will these pellets work?

[cdog]

I am trying to switch my green cheeks onto pellets because their previous owners had them on seeds, a great mix but still seeds. They still get fruits, veggies, and pasta. I tried different brands and different flavors but they will only eat kaytee exact rainbow pellets. Are these pellets just as healthy as the normal Harrison or Roudybush pellets? They really seem to like the rainbow mix, they started eating it as soon as I put it in the dish. They will still get fruits and veggies and pastas but I would like to know if the rainbow mix is a healthy pellet diet to have them on.
Thank you in advance.

 

[MikeyTN]

As long as they're eating pellets, it's more of a balanced diet then seeds alone. Once they start eating pellets, wait awhile, then you can try some other pellets. They seem to adjust better once they're adjusted on one type of pellet. I went from Kaytee to Zupreem and my birds did just fine. I started feeding zupreem 15 years ago when I started. But I try this and that. Now back on Zupreem for the last 5 years. Anyone feeding Zupreem, check your bag, they had a recent manufacture company change and the pellets weren't as good, very pale colored. Do not dispose the bag!!! Call Zupreem up and tell them, there's a code on the bag by the expiration date, they will need that number! Same with their handfeeding formula!

 

[roxynoodle]

I say go for it! Zupreem fruitblend was the only one my BCC would try in months of trying to get her on pellets. When she ate one I almost cried I think. Any pellet they eat is better than seeds, period.

If you check the crude analysis on the Kaytee it is probably in the same ballpark as other pellets. And for all of the accolades we give Harrison's here, I was rather surprised to read the #1 ingredient in it is...sunflower seeds! A food we've always been told not to feed, hmm. Ok, I guess the difference is that the pellets have the exact right nutritional additives that our birds need whereas sunflower seeds by themselves are pretty useless nutritionally.

 

[cdog]

Thank you for the help guys.

 

[lexx510]

I say go for it! Zupreem fruitblend was the only one my BCC would try in months of trying to get her on pellets. When she ate one I almost cried I think. Any pellet they eat is better than seeds, period.

If you check the crude analysis on the Kaytee it is probably in the same ballpark as other pellets. And for all of the accolades we give Harrison's here, I was rather surprised to read the #1 ingredient in it is...sunflower seeds! A food we've always been told not to feed, hmm. Ok, I guess the difference is that the pellets have the exact right nutritional additives that our birds need whereas sunflower seeds by themselves are pretty useless nutritionally.

Peanuts and soybeans are also in their top 5 ingredients (which make up a large bulk of the product). Not to mention, a lot of the vitamins found in it are synthetic. I personally think that Harrison's are a bit overrated, especially for the price.

I prefer Top Organics Pellets. They seem to be a lot healthier and cost only a fraction of Harrison's.

TOP Pellets:
All natural source of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
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.

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.

Harrison's
ADULT LIFETIME COARSE (ALC)

Ingredients: *Ground Yellow Corn, *Ground Hulless Barley, *Ground Soybeans, *Ground Shelled Peanuts, *Ground Shelled Sunflower Seeds, *Ground Lentils, *Ground Green Peas, *Ground Rice, *Ground Toasted Oat Groats, *Ground Sun-Dried Alfalfa, Calcium Carbonate, *Psyllium, Montmorillonite Clay, *Spirulina, *Ground Dried Sea Kelp, Vitamin E Supplement, Sea Salt, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, d-Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Sodium Selenite.
*CERTIFIED ORGANIC INGREDIENT

Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein (min.) 15%, crude fat (min.5.5%, crude fiber (max.) 6.5%, moisture (max.) 10%..

 

[erik7181]

I do not know this for a fact but i was told that feeding your bird a pelleted diet is not good because the main ingredient is sun flower seeds and those are the worst seeds you can give them because of the fat content. But i see harrisons pellets are made with alot of stuff.

 

[JMO]

The vet that I took my now in heaven cockatiel that passed away at the age of 25 back when I lived in Chicago told me that he was not a complete fan of pellets. Maybe this is the reason why?

I went to him for a yearly checkup and consulted with him on how to switch from seeds to pellets. My cockatiel was around 15 or so and he told me that I shouldnt switch to mainly pellets. He ordered me to get the budgie mix instead of the cockatiel mix (safflower and sunflower are HEAVY in most cockatiel mixes) and to continue providing him with veggies, fruits and the occasional millet.

Well, my bird lived till 25, on seeds and veggies. So I guess pellets are excellent when used in moderation.

 

[cdog]

Ok well than mabey I will just mix the pellets with the seeds to give them a more complete diet. They will still get fresh food though.
Thanks again for all the help.

 

[cdog]

I just read the ingredients on the kaytee rainbow pellets and the only seed in it is flax seed. The top ten ingredients are, in this order, ground corn, ground wheat, ground oat groats, corn gluten meal, wheat middlings, soybeans meal, dried whole egg, dried beet pulp, soy oil, and ground flax seed.

 

[FutureDVM]

In my opinion, the key to a healthy bird diet is variety. You're not going to find one single brand of pellets or one seed mix that will provide adequate nutrition. I personally feed Harrison's pellets but I also provide lots of fresh veggies as well as some fruits, pastas, grains, etc. I also give my conure 1-2 nutriberries per day, which do contain seeds such as millet.

Just remember, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, so while I believe that pellets are an essential part of a healthy diet, I would never feed JUST 100% pellets.

On a side note, there are also some species (mostly smaller parrots such as parrotlets, etc.) that don't do well with a pellet diet.

 

[cdog]

Their diet will never consist 100% of anything, I am just trying to find the best 60% diet to give them.

 

[roxynoodle]

The vets will tell you to make the pellets 70-80%. I'm probably at more like 60% myself with my conure. She also gets 1-2 Nutriberries a day, plus fruit at lunch and veggies and/or pasta or rice at dinner. Sometimes she gets a little piece of walnut.

The Harrison's company wants you to feed 90% their pellets. My other birds aren't at 90% either. Merlin also gets a dried fruit/veg/nut mix called Golden Feast. She gets a walnut piece at lunch and any fruit she might actually eat. And veggies/rice/pasta at dinner, and a few Nutriberries a day. Pete does eat more pellets than anything because he is still adjusting to eating some foods. But, he has started also eating Nutriberries now, and fruit has been kind of a problem, but he loves veggies. He loves nuts, but I need to keep that low as he is slightly obese.