuming this is a complete ingredient list, the first 5 ingredients make up the bulk of this mix. First, two 'fillers' (They do provide some nutrients, but their are better alternatives out there) Peanut meal (Again, yes, nutrients, but not what I'd be using as a bulk ingredient) Soy oil and soy meal. Worth mentioning 'meal' can be any part of the peanut or soybean and usually is dregs and waste and beans/nuts not good enough to sell whole in a store... These first 5 ingredients ARE the pellet. As in, 95+% of the thing. The rest of the stuff is supplements, and is the equivalent of basically a vitamin tablet blended in. While this pellet wouldn't be bad for your bird by any means (It's going to supply all the vitamins and minerals anyway) it certainly would not be my first choice in feed. I assume it is balanced to be non toxic, but it uses toxic ingredients (Tartaric acid is toxic, belive it or not http://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/book/bk5sect2.html , and thats just one of the many that jumps out at me) to supply vitamins and minerals instead of safe alternatives... In the case of Tartaric acid, it is a by product of wine and very cheap. That's why it is probably being used here when their are much better and safer alternatives. I'm not overly thrilled by this pellet's contents to be honest after having a look. Roudybush is one pellet here that Avian vets (well, my own and the two other vets my friends with bird have seen) tell us to keep away from due to the 'cheapness' (And as a result, sometimes unsafeness) of the ingredients used. ):

 

[Amber]

Last post for awhile, I promise. Avian diets fascinate me.

The three pellets recommended to me were these...

Harrison's http://harrisonsbirdfoods.com - Which I could only order online from overseas so it was out. I wasn't risking running out.
Foundation Formula http://www.organicbirdfood.com Which can be in supply one week but out the next here.
Tropican http://hagen.com/ Which I chose because it suited my feeing regime best and was easy to get from my local store. They also pathogen test each patch, it is an extruded feed, etc. For me it was the best choice. It contains no added sugar, artificial colours and is low on preservatives (and no ethoxyquin, which is one of the worst) so I rally couldn't find fault. Plus it is concentrated so it works as a supplement.

I was told to steer clear of Roudybush because of the 'cheapness' (and as a result, the sometimes debatable unsafeness) of the ingredients as I explained above, and both Kaytee and Lafeber as they contain large amounts of ethoxyquin, artificial preservatives, colourings and lots of sugar. I was told Kaytee and Lafeber would be ok as treats, but they are not recommended as a large part of the diet (Links between sugar and health issues, etc). Thats not to say the feed made by these brands are bad, not at all, they provide all the fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals a bird needs. But their are better ones out there. The problem that arises with these feeds is like I said above, ingredient choice, excessive fillers, excessive sugar, carcinogens, and artificial colours and flavours. If you can chose a feed without these problems, obviously that is a better choice. But some birds wont take to a new feed and some people don't have access to the better brands. Like I said, pellets are good, but some are better then others.

Long story short, look at your ingredients list. If you cant identify an ingredient, google it up to be sure. Remember ingredients are listed from highest % to lowest, so pick feeds with quality ingredients, especially in the first 5 or so items listed. Be critical of what you feed your bird, especially when using mass produced feeds. Avoid feeds with animal products like fish meal in them, they can easily be contaminated by the ingredient source. Avoid high sugars. Avoid excessive filler products. Avoid carcinogens, if ethoxyquin or other carcinogens is an ingredient give it serious thought. Avoid artificial colours and flavours if you can(I understand these can make pellets more attractive to some birds, if your bird is one of these and it makes feeding easier, don't sweat it) and so on. Find out how your pellet was made, and try to get extruded pellets if possible instead of feed mill produced ones. Etc etc etc.

The same way I wouldn't pump my body full of carcinogens and preservatives, I wouldn't do to my bird. And even if I was the type to not care about what I was eating/putting on my skin, I would still make sure I was giving my bird the optimal, safest diet possible.

 

[Zazusmommy]

Whoever trusts all food companies blindly these days is clearly not well educated in nutrition and unaware of the increases in cancer, diabetes, food poisoning rates and the many other issues with food companies we've had in the last decades, which are only increasing in quantity and severity. it would be very silly to think that we humans can out do nature through the use of synthetic chemicals produced in a lab. Like some had already mentioned, most companies are not really looking out for you or your bird's best interest, they just want to find the cheapest way to make a profitable product.
Just because a product is famous does not mean its good for you (ex. McDonald, burger king, pringles etc....) so yes READ all the ingredients in your bird's food, and yours too and QUESTION anything that seems unnecessary or that your bird would not be exposed to in the wild.

ohh and just so you know corn and soy are one of the cheapest food ingredients produced, specially the genetically modified varieties.

this is my bird's food: Natural Food Treats and Supplements for Birds - Dr. Harvey's

 

[lexx510]

.


EDIT

I have to ask, is this (from the first post) a full ingredient list for this pellet?

Ground Corn, Ground Wheat, Peanut Meal, Soy Oil, Soy Meal, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Lignin Sulfonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, L-Lysine Hydrocloride,DL-Methionine, Yeast Cell Wall Extract, Niacin, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Asorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Lecithin, Silicone Dioxide(carrier for liquid antioxidant), Alpha Tocopherol Acetate(Sourse of Vitamin E), Ascorbic Acid, Manganese Sulfate, Yucca shidigen Extract, Biotin, Cacium Pantothenate, Zinc Oxide, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vit. A Acetate, Thiamine, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vit K), Cyanocobalamin (VitB12), Vit D3 Sup. Folic Acid, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Propionic Acid, Ammonium Hydroxide, Acetic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Tartaric Acid, and natural apple flavoring.

Assuming this is a complete ingredient list, the first 5 ingredients make up the bulk of this mix. First, two 'fillers' (They do provide some nutrients, but their are better alternatives out there) Peanut meal (Again, yes, nutrients, but not what I'd be using as a bulk ingredient) Soy oil and soy meal. Worth mentioning 'meal' can be any part of the peanut or soybean and usually is dregs and waste and beans/nuts not good enough to sell whole in a store... These first 5 ingredients ARE the pellet. As in, 95+% of the thing. The rest of the stuff is supplements, and is the equivalent of basically a vitamin tablet blended in. While this pellet wouldn't be bad for your bird by any means (It's going to supply all the vitamins and minerals anyway) it certainly would not be my first choice in feed. I assume it is balanced to be non toxic, but it uses toxic ingredients (Tartaric acid is toxic, belive it or not Properties of tartaric acid... , and thats just one of the many that jumps out at me) to supply vitamins and minerals instead of safe alternatives... In the case of Tartaric acid, it is a by product of wine and very cheap. That's why it is probably being used here when their are much better and safer alternatives. I'm not overly thrilled by this pellet's contents to be honest after having a look. Roudybush is one pellet here that Avian vets (well, my own and the two other vets my friends with bird have seen) tell us to keep away from due to the 'cheapness' (And as a result, sometimes unsafeness) of the ingredients used. ):

Yes, that is the full ingredient list. This is exactly what lead to the creation of this thread. Thank you for all your input, Amber. It is really greatly appreciated = )

After some googling, I stumbled upon "Totally Organic Pellets." They are not as widely distributed (similar to Harisson's) but are availabe online and at a few local pet shops. What do you think?

100% Certified Organic Ingredients!

TOP Pellets are made with certified organic ingredients, manufactured in a cold pressed process. They are readily accepted by most parrots.

* For All Size Hookbills
* Readily Accepted by Many Birds!
* All Natural source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other nutrients for a happy and healthy bird.
* Naturally Preserved with Rosemary, Rose Hips, Lemon and Orange Peel
* No Artificial Preservatives like BHA, BHT or ethoxyquin. No artificial colors or flavors. No artificial vitamins. No sucrose/sugar added.
* No Animal Products or animal by-products.
* No genetically modified organisms(GMO).

TOP pellets are an important part of a complete diet. Feed approximately as much as your bird will consume in a day. Some days birds will eat more than others so the amount will fluctuate. Discard the remainder and feed fresh pellets each time. Consult your avian veterinarian if you have any specific diet related concerns. Although an excellent source of protein, vitamins and minerals, we believe that no pellet can provide 100% of a bird’s nutritional needs. Please be sure to feed vegetables, fruits, nuts, and some seeds for a varied diet.

Certified Organic Ingredients: Rice, hulled millet, barley, alfalfa leaf, sunflower seed hulled, sesame seeds unhulled, quinoa whole, buckwheat hulled, dandelion leaf powder, carrot powder, spinach leaf powder, purple dulse, kelp, rose hips powder, rose hips crushed, orange peel powder, lemon peel powder, rosemary whole leaf, cayenne ground, crushed red chili peppers, nettle leaf.

Guaranteed Analysis: Protein min 13%, Crude Fiber min 12%, Fat min 7%. Contains NO BHA, BHT or ethoxyquin. NO artificial colors, flavors, vitamins, preservatives, or sucrose/sugar. GMO free. Does NOT contain any animal products, or by-products. Do not feed old or moldy food.

http://www.birdsafestore.com/product_p/top1.htm

http://totallyorganics.com/t-pellets.php

 

[Amber]

Lexx, from the info supplied it sure looks like a better feed them most! I'd give it a try if you were interested in it. Bonus that it has no added sugar, artificial flavours (though as Auggie has said, doesn't matter if using natural or artificial flavours, still need to check the toxicity etc) and so on! If you can source a full nutritional analysis and ingredients list, even better as you can really look 100% at what goes into it, but from the info given it looks like a pretty good feed regardless! I'd be interested in what cold pressed fees are, never looked into them (I use extruded pellets for higher fat content) but sounds interesting. It's also a good sign when companies are open about how they produce their pellet (in this case, by cold pressing)

---

Off topic but kind of on topic again, I should mention I have no issue with the more artificial feeds (Tropician is kind of a midway point between natural and 'artificial'). Some natural ingredients can be harmful, just as Auggie has said, and some artificial ones can be too. I do prefer more natural based feeds where possible though, as artificial ingredients tend to have more issues connected with them then natural, but the moral here is to not trust your ingredients based on where they are sourced (be it a lab, a by-product of an industry or from an orchid/farm type situation) but to look at each individually. Don't just think "Oh thats natural/or a man made compound(if you prefer synthesised foods)/or a name I recognise so it must be ok" but really look into your feeds. It's not like a seed mix or a tub of fruit where you can see exactly what is in it, so we have to gather that info ourselves.

Another plus to more natural feeds is as they don't rely on synthetic or lab made compounds there is a lot less animal testing behind them. Although all pellets should be tested (ethically!) sometimes the ways the compounds going into the feeds were/are tested is not so nice and fluffy.

On Roudybush, after what Lexx has said about the additives and my own quick glance at it nutritionally, I probably would not choose it as a feed.