Why do they put all this "stuff" in the bird seed mixes???

[AubieBird]

Like many of you, I have been trying to find the best seed mix for my 'tiel, but am having a difficult time. I first bought Ecotrition seed mix when we got Little Bit back in October....we are still using the same bag and will be for a while (5 lb.). He was only 3 months old at the time and I thought the reason he wasn't eating most of the "stuff" in the bag was because he was still young. However, as he is growing he still continues to not eat anything but the small seeds. Does anyone else have success with their 'tiel eating the "stuff" like peanuts, split peas, red peppers, cantaloupe seed, dried diced fruits/veggies, sunflower seed, soybeans, raisins, banana chips, watermelon seed, the myriad of colorful and different shaped pellets, etc.? Little Bit won't eat any of these things....only the small seed. We mix our budgie seed mix in with his Ecotrition.

He also loves Zupreem fruit pellets and natural pellets, romaine lettuce and broccoli stems and a few other leafy veggies.

Any ideas or comments?

[sweetrsue]

Mine eat all the "Stuff". I buy Volkman Avian Science. It has banana chips, other pieces of fruit, cantalope seeds, even dried greens. It could be 'cause I have a large number of 'tiels and when there is competition for food they tend to be less picky.

[skthurley]

Often the reason all the 'stuff' is put in seed mixes, is to help the bird eating the mix, eat healthier foods. Essentially the seeds are fatty, but the other stuff is to be healthy. The company is trying to make their mix better for your bird, but in most cases, the birds only eat the seeds. Sometimes they eat the other bits.

I wouldn't worry if your bird is eating pellets, and veggies. You could also make a salad or mash of fresh veggies, and put the other stuff in that. Lots of variety for your little guy, especially when he's young.

I've had my parrotlet since september, and he was about 2 or 3 months when i got him, and i've had a lot of success with getting him to eat a variety of foods. It makes it easier to switch if the brand you're using isn't available or stops being produced.

I just use a plain seed mix without the extra stuff. I find it's a little cheaper. I have recently switched Jack to the Zupreem Avian Entree Garden Goodness pellets, and it has dried veggies and fruit in it, and he throws it out. So i typically don't put any in his dish, and toss the extra stuff in his moist mash. He eats it then. lol.

[tielfan]

Cockatiels aren't the only birds who eat cockatiel mix - so do a lot of other small parrots, like conures, Senegals etc who don't have a special mix made for them. Some of the ingredients in some of these mixes will probably appeal more to these birds than to cockatiels. I buy a basic seed mix and then add other stuff to it to get exactly what I want.

[AubieBird]

Thank y'all for your replies. You've helped me understand the "stuff". :) There are a lot of extras in my budgies' seed mix also and they just toss it all out. I wish I could find something basic for my budgies and 'tiel and then I could just add what I know they would eat.

skthurley, you said that you use a plain seed mix and tielfan, you said you use a basic seed mix. Would you mind telling me the brands that you both use? I am just trying to find out all my options.

[skthurley]

Hagen budgie or finch mix. It really only has red and white millet, and some niger seed. I also have a bag of the prestige, but it's not in english so i can't read much then that. lol.

Next time you go to the pet store, take a look at the ingredients of the seed mixes, and pick on that doesn't have dried veggies and what not, and only seed.

Then at my bulk food store, I buy oat groats, a bit of canary seed, hemp seed, and flax seed, and mix them in accordingly.

[AubieBird]

Hagen budgie or finch mix. It really only has red and white millet, and some niger seed. I also have a bag of the prestige, but it's not in english so i can't read much then that. lol.

Next time you go to the pet store, take a look at the ingredients of the seed mixes, and pick on that doesn't have dried veggies and what not, and only seed.

Then at my bulk food store, I buy oat groats, a bit of canary seed, hemp seed, and flax seed, and mix them in accordingly.

We have only PetSmart and PetCo in our town and they don't have a great selection of bird seed mixes. I did see one that was kind of plain, I don't remember the brand name, but it had lots of sunflower seeds in it. I guess it doesn't matter if I buy a basic budgie or cockatiel mix? Unfortunately, we don't have a bulk food store either. The closest is about 90 miles away. Luckily, it is in the same town that has a bird fair so next time I go I will take a trip to check out what seeds the bulk food store has.

Thank you for the suggestions. :tiel6:

[tielfan]

I don't have a brand name to suggest, since I get most of my seed from a feed company that has a big booth at the local bird marts. But I start with a basic parakeet mix (millet, canary seed, oat groats) and add some sunflower, safflower, hemp, buckwheat, and some Goldenfeast petite hookbill formula. If I see anything else that strikes my fancy I'll put that in too. The seeds are all things that I know my birds will eat, and the Goldenfeast has a lot of exotic stuff that's intended to promote health.

[skthurley]

I'm a big promoter of goldenfeast blends if you have birds who aren't interested in fresh veggies. Their foods have a lot of healthy stuff in it, and though I don't use it myself (my little guy eats pellets and fresh foods eagerly) I would if my bird only ate seed.