What's the story on seeds?

[JimsBrother]

I've read conflicting reports on adding seeds to a bird's diet. I know the upside - they're very nutritious. What is the downside? Are they fattening? I think Jim's vet told him to eliminate seeds from his birds' food but I dunno why. I ask because I just bought a 2 lb. bag of sesame seeds and I dunno what to do with them.

 

[BirdyBee]

Seeds are fatty and have a lot of carbs, but they also have a lot of essential fatty acids, so it is nessecary to have a small amount of it in their diet(25% or less for cockatiels). Sunflower seeds aren't healthy due to high fat content, and millet is high in carbs..

 

[Ria.345]

Seeds are okay in moderation but overdoing or feeding in high amounts can cause long term health issues like obesity or fatty liver disease, due to the seeds high fat content and low nutritional content.
I have an idea. Perhaps you could make birdie bread with those sesame seeds you bought? You could look in the diet forum of this site and find so many recipes or just use the search engine on here. Just so your food will not go to waste.

 

[Laurasea]

Diet and feeding, we are all trying to get it right.

Unfortunately parrots aren't chickens and a majority of pellets basics came from chicken studies , but they have continued to evolve and be refined from that point. Also parrots are very diverse in their habits and diet and are found on both sides of the globe. So there can't be one diet that is meeting all the species needs. But pellets can give a solid base covering essentials , and micronutrients.

An all seed diet , will not meet the nutritional needs of a parrot. An all seed diet lacks essential vitamins and minerals, notable vitamins A that gets them in trouble with immunity, respiratory, as well as lacking calcium, vitamin D as most parrots aren't getting outside at all , the few tgst do probably not often enough. And much more...

Most all parrots in captivity need fresh vegetables, leafy greens , some fruits, plant based protein ( legume, lentils rct) snd probably some small amount of animal based protein, some nuts ( species needs vary) snd seeds, some parrots are more specialized, nectar, fruit esters ect.

Unfortunately wild parrot foraging and diets are under studied. ( I'm always searched for them:, please add any to ornithology thread) but what studies (incomplete by their admissions) done show they use 100's of plants, trees, leaf and twig buds , bark( we can't replicate that), flowers, fruits, seeds, nuts, insect not safe for us to try) and animals protein ( even lorikeets have been seen eating meat )..mineral and clay sources

All of us are trying to do our best and keep up with research and evolving information on diet and nutrition. We always have threads going on this.

So these are the following leading recommendations currently.

Feeding a pellet based diet, but still recommendations are 10% seed mix, plus variety of fresh stuff( veggies, leafy greens, fruits( 10% or less of your fresh stuff part of diet) , sprouts ect...

Feeding a seedmix as half of diet the other half must include and be eaten a wide array of the fresh stuff.

Feeding a combination of pellets , seeds, and fresh stuff. This is the way I've chosen to go. I purchase quality pellets not the crap mixed in with seed mixes, and mine eat the pellets every day. As wide and varied veggies, leafy greens as I can find and offer, and happiness mine eat, ( I think is around half their diet) 10% fresh berries and fruits . Rare nuts. Occasionally boiled or scrambled egg with boiled shells offered, very rare boiled chicken, legume, quinoa, sprouts, soak and simmer whole grains , weekly try and route in as much variety as can. Parrots really can learn to love and enjoy and be curious and stimulated by a wide selection of foods. Mine are thrilled to munch the fresh stuff! They came to me on all seed diets, and two on pellet only diets, at different ages, and backgrounds.
For mine seed mix is only available in cage along with bowls of pellets. Mine are out the majority of their day and eating the fresh stuff, and from the out of cage pellet bowls. Even tge budgies eat pellets and fresh stuff, they eat every veggies, leafy greens , cooked sweet potatoes, fruits ect that my other parrots eat.

 

[foxgloveparrot]

Seeds are packed with fat and carbs, and feeding them as part of the regular diet will shorten your bird's lifespan and cause obesity, fatty liver disease, and poor feather quality. HOWEVER, this doesn't make seeds "bad"...just feed them in moderation. They make great training treats, because birds love them and will work hard for them.

 

[wrench13]

All good advice David. Amazons in particular are prone to fatty liver disease. FYI I give Salty: breakfast- 1/2 walnut, 2 Nutraberries (little balls made with pellets, and some seeds) and almond 2-3 times a week and pellets. Lunch is either a small amount of fruit, or corn, peas, cut string beans or broccoli. Dinner is chop ( a wide variety of veggies run thru the food processor. I make like 2 months worth and freeze, each baggie has a weeks worth. Bash it with a hammer and zap the nights meal). I also crumble up a Nutraberrie or 2 into it, to absorb moisture.

 

[GaleriaGila]

The Rb has seeds as a rare treat a few times a year, like when I need silence for an important phone call!