Month: July 2019

Diatomaceous earth and parrots

Diatomaceous earth and parrots

What is diatomaceous earth?

For this article, I’m leaning heavily on a very concise and clearly worded fact sheet from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC). This organization is a collaboration between the Environmental Protection Agency and Oregon State University and receives funding from no other sources.

Rather than describe what diatomaceous earth is, I’ll defer to NPIC.

Diatomaceous earth is made from the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. Their skeletons are made of a natural substance called silica. Over a long period of time, diatoms accumulated in the sediment of rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans. Today, silica deposits are mined from these areas.

Diatomaceous earth is not poisonous; it does not have to be eaten in order to be effective. Diatomaceous earth causes insects to dry out and die by absorbing the oils and fats from the cuticle of the insect’s exoskeleton. Its sharp edges are abrasive, speeding up the process.

… READ THE REST
Are seeds high in fat?

Are seeds high in fat?

It seems almost universally believed that seeds are high in fat. I’ve talked about seeds and fat in a previous article but wanted to address this myth specifically.

First, I took a look at a wide variety of seed mixes and came up with 8 seeds that appear to be most commonly used:

  • Millet
  • Oats
  • Canary grass
  • Sunflower
  • Safflower
  • Hemp
  • Nyger
  • Pumpkin

So, let’s look at their fat percentages:

Sources:

As I mentioned in my other article, recommended fat percentages for humans fall in the 20-40% range, so 44% is definitely on the high side.

Seeds also definitely fall into very low fat and high fat categories.

  • Very Low fat: Millet, canary grass, oats
  • High fat: Sunflower, safflower, hemp, nyger, pumpkin

The budgie diet I used in that article contained 66% millet, 17% oats, and 8% canary grass seed (total of 97% of the seed content).… READ THE REST

UV (Ultraviolet) light myths

UV (Ultraviolet) light myths

This will probably be the longest article I’ll ever write because the internet is full of so many inaccurate statements. I’ll go through each myth one by one.

Myth #1: Any ultraviolet light can cause a bird to synthesize Vitamin D

There are actually two relevant types of UV light: UVA and UVB. Most articles about birds and lighting don’t specify with type and just say “ultraviolet” light.

So, first let’s establish that it’s UVB light that is required for Vitamin D synthesis.

During exposure to sunlight 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin absorbs UVB radiation and is converted to previtamin D3 which in turn isomerizes into vitamin D3.

Sunlight and Vitamin D: A Global Perspective on Health—Dermato-Endocrinology—’Jan 2013

UV light causes the body to produce vitamin D (specifically, UVB), which is essential for life.

Ultraviolet—Wikipedia

In humans, both UVA and UVB are responsible for secondary effects on the skin such as erythema (sunburn) or tanning, but UVB is the only range associated with the photobiochemical synthesis of vitamin D3.

… READ THE REST
Are bird respiratory systems really more sensitive?

Are bird respiratory systems really more sensitive?

It’s generally regarded as a fact that birds have very sensitive respiratory systems, far moreso than humans. Much of this comes from the proven sensitivity of birds to smoking Teflon products.

When heated to temperatures above 260C (500F), this otherwise stable material emits several flourinated prolysis products that are known to be rapidly lethal to birds.

The Avian Respiratory System: A Unique Model for Studies of Respiratory Toxicosis and for Monitoring Air Quality—Environmental Health Perspectives—Harvard School of Public Health—February 1997

However, an extensive and exhaustive study in a journal called Environmental Health Perspectives by the Harvard School of Public Health paints a much more nuanced picture. The article starts with a detailed look at the entire respiratory system of birds, then looks at orally administered toxins, inhaled particulates, and toxic gases.

The general summary is that the bird respiratory system is not uniformly more problematic than ours. Sometimes it behaves similarly to humans, sometimes it’s more sensitive, and sometimes less.… READ THE REST

The real reasons the “all seed” diet is bad

The real reasons the “all seed” diet is bad

I previous wrote about the mythical “all seed” diet.

I should preface this article by saying that every bird should be given fresh foods in addition to their staple diet. This post is merely to examine some of the claims about the “all seed” diet.

Assuming you could find an “all seed” diet, what are the usual complaints about it? Here’s a short list:

  • It’s too high in fat
  • Birds on this diet will become obese
  • It will result in poor feather condition
  • It will lead to diseases such as fatty liver disease, heart disease, and diabetes

Creating an “all seed” diet

Since it’s hard to find a 100% seed mix, I decided to create my own and then analyze it. I targeted budgies since they are the most common pet bird in the world. There are also a huge variety of budgie mixes on the market.

I went to a Petco and looked at every budgie mix that was predominantly seed.… READ THE REST