Supplements...yes or no..??

marieb23x

Registered
What multivitamin supplement do people use and how often do you give it..?? How do I know if my birds are getting too much vitamin..?? My birds are mostly on a seed diet. They get fresh herbs most days...cooked quinoa with peas and corn once a week, sprouts once a week and also have a foraging tray filled with dried flowers, dried fruit/veg, hemp seed and millet. They wont touch any other fruit or vegetables. They also get calcium supplement 2 times a week. They are barraband parakeets
 
Hi if they are eating a varied diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and something like sprouted seeds/beans and have access to either uva/uvb bulb or better still sunshine outside they shouldn't really require much.
My indoor birds get supplement of either Nutribal or Nekton S every other week. My larger birds African Grey's and Amazon's are blood tested yearly so I know they aren't missing out on anything.
 
Everything I put on the thread is what they eat. They don't have a light or get outside. Have been trying them with vegetables and fruits regularly for 3 years and they used to like carrots but now won't touch them and they occasionally eat a tiny amount of broccoli or cauliflower but really not often at all. They arent tame so trying to avoid a vet visit if possible
 
Not even a bit of apple? Have you tried soft fruits of Rowan berries they are in season at the moment? Dandelions are a huge source of vitamins and minerals. Never stop trying new stuff.

If their feathers are in great condition always a big sign of condition (ie correct colouring nice and bright they're getting enough melanin etc) and they are flying around etc longevity, breeding, skin condition on legs normal?
Get them a uva/uvb light as to metabolize calcium they need vitamin d (from daylight)
 
This is them. You can notice on the ends of their wing feathers, there is some darkness in them, not sure if that is normal. One will sometimes eat the tip of your nail size amount of apple or banana but that's it fruit wise. They have mixed dried berries but don't really bother with them and won't even go near their bowls if there are fresh berries in them. They do like dried dandelion flowers. I've had them for almost 3 years and still trying. They are free flying 24/7. They have their own room but also get to fly between that and another room during the day. The one in the second pic does have long pointy scales on his feet. They get calcivet 2 times a week which has added d3.

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Stunning birds.
Often if they have regular contact in a particular place in their body say rubbing against a toy or something you get dark marks appearing but it's nothing to be concerned about.
Bird on the perch its legs and toes are very raised in scales that looks like you need to up the beta carotene intake. Sweet potato is a good idea As it's two males together saying beta carotene as the bird converts it to vitamin A if it requires it and if not it just passes through where as vitamin A is stored in the liver so go down to beta carotene road that way you dose the one that requires it.
 
They are gorgeous, just persevere offering various fruit & veg, even if they don't touch them, any that's left the wild birds will enjoy. Don't give up it took my late Cockatoo 8yrsa before he'd even try corn on the cob! As for Vit A Ace High is very good supplement it contains other Vits as well.
 
Lovely birds, as has been said keep trying, what's classed as absolutely awful this week might just become next weeks treat. And try different ways of serving them. It took Dora over 9yrs to eat carrot which she'll eat grated, she will only eat raw sweet potato from a skewer but she will always eat the seed core of peppers and chillies and can be relied on to eat Brussels sprouts!
 
DizzyBlue said:
Stunning birds.
Often if they have regular contact in a particular place in their body say rubbing against a toy or something you get dark marks appearing but it's nothing to be concerned about.
Bird on the perch its legs and toes are very raised in scales that looks like you need to up the beta carotene intake. Sweet potato is a good idea As it's two males together saying beta carotene as the bird converts it to vitamin A if it requires it and if not it just passes through where as vitamin A is stored in the liver so go down to beta carotene road that way you dose the one that requires it.
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I have been trying for almost 3 years to get them to eat veg including sweet potatoes and they have refused. Been trying everyday for a week. They have their morning seed while I cook and prepare the chop, then when it's ready I take their seed away and leave them with only the chop for 2/3 hours. Today I saw them actually eat broccoli, red pepper and sweet potato...not sure if it was a one of or if the small amount they ate would be beneficial to them. Before today, I think they were only picking out the quinoa and would manage to separate the quinoa from the mashed sweet potato. Hoping they keep it up. Any other way I can add in the beta carotene..??
 
dianaT said:
They are gorgeous, just persevere offering various fruit & veg, even if they don't touch them, any that's left the wild birds will enjoy. Don't give up it took my late Cockatoo 8yrsa before he'd even try corn on the cob! As for Vit A Ace High is very good supplement it contains other Vits as well.
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Thank you. I actually saw them eat broccoli, red pepper and sweet potato today. So happy about that and just hope they continue with it. 8 years wow. Because mine do eat fresh herbs at least every day, do you know if its safe to feed vitamin A supplement ?? I know giving too much can be toxic to them but just not sure if they would be getting enough with herbs or not. Would once a week be enough??
 
Carrots, cantaloupe melon, spinach, winter squash there will be something in there that they will try out
Remember though birdies have small tummies compared to us humans so a little in our eyes can be more than you think for them :)
Well done and keep going thing is to not give up. Sometimes you eating something in front of them and doing the over enthusiastic hmmm yummy sounds is enough to let them know its blinking excellent and worth trying.
 
A daily ration of sweet potato consumed means it is unlikely your birds would need a Vit A supplement.

My horde (a lot of budgies, two cockatiels and a kakariki) won't take carrots or squash or sweet potato so I give them a Vit A, C, E supplement in the form of AviPro, once per week, in their water. They do get offered a variety of herbs and veggies every day.

I probably could discontinue the AviPro but I can never be sure who is eating how much veg :)
 
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