What do budgies eat? Moving beyond an all-seed diet

In the wild, budgerigars mainly eat grass seeds on the ground. But shop-bought mixes are often poorly balanced, according to the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in London. The MSD Veterinary Manual points out that seeds are high in fat and low in nutrients.

According to the veterinary edition of the MSD Manual, an all-seed diet lacks vitamin A, calcium and vitamin D. In budgies, if it is also short of iodine, the thyroid can enlarge (goitre) and press on the windpipe: the bird wheezes or makes “clicking” sounds as it breathes.

Pellets for small parrots

The basis of the diet. Recommended proportions vary: VCA Animal Hospitals aims for 60 to 80% pellets; the veterinary edition of the MSD Manual suggests, for budgies, around 40 to 50% pellets and 30 to 40% seed.

Vegetables and greens

A little every day: broccoli, carrot, kale, spinach, sweet potato. Iceberg lettuce and celery are mostly water, according to VCA.

Fruit

In small amounts: around 5 to 10% of the diet according to the MSD Manual; the New Zealand SPCA suggests a treat once a week instead.

Millet spray

A treat, once or twice a month according to VCA, in small amounts.

Serve fresh food in a separate bowl and remove leftovers after about two hours, sooner in hot weather: they spoil quickly.

• Avocado: potentially toxic, it must never be given to a bird, according to VCA and the MSD Manual.
• Chocolate, coffee, tea, fizzy drinks, alcohol: rule them out.
• Salty foods (crisps, savoury snacks, popcorn) and dishes cooked in butter or oil.
• Onion and apple pips, listed by the veterinary edition of the MSD Manual; the New Zealand SPCA adds rhubarb.
• Dairy products: birds digest lactose poorly.
• Mouldy seeds or peanuts: the moulds damage the liver, according to the MSD Manual.

Water

Fresh and clean at all times, changed every day. Wash bowls and bottles daily in hot, soapy water.

Cuttlebone

The New Zealand SPCA recommends a cuttlebone or a mineral block for budgies, especially during the moult or breeding.

Grit (small stones)

Unnecessary according to VCA: budgies remove the husks from their seeds. Some eat too much of it, which can block the gut.

A budgie used to seed may not recognise pellets as food, and may let itself lose weight. So the switch must be gradual.

• For 2 weeksAround 20% pellets mixed with 80% of the usual mix, according to the veterinary edition of the MSD Manual.
• Every 2 weeksIncrease the share of pellets (30%, then 50%, then 75%), as long as the bird is eating well.
• Every dayWeigh your budgie: a loss of more than 10% of its body weight means calling the vet.

Don’t start a switch in a bird that is ill or underweight. Offering pellets in the morning, when the budgie is hungriest, often helps, according to VCA.

The veterinary edition of the MSD Manual groups cockatiels with budgerigars: the same proportions of pellets, seed, vegetables and fruit, and the same foods to avoid. Simply choose pellets suited to its size, as the MSD Manual recommends.

When everyone takes turns filling the feeder, treats soon add up. In MyArk, the household logs meals, vegetables and treats in a shared care log, and follows the bird’s weight during a change of diet.

• Meals and treats logged by everyone in the household
• A daily reminder for water and fresh vegetables
• Weigh-ins on a chart in the weight tracker during the switch
• Feeding instructions on the pet sitter sheet