Most pet Birds have malnutrition. This is a hard fact to accept, but one that is sadly true. Malnutrition is the leading cause of early death in Birds & roughly 3 quarters of Birds who are presented to an avian vet have illness directly related to poor nutrition & dietary imbalances. The Birds we care for are often said to be omnivores by nature, feeding on insects & carrion in the wild, but this is a myth.
The Birds in our care have a metabolism set up for low fat (& no animal fats), feeding meat, egg & fish increases their chance of developing atherosclerosis & other diet related diseases because it’s not natural for them. Birds lack the enzyme lactase, meaning that they can’t effectively digest dairy products, Birds are not mammals, they shouldn’t have milk! When we avoid these foods, the question “but where do they get these nutrients from instead?” often arises. In this article, we will cover nutrients that Birds are often deficient in & healthy foods to introduce into their diet to help them have these nutrients.
It’s important to work these food items into a healthy, nutritious diet with no human food/ drink to allow the Bird to have the best chance of health. A healthy diet doesn’t have to be a scene of scarcity & deprivation, good foods are life giving, varied & delicious (often having more flavor, color, variety & texture than junk food)!
OMEGAS– Brussels sprouts, chia seed, flax seed, walnut, leafy greens.
CALCIUM– Broccoli, Kale, sesame seeds, mustard greens, chard, fig, oats, almond, basil, rosemary, thyme, sage.
PROTEIN– Peas, lentils, chickpeas, sprouted seeds, apricot, blackberry, cherry, kiwi, flax seed, pumpkin seed, almond, walnut, chia seed.
VITAMIN A– Sweet potato, carrot, papaya, mango, butternut squash, broccoli, leafy greens, yellow pepper.
Healthy eating isn’t about missing out on fun, it’s about keeping them healthy so that they have years of fun ahead. Even 1 small bite of human/table/junk food is enough to contribute to dietary imbalances & diet related disease. This can be quite shocking to many people who believe ‘a little bit won’t hurt’, but a little bit does hurt- you just can’t see the damage yet. So many owners would jump at the chance of making their Bird live longer, but miss out on the 1 thing that will help this happen- nutrient rich diets.