Debating this is sort of like talking politics. It can sometimes get heated! Although I draw on a lot of research for this article—and the articles it references—there’s also opinion at play as well as my own experience.
In my mind, the biggest downside to pellets is that they are ultra-processed…
If you lose your cat and they end up at an animal shelter, someone will scan them for a microchip. Provided you’ve kept your registration up-to-date, a happy reunion with your pet is in your future. Microchips typically cost less than $50 at the vet and last for the lifetime…
Primarily in the United States, the conventional wisdom is that seed diets are bad because they are high in fat. As a result, they will lead to obesity, poor feather condition, and chronic diseases. I’ve written many articles providing research that debunks this wisdom that is hammered into …
Ideally your bird would be fed a good seed mix, chop, and fresh food for maximum variety. However, there are some clear advantages to chop and a couple for fresh food that I’ll outline now. I’ll note that there is no good research on the nutritional value of chop versus fresh food.
For those not familiar,…
I’ve presented research for years about the value of a low carbohydrate high fat diet not only for parrots, but for humans as well.
The way science often works is that you come up with a hypothesis, basically a supposition based on intuition, a little evidence, or perhaps nothing at all. Then, you gather evidence and see if it proves your hypothesis.
I’ve written extensively on bird diets and specifically about the…
Yes.
Are egg yolks good for your bird?
Especially!
I like when I can give short answers! Evidence for my answers mostly come from my previous articles, but I have some new references.
Let loose the hate mail.
Let’s start with this one. I know some bird owners that are…
The supplements section of a grocery store or health food store can be filled with over a thousand products, each with their own health claims. As a consumer, it can be hard to sort through it all, especially since there is little regulation in many countries.
This blog is about birds, though, which makes…
Many of the companies that make pellets have pictures such as these on their websites or as handouts that are given to vets. They purport to demonstrate what birds look like on seed diets and their radical transformation after being switched to pellets.
If a vet gives you a handout like this, now you know…
What are the top chronic diseases that parrots get?
Sound familiar? We can’t ignore the fact that parrots get the same chronic diseases we do. Yet we feed our parrots the same way we are told to feed ourselves. Eat a low fat diet,…