What is in a bird food pellet? A pellet contains a balance of all the essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, that seeds lack and that your bird needs to stay healthy. Pellets also are lower in fat than seeds so that they are better for your bird’s liver and cardiovascular system. Why …
By Dr. Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice) In veterinary school, most students receive very little training in the field of bird care. Therefore, most new graduate veterinarians are ill-equipped to care for this unique species. To truly understand how to provide medical and surgical treatment to birds, veterinarians must complete, at minimum, a …
By Dr. Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice) “My bird has never been sick before, so I’ve never needed to bring him to the vet.” This is what I often hear from bird owners when I ask them whether their pets have ever been treated by a veterinarian. In fact, all birds should have …
By Dr. Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice) It would be great if you could simply offer your pet bird nutritionally complete pelleted food and immediately wean him off a high-fat, nutrient-poor seed diet. But most of the time, it doesn’t work that way. Many species of birds are stubborn and unwilling to try …
“Tough Love” Conversion Method: Creating a Routine for Your Bird Read More »
By Dr. Laurie Hess, Dipl ABVP (Avian Practice) As social eaters, wild birds feed in flocks of hundreds to even thousands in the wild. Pet birds, too, like to share mealtime with their flock-mates – either other birds in the house or their human caretakers. Eating with feathered companions is a great way to socialize …
Dr. Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice) What makes a good diet? Ideally, every bird should be on a pelleted diet. Pellets are a nutritionally complete food specially formulated for birds and should make up at least 60% of your bird’s daily food program. The other part of your bird’s diet can come from …
By Dr. Laurie Hess, Dipl ABVP (Avian Practice) As with other pet animals, obesity is a problem often encountered in pet birds. Obesity is a major problem in older birds and can contribute to diseases that are commonly seen in geriatric birds such as fatty liver disease (hepatic lipidosis) and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries …
By Jennifer Graham, DVM, DABVP (Avian / Exotic Companion Mammal), DACZM You can tell a lot about pet bird health by observing the bird and its droppings. In this article, we’ll discuss the following important topics: • Signs, symptoms behaviors of healthy vs. sick birds • The importance of monitoring your bird’s droppings • Important …
Author: Patricia Larson, LVTPublished: June 14, 2023 Birds of all shapes and sizes benefit from variety in their daily diet. The foundation of your pet bird’s diet should be a
Author: Patricia Larson, LVTPublished: July 21, 2023 Fresh foods are an important and essential part of the diet of pet birds. Fresh fruits and vegetables in particular are rich sources
