Food, Vitamins and Minerals for Your Bird

Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

Food, Vitamins and Minerals for Your Bird

Proper Diet, Vitamins and Minerals

Like people and animals, birds derive a sense of security from day to day routine. It is best to feed your bird a little in the morning and a little at night. In this way, the bird is usually hungry when you feed it and will eat most of what you offer. You run little risk of developing a fussy eater with this method. The major cause of common disease problems in pet birds is an improper diet, which leads to malnutrition, dietary deficiencies and often death. A balanced diet must be provided if the bird is to be kept alive and healthy. The only way to achieve good nutrition is to feed your bird a variety of foodstuff. It is better to purchase a quality mixture from a pet shop that knows birds and mixes their own fresh seed, than to buy some of the boxed commercial mixtures that are of poorer quality. Treat foods, moulting food, song food and conditioner food are called supplemental seeds, and are basically a different variety of seed types, some of which have a vitamin-mineral supplementation. FRUIT, VEGETABLES AND GREENS--Some form of fruit, vegetables or leafy greens should be fed to your bird every day. Some of either, or piece of each, can be left in the cage with the bird. GRIT-- Since birds do not have teeth for chewing their food, they have developed a very muscular organ in their digestive tracts, which helps grind their food into smaller, more digestible particles. this organ is called the gizzard. An abrasive material like grit is required by most birds to assist the gizzard in its grinding action. Choose a grit size relative to the size of your bird. VITAMINS--A high percentage of pet birds are vitamin and mineral deficient. This figure may run as high as 80% because too many bird owners are uninformed about what constitutes a proper diet for their pets. All birds require certain vitamins and minerals in their diet. Your best bet is a liquid vitamin-mineral mixture that can be given directly to the bird, put on his fruit and vegetables, or dissolved in his water.

VITAMIN CHART--This chart indicates these particular vitamins, and their respective values to the bird's health. Use this chart as a guide the next time you are selecting an appropriate vitamon mixture for your bird. Read the label carefully. A---essential for:tissue growth and regeneration; eyesight. Keeps skin and bones healthy. B1 Thiamine---Assists: important metabolic functions: overall growth; the development of smooth muscle texture and a healthy nervous system. B2 Riboflavin---Assists: important metabolic functions; skin, feather and nail quality. B3 Niacin---Important to: metabolic processes; nervous and digestive systems; production of hormones. B6 Pyridoxine---Assists: production of digestive juices; development of red blood cells and antibodies; operation of nervous and musculoskeletal systems. B12 Cyanocobalamin---Essential for: normal metabolism. BIOTIN---Assists: important metabolic functions. CHOLINE---Assists: metabolizing of fats and cholesterol; functioning of the nervous