If you want to keep parakeets as a bird then you should go for a complete guide about them. The most worthy question is, things they can feed and shouldn’t feed. To have a piece of complete knowledge about the parakeet’s diet, you should go through the article “What can you feed a parakeet?”. So, let us begin.
Parakeets are tropical small birds. Parakeets are called so only in United Nations, while the rest of the world knows the same as budgies or budgerigar.
They are mostly green parrots with elongated tails. They are the third on the list of companion animals. If you are also willing to keep them at home, you should get a complete guide about their diet.
For all the parakeet’s owners, knowing what you can feed a parakeet is the foremost requirement. As wild parakeets, enjoy a flexible diet so they are adaptable to a variety of diets. Giving parakeets the same meal daily will not allow them to have the basic nutrients essential for their healthy living.
You should feed them with a variety of food, to assure the supply of all nutrients. You should be very choosy in the selection of the diet, because some diets may cause digestive imbalance as well as kidneys and liver problems in parakeets.
What Can You Feed A Parakeet?
A parakeet or a budgie has the most versatile food choices. Small-sized birds always need a balanced diet. They should not be fed on the same diet for long. Each diet is a combination of different nutrients suitable for parakeets. It’s best to make a wise choice for parakeet’s food.
About 75 % of the regular diet of parakeet is seeds and pellets but depending wholly on seeds will make parakeet vulnerable to obesity. It is due to the excess fats in the seeds. The exclusive intake of pellets may cause liver or kidney damage as well as gastric or indigestion issues.
The parakeets in wildlife habitats can enjoy a versatile diet from insects to seeds. The flexibility in food shows their broad range of digestion abilities.
You should use a plating method to feed the parakeet. The everyday plate should contain 5 % fruits, 20 % vegetables, 75 % seeds, and pellets, and 10 % legumes.
Along with these essential diets parakeets should be fed honey sticks and millet sprays once each month. To add fatty acids to the diet, nuts should be added to the diet randomly.
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Best Food for Parakeets
To plan a parakeet’s regular diet, you should know the various food types that will provide not only energy but also the basic minerals and vitamins so, they can enjoy a hale and hearty life. In this article, I have discussed the three best foods for parakeets.
Seeds and Pellets
Pellets are the mixture of grains, seeds, fruits, and vegetables that provide whole food to this feathered creature. Seeds only contain fats while pellets contain essential vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and several other nutrients.
Pellets keep the bird’s cage, less messy, however, if your bird is addicted to seeds then, you should feed him with seeds. In the case of seeds, you can take millet, sunflower, canary, and safflower seeds.
Sunflower seeds are enriched with fats so they should be fed hardly ever. Feeding budgies only on seeds causes a deficiency of minerals and vitamins and may cause dermatitis or bone issues.
Vegetables
What vegetables should parakeet eat? Parakeets should be wisely fed vegetables that do not cause digestive issues, contain excessive starch, and free from pesticide sprays. Vegetables should make 20 % of the total diet. Parakeets should be given leafy vegetables however, some are pesticide sprayed so avoid those.
The vegetables may include asparagus, zucchini, carrots, squash, pumpkin, cabbage, beets, and broccoli. All vegetables should be given in moderation. Some contain excess water content so avoid those also.
Grains
Grains do not contain as many vitamins and minerals. They also lack proteins and legumes. If your budgie loves grains then you can feed, otherwise avoid them. Some people feed their birds, but they should be careful in the choices of bread.
You should choose whole-grain bread, instead of packaged one that contains preservatives and too much sugar extract.
If feeding grains is the only choice, then you can give barley, oats, rye, amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa. These are the few budgie’s friendly grains.
Can Parakeets Eat Crackers?
Yes, parakeets can eat crackers because 90 % of the crackers are grains. Crackers are baked food, flat and dry, and usually made from flour. They do not have any nutritional benefits. If you have a choice, then better to take other diets, instead of crackers.
Especially, goldfish crackers contain too much salt, but if a parakeet has tasted a single one, then don’t panic it’s okay.
Can Parakeets Eat Peanut Butter?
Parakeets love to eat nuts, so they also love peanut butter. Intake of parakeets should be rare because they contain aflatoxins that can be very harmful to parakeets. Peanut butter contains minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron that provide energy to parakeets.
Peanut butter also contains healthy fats and proteins that keep your parakeets healthy and strong. It also contains a vitamin-B complex that prevents your parakeets from cardiovascular diseases. Peanut butter also contains sugar, salt, and oil that are also harmful to parakeets.
You should take only those peanut butter brands that contain many ingredients with minimum preservatives. You should buy only organic and fresh peanut butter for parakeets. The peanut butter that contains crackers, marshmallows, cookies, honey, and jelly should be avoided.
What Kind of Fruit Can You Feed a Parakeet?
Parakeets love to eat fresh fruits. Fruits may include apple, mango, banana, melon, apricot, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, pineapple, coconut, blackberries, peaches, blackberries, and several pitted fruits.
Fruits are rich in minerals, vitamin A, vitamin C, and antioxidants that are essential to fill up the health flaws in parakeets. Vitamin C keeps parakeets’ body tissues healthy. Vitamin A gives normal vision and skin to the bird. It also boosts the immunity of parakeets.
Fruits also contain fibers that give a healthy gut to the bird. The folate present in fruits gives a normal and fit blood formation process. You should remove the fruits two hours after serving to avoid bacterial growth.
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Takeaway
What can you feed a parakeet? There are a variety of diets for parakeets that not only fills up the stomach but also provide a healthy life. There is a specific limit of intake of any diet.
Excess of any specific diet while completely ignoring the other may cause health issues to the bird. So you should have complete knowledge about the diets that can be given to parakeets before keeping them as a pet.
