Best Seed Mix?

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effekt
Posts: 104
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:28 am

Best Seed Mix?

Post by effekt »

Hi all,

My IRNs are almost 4 months old now (time flies!) and I'm wondering what is the best seed mix to feed them? I have several bags of conure and cockatiel mixes, which work just fine for them (among them is Dr. Harvey's Colossal Cockatiel food). I also give them Harrison's high potency fine pellets. Of course they also get 2 dishes full of fresh veggies every day (1 dish in morning and 1 in evening), so they are definitely not going hungry.

But I'm wondering if I should move them up to a seed mix geared toward larger birds such as African Greys? Ringnecks have pretty large beaks so I'm thinking they might like that better, and mine don't seem to care for many of the smaller seeds that a cockatiel or budgie might enjoy.

Kashi loves safflower seeds (not surprising) and Archimedes loves sunflower seeds. They both like pine nuts as a treat.


My question is, what seed mixes do you feed your birds?
smallworld
Posts: 296
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:30 pm

Re: Best Seed Mix?

Post by smallworld »

I dont know if you've the opportunity to mix it yourself, do you? At our petshop they've this big machine, with the different types of seeds in different slots. So you just have to mix the seeds yourself.

Thats good because I normally mix in very little sunflower seeds, as opposed to the commercial mixes. High amounts of sunflower and safflower seeds are said to decrease calcium uptake from the gut. I also like to throw in alot of those different small budgie seeds. It gives them a good beak workout and at the same time, saves us the trouble of trimming their beaks :)
effekt
Posts: 104
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:28 am

Re: Best Seed Mix?

Post by effekt »

That is some great information. I have a couple bags of seed mix that is mostly smaller seeds for budgies.

I'll continue giving them that mix. I don't let them have too many safflower or sunflower seeds, I know they are high in fat but I didn't know they inhibit calcium uptake.

I make sure they eat at least a handful of pellets per day in addition to their vegetables.

I just bought several bags of hookbill mix, so I'll supplement their smaller seeds with that.

The bird shop where I bought them and get their food doesn't have a machine but they have racks of seed buckets with premixed seeds as well as the option to mix your own, so I'll take your advice and do that as well :)
smallworld
Posts: 296
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:30 pm

Re: Best Seed Mix?

Post by smallworld »

Glad it was useful information :)

If you're looking for more information on Calcium, I've had this page for quite awhile in my bookmarks and its a good reference:

http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww22eii.htm

The author explains the balance of calcium and down the page there is a whole table on the various dietary supplements you could provide for your birds.

You'd find what i said in the last paragraph under calcium.
effekt
Posts: 104
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:28 am

Re: Best Seed Mix?

Post by effekt »

Excellent link, thanks! I'm such a nutrition junky. I love reading about that stuff haha.

I also found the Parrot Food Pyramid, which has some good info as well: http://www.holisticbirds.com/pages/foodpp1002.htm
smallworld
Posts: 296
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:30 pm

Re: Best Seed Mix?

Post by smallworld »

Thats really an interesting page to read! Wow the long list of references too! Thanks :D
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