Converting Your Bird to an Avian Formulated Diet

CONVERTING YOUR BIRD TO A PELLETED DIET

Most birds don't recognize pellets as food when first presented with a generous bowl full. If you're lucky, yours will dive right in. But if not, read on to guide your bird onto the path to better health.

IN GENERAL
• Start with a healthy bird in good weight. If you're unsure whether this describes your bird, see your Avian Veterinarian for a check-up.

• If you don't already, start observing your bird's droppings. Change to newspaper in the bottom of the cage so you can see them clearly. Learn what they normally look like during the course of the day.

• Choose an appropriate type and size pellet for your bird. You may want to try several different brands at first to see if one kind is more attractive to your bird. If one seems favored over another, use that kind for your new diet.

• Be patient, persistent and creative. All birds can learn to enjoy pellets, some take more time and effort than others to convert.

THE PLAN
• Offer the pellets by mixing them with your bird's accustomed seed in a 50/50 ratio. This way he will at least have to look and touch them to get to the seed. Give him a generous bowl full at normal feeding times and observe his behavior. Don't be discouraged if he tosses them out of the bowl, at least he's touching them and he may accidentally bite into one and discover it's food!

• Depending on your bird's response, offer this mixture for several weeks until you're sure your bird is eating some pellets. Evidence of this will be a change in the color of the fecal part of the dropping from green to the color of the pellet, crumbled pellets in the bowl or bottom of the cage or actually seeing him eat one.

• Once you're sure he's trying them, gradually decrease the proportion of seed and increase the pellets. The next stage is to offer pellets only for 48 hours, carefully watching his droppings. If they begin to look sparse (smaller amount, decreased fecal matter) back up in the program to the pellet/seed mixture and go slower.

• There is no set timetable for this conversion. Your bird's response to this new food will determine how slow or fast it goes. Observe carefully.

EXCEPTION
• Cocktiels, parakeets and parrotlets should get 50% seed, fruit and veggies with 50% pellets.

ADDITIONAL OFFERINGS
• Some birds enjoy pellets soaked in a favorite fruit juice or warm water. Remember, as with all soft foods, to remove the uneaten portion after several hours or it becomes a cozy place for bacteria to grow.

• Sprinkle pellets over favorite fruits, veggies or table foods. Eat some with your bird!

• Always provide plenty of fresh water in a clean bowl.