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“You
Eat Like a Bird!”
The old saying
“you eat like a bird” usually referred
to someone who ate small portions of healthy food.
In reality, traditional seed diets are not very
healthy for your avian pet. Seed diets are high
fat, nutritionally incomplete, and can result
in vitamin deficiencies that contribute to serious
health issues such as liver disease. Fairly new
to the market, pelleted diets have become a more
accepted choice. Pellets are a processed food
formulated to meet the nutritional requirements
of your bird. There are many brands of pellets
to choose from available in most local pet supply
stores and online. When choosing a pellet for
you bird, be sure to avoid those with coloring,
as these can also be damaging to your bird. Your
bird should have fresh foods every day for optimal
health. As a general rule, the avian diet should
consist of 80% pellets, 15% vegetables and 5%
fruit (however, not all fruits and vegetables
are safe for your bird). For tips on switching
your bird’s diet and other nutritional information
call the Animal Refuge League at 854-9771 ext
110 or go to:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=15&cat=1835&articleid=2843
http://www.cockatiels.org/articles/nutrition/convert.html
; http://www.petvets.com/petcare/birds.html
;
http://www.mit.edu/~rei/Veggies.html
;
http://www.quakerville.net/qic/good-bad-food.asp
;
Getting your bird
to adopt healthier eating habits can be challenging;
kind of like getting your child to eat broccoli!
However, don’t be discouraged, it can be
done, and it’s worth it in the end.
Find
a feathered friend at the Animal Refuge League.
Birds are shown by appointment Monday - Friday
by scheduling a time with Kim Jackson or Justine
Higgins.
The adoption prices for parakeets are $10 each
and $15 for a pair who
must go together. Cockatiels are $40 each and
$60 for a pair who must remain together. Cage
and accessories are not included.
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