Proper diet - best pellet formula?

[nikkiscriv]

In preparation for the arrival of my Illiger's macaw I've been looking into the proper diet for him/her. I realize fresh fruits and veggies are critical to a bird's diet, but I also want to feed the best quality pellet available also. As a dog person I am conditioned to analyze the ingredients list and guaranteed analysis to ensure your dog's diet is composed of quality grain-free kibble with the correct protein, fat, calcium, etc. levels for the individual dog.

We feed Yoshi Zupreem Fruitblend pellets because this is what his breeder fed and the reviews I could find seemed to be mostly positive. Now that I have a macaw baby on the way I've been looking closer into my birds' diet, and I was shocked when I read the main ingredient in Yoshi's Zupreem pellet is ground corn! Then I realized that ground corn and other grains seem to be the main ingredient for most formulas.

So, other than emphasizing the fact that birds should be fed a mostly natural fresh diet, what should I be looking for in choosing the highest quality pellet?


What brand and type of pellet do you feed your bird(s)?
What would the ideal main ingredients be?
What are the ideal guaranteed analysis parameters?

 

[Rio Mom]

I feed both of my bird Harrison's pellets.

 

[nikkiscriv]

I feed both of my bird Harrison's pellets.

I've heard many good things about Harrison's and appreciate the organic ingredients.

So, is ground corn considered the standard main ingredient for any pellet formula?

 

[oled]

I feed Ville with Harrison

 

[Enjru]

I feed my birds Harrison's "High Potency Coarse" pellets and Dr. Mac's Organic Origins "Medium" pellets, but Dr. Mac's might be difficult to find outside Australia.

 

[HalfInsane]

I feed both of my bird Harrison's pellets.

I've heard many good things about Harrison's and appreciate the organic ingredients.

So, is ground corn considered the standard main ingredient for any pellet formula?

In both Harrison's and Zupreem, yes. I tend to view Pixel's pellets as the "grain portion" of her diet since, honestly, that's what pellets are. Of course, while corn is not the best grain, it is much more acceptable to feed a bird corn than a dog. And the mixture of grains in pellets do provide a complete protein source to the bird.

But she also eats beans, sprouted seeds, fresh vegetables, fruit, oatmeal, rice, nuts, etc. So while kibble is the often a dogs whole diet, pellets are only a component of a birds diet.

 

[FutureDVM]

I also prefer Harrison's. Penny was on Zupreem Fruitblend pellets when I first got her, but I decided to switch her over because I didn't like some of the ingredients in the Zupreem. Harrison's is formulated by veterinarians and has really good ingredients for the most part. The main disadvantage is the price. It's definitely one of the most expensive pellet brands out there. Luckily, I can get it cheaper from the vet clinic where I work.

Another brand I've heard good things about is Totally Organics Pellets (TOPS). I think it is even a bit cheaper than Harrison's. The main reason I decided not to try it is because I've heard the pellets crumble very easily, so some of it ends up being wasted.

 

[mysteryfoxes]

I'll have mine on Harrisons

 

[Enjru]

The comment about crumbling reminds me that another thing to consider when choosing a brand of pellet is whether the pellet was extruded or not.

 

[nikkiscriv]

HalfInsane - thank you for your response. That's exactly the correlation I was looking for.

FutureDMV - I've looked at TOPS online and thought it looked rather crumbly.

Looks like I will be checking out Harrisons. Thank you all!

 

[lexx510]

Check out "Totally Organics Pellets." They have no additives, food coloring, or synthetic vitamins, and are free of known bird allergens. They are also significantly cheaper than Harrison's. My bird loves them and most reviews I've read are all very positive.

http://totallyorganics.com/about.php

TOP Organic Bird Pellets

100% Organic Pellets are an excellent addition to your birds diet!​

Exceptional Quality All ingredients are Human Grade and Certified Organic.

For All Size Hookbills​

Readily Accepted by Many Birds! ​

All Natural An 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 Anything 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 GMO No genetically modified organisms. ​

Product Information and Ingredients​

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

Guaranteed Analysis: Protein 15% Max, Fat 6% Min., Crude Fiber 6% Max.​

Pellet Processing: Designed by avian nutritionists to be the best diet on the market today. TOP pellets are cold-pressed (not extruded or baked) to keep natural enzymes, vitamins, and other nutrients intact.​

Storage: Store in a cool, dry place, free from insect infestation. Refrigeration is not required. Pellets can be frozen to extend shelf life. Once opened, please reseal in original or similar container.​

