Why switch to OptiBird?

Because it is simple, safe and economical:

• no need for buying extra supplements or vitamins
• no cleaning or cutting food
• no mess in your kitchen
• less preparation time for the meals
• less food necessary
• no hulls or other waste and mess in the cage
• no problems and no worries: your bird will get all the nutrients it needs!

Most people feed seed mixtures, so that must be good for my bird…or not?

Seeds Blends naturally have a lack of key nutrients (nutrients) such as Lysine, Calcium, Phosphorus, Sodium, Magnesium, Zinc, Iron, Iodine, Selenium, Vitamins A, D, E and K, Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Pantothenic acid (Vit B5 ), Niacin, Vitamin B12 and Choline ¹. Besides the high fat content, making the bird susceptible to obesity can lead to low resistance to infections, other diet-related diseases and premature mortality. An unbalanced diet can also affect the breeding results.

¹ From: Formulated diets versus seed mixtures for psittacines. Authors: Ullrey, D.E., Allen M.E., Baer D.J. Quote: Journal of Nutrition in November 1991, 121 (11 Suppl): S193-205

But birds in the wild do eat seeds, don’t they?

As already mentioned, the birds in the wild eat a variety of foods such as seeds, flowers, buds, leaves, fruits, grasses, shrubs and insects depend on the seasonal availability and climate. Wild birds have a diet with more calories, simply because they use up much more energy spending on long flights.

Why just not add vitamins and mineral supplements to the seed diet?

There are manufacturers who have tried to coat the seeds with vitamins and minerals, however the bird dehulls the seed and will not get much of it inside. Did you know that 20-70% of the weight of the seeds exists from the inedible shells? Loose pellets with vitamins and minerals in the seed mix with these nutrients will generally be ignored by the bird. Adding powder will be the same, also ignored. The last option would be to add supplements to the water, but is never known exactly how much the bird gets ingested and adding to water increases the risk of bacterial infections. Even worse is overdosating,so the bird could be poisoned.

And fruits and vegetables then?

Although most fruits and vegetables are a healthy supplement to the diet of the bird, it is wise not to give more than 15% of the daily diet. Some fruits and vegetables are high in sugar and carbohydrates and lack important nutrients. And because they add mass and fiber, the bird will get satirized and the important and nutritious part of the diet will be skipped (preferably a complete feed such as OptiBird).