814 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. (US HWY17)
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 216-VETS (8387)

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Formulated Diets

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Nutrition

Malnutrition causes 90% of health problems.  Malnutrition is caused by a diet that does not contain the necessary vitamins and minerals to keep your bird healthy.  Unfortunately seeds, even with supplements, do not provide good long term results.  Seeds are missing 32 ingredients from 8 groups, including vitamins A and D3, calcium, iron, and fiber.  This is why Birds and Exotics Animal Care strongly recommends a pelleted diet for any bird.  Every type of bird has different nutritional needs and should be offered a balanced formulated diet in addition to healthy fresh items daily.  Our doctor will happily discuss any dietary issues or concerns with you during your appointment, as well as suggest the proper additions to the basic pelleted diet.  We carry Harrison’s Bird Foods since their pellet is made of the highest quality ingredients.

Harrison’s Bird Foods make a specially formulated pellet to meet all the nutritional requirements to ensure your bird is receiving the optimal amount of vitamins and minerals.  The pellets come in a variety of sizes and nutritional densities.  There are no added colors so as not to affect the color of your bird’s stool.  The pellets are 100% organic and do NOT contain any of the following:

bullet Chemical insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides
bullet Double-dosed vitamins
bullet Bacteria or mycotoxins
bullet Colorings
bullet Preservatives
bullet Flavorings
bullet By-products

For more information on Harrison’s Bird Foods… www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com

 

Conversion Tips

1)  If you normally offer your bird a variety of foods, putting HBD in his bowl may be enough to get him to eat it.  If, on the other hand, your bird is not cooperating or it is not accustomed to a changing diet, here are some simple steps to introduce HBD to you pet. If you are adding a new pet to an established aviary, try the old “birdie see/birdie do” method.   House your bird near another bird who is already eating HBD.  The urge to know what he’s missing will be too much for him to resist. 

2)  Stick with the things that make your bird feel comfortable like using his favorite bowl.

3)  Mix a small amount of HBD in with the food your bird is accustomed to eating.  Gradually increase the amount of HBD offered over the next 3-5 days if he is eating it well.

4)  While your bird is learning to accept the texture and presentation of HBD, go ahead and leave it in the bowl all day.  We normally recommend splitting the feedings into two 30-minute sessions.  By making food available once in the morning and evening, not only does this ensure the food you are offering is fresh, we also find birds east with more gusto (maybe because this mimics their feeding patterns in nature).

5)  Another method of changing your bird’s routine is to feed the regular diet for 30 minutes in the morning.  Replace it with HBD pellets for the rest of the day.  Offer the old diet again at dusk only if the pellets haven’t been eaten.

6)  Remember, birds only eat what they have been taught to eat.  A hungry bird would rather starve than eat something it doesn’t recognize as food.  IF the pellets are not eaten, offer your bird his regular diet again in the evening.  Avoid putting him to bed hungry.  He will lose weight overnight.

7)  Try feeding him with the rest of the family at mealtimes.  Go head and taste the HBD in front of your bird.  Rest assured, it is good for you too!

In the long run, your commitment will be the key to your bird’s good health.  Once your bird starts eating HBD, he won’t miss the food he ate before, and you won’t miss all the hassle of providing a varied (unbalanced) diet.

 

 

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March 2003

Last Update:  March 2008

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