Ingredient Highlights​

BROWN RICE: Is a nutritious, wholesome staple food containing a sizable quantity of minerals. Its 8 amino acids are so proportionately balanced that it has the highest protein digestibility among staple foods. ​

SUNFLOWER SEEDS: One, if not the most, nutritious and healthy foods to be found in the dried fruits sector. They have a high content of healthy unsaturated fatty acids, contain important nutrients like vitamin E, selenium, copper, zinc, folate, iron and phytochemicals, plus are a rich source of proteins and fibers. ​

ALFALFA LEAVES: Loaded with health-building properties. Their contents are not only balanced for complete absorption, but they help assimilate protein, calcium and other nutrients. ​

SESAME SEEDS: Loaded with minerals, especially high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, and are so high in vitamin E that its oil or meal is often used as a preservative. Contains all amino and essential fatty acids known today. ​

QUINOA: A perfectly balanced ratio of amino acids and is rich in vitamins, minerals and trace elements. 4.3% of those are Alpha - Linol acid, an essential fatty acid which is, otherwise, only found in fish ​

MILLET: A complete food, rich in minerals (especially calcium) and vitamins, particularly lecithin, which is important for the formation of healthy feathers. ​

DANDELION LEAVES: A rich source of beta carotene, vitamins D, B complex and C. They have a very high potassium content, as well as numerous other minerals, like the bone, nail and feather-strengthening minerals calcium, boron and silicon. Dandelion leaves are good for a sluggish liver, to remove toxins from the liver and gall bladder and to help cleanse the blood. ​

CARROT POWDER: One of the top rated vegetables, providing protein, calcium, iron, and the vitamins A, C, and B, the phytochemicals alpha carotene, p-coumaric, clorogenic acids and the carotene complex. ​

NETTLE LEAVES: Helps the blood break down proteins, making it a natural kidney and adrenal cleaner. ​

SPINACH LEAF POWDER: An excellent source of beta carotene, vitamins C, E and K, calcium, potassium, iron, sodium, sulphur, folic acid and oxalic acid. They contain more protein and chlorophyll than most vegetables.​

PURPLE DULSE: A sea vegetable that is a natural source of essential minerals, especially iodine, vitamins, ions, sea salt and roughage. ​

ROSE HIPS: Contain an extremely high amount of natural vitamin C, and are, therefore, a great antioxidant and strengthener of the immune system. They are also very rich in beta carotene, vitamin B-complex, E and rutin. ​

ROSEMARY: A stimulant for the circulatory system and strengthen the nervous system. Used as a heart tonic, for respiratory ailments, gout and rheumatic pains. ​

CAYENNE AND RED CHILI PEPPERS: High in vitamin A, C, iron, calcium and contain vitamin G, B-complex, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sulphur. It is a harmless internal disinfectant, increases the effect of other herbs, cleanses the blood, wards off and equalizes blood circulation, increases heart action but not blood pressure, and helps prevent strokes and heart attacks. ​

Why we don’t have soy, peanuts or wheat in our pellets. ​

SOY BEANS
There is more and more disturbing data found about soy beans and products. Soy beans in their natural state contain large quantities of natural toxins and there is data that soy is cumulatively toxic when fed to animals. For example, The PARROT SOCIETY NEW ZEALAND claims that soy products in bird food have caused such problems as immune system breakdown, failure of organs and multiplication of the birds' own benign bacteria.​

PEANUTS
It seems that more and more birds develop allergic reactions to peanuts, so we view them as a great treat for birds that are not allergic to them, but not part of their daily diet.​

WHEAT
Wheat is a common allergen and contains about 80 different components that can cause a negative reaction. The number of people that are allergic to wheat and wheat products is raising daily in alarming amounts. If that is the case for humans, and we are not sure how it acts in birds, better safe than sorry.​

 

[Rio Mom]

I have TOPS mixed in with Pepper's Harrisons. For the longest time she wouldn't even touch any of the TOPS, just picked out the Harrisons. She's starting to eat a bit of the TOPS now but it does crumble badly. I'm going to stick with just Harrisons for pellets.

 

[lexx510]

I have TOPS mixed in with Pepper's Harrisons. For the longest time she wouldn't even touch any of the TOPS, just picked out the Harrisons. She's starting to eat a bit of the TOPS now but it does crumble badly. I'm going to stick with just Harrisons for pellets.

Guava can't get enough of them, lol. They do crumble rather easily, though. There is now a smaller pellet size available to avoid waste. I plan on getting it.

 

[Ducorp]

my parrot is on Kaytee Exact Rainbow Chunky.
harrisons in the UK is crazily expensive.