How much to feed lovebird per day?

[T.Harper]

Hi guys

As per title - it would be good to know how much a lovebird eats per day from your experience. I can't find a straight answer anywhere, and obviously it'll vary by bird. However I have seen a range from 40-60g per bird, down to 10g per bird per day (on the side of my seed packet). 10g is about 2 teaspoonfuls. I'm talking about seed or pellets here by the way (or a mix).

I ask because I don't want to keep the bowl full to the brim because I like to change it every day and it would be wasteful to throw a bowlful away, but want to make sure that I'm feeding enough (currently putting 15-20g in a day I reckon).

Thanks, Tom

 

[Tonkatiel]

Ive never really measured the amount I give. One way to do it though is to give a bit more than you usually would (weigh it first) and then weigh whats left at the end of the day. However much is missing is how much your lovie eats For the most accurate results I'd do this for a few days before deciding how much to give on a permanent basis.

 

[MikeyTN]

Why don't you just try and see by putting in a table spoon full first thing in the morning or before you go to bed. Then check before you go to bed the next night and see how much is left and cut bit by bit off until you get to about the right amount? I've been just feeding mine for a long time to know how much my birds eat as I measure them by just looking not measuring with a spoon or anything....I'm like you as I like to toss out stuffs daily and start fresh...

 

[weco]

That would be a good rule of thumb Tonka, unless the LB is like a couple of my conures & just start swishing out food when they don't like what's in the bowl or are tired of it, but like you, I've never weighed any of what they get, probably because their diet is varied & fresh fruits & veggies would change with different water content.....

 

[WannaBeAParrot]

....unless the LB is like a couple of my conures & just start swishing out food when they don't like what's in the bowl or are tired of it.....

Ahhhh, "swishing". I was wondering if there is a birdtalk word for that thing fids do with the food. Now I know it. Thanks Weco.

 

[DallyTsuka]

i give mine one tablespoon of seed a day. 1.5 tablespoons of veggie mash, and free choice of pellets (refilled twice a week)

 

[MikeyTN]

When birds start doing the swishing with their food, if you cut the amount they won't do it as much. I change out pellets about once a day or every two days. Seeds is the same as I never let it go for more then two. Fresh fruits and veggies every morning. Trust me I've dealt with plenty of swooshing and wasting food but when you don't feed when they wasted the whole bowl, I don't refill it and I wait til same time next day to feed and I cut the amount. They learn real quick not to swoosh and waste.

 

[MonicaMc]

I figure about 15% of the birds body weight, give or take, per day. If there's a little food left, I don't bother "cutting back", but if there is, then I will. If everything gets eaten, then I may increase the amount slightly.

It does depend on the bird and the amount that they eat. A very active bird may eat more food than a more sedentary bird.... or a bird that is very 'high energy' (always in constant motion, even when standing still) may eat more food than one that is calm (is fine to stand around and watch the world go 'round without a care in the world!)

The amount of dry foods does vary by the amount of fresh foods that the birds eat....

Also, 5 grams of pellets is more food than 5 grams of seeds. Seeds have husks/hulls which accounts for some of the weight. I typically give a little more seeds on 'seed days' than I do of pellets on 'pellet' days.... unless I mix them together.

 

[T.Harper]

Thanks guys, sounds like I'm on the right track.

I'm having great results with a mixed seed mix but not much else. It even scoffs at a chop mix I made for it the other dat out of kale, red pepper, chilli pepper, turnip, broccoli, courgette and beetroot!

The mixed seed mix I am using is this one:
Beaphar - en

 

[MonicaMc]

You might try feeding the chop mix first thing in the day and mixing a *tiny* amount of seeds into it to get your bird started! After 30 minutes (if he doesn't eat any - hour or so if he does!) take it out and give him his regular dish of foods.

 

[T.Harper]

Yeah I've done that - he just gets selective then. He just likes the seed too much.

 

[T.Harper]

As an update - I have been moderately successful getting Aku to eat pellets by grinding them into a powder in a coffee grinder, roughly grinding some seeds so that they are still visible, but not totally whole. I then mix the solution with water into a paste and freeze it into ice cubes. I give Aku two ice cubes a day and she (I think she's a she now) eats it all. I think this is because the paste smells of the expensive seed if she likes, but she can't easily pick the seeds out, so she eats it all. Pleased that I am getting her to eat something other than seed, 6 months in! I'm going to try mixing in other things next.

 

[DallyTsuka]

congrats, that's good news!! she sure is a gorgeous birdie!

 

[MonicaMc]

It's called out-smarting the bird!

At least you've expanded the diet a little, and hopefully, in time, she'll learn to eat a better variety! Keep it up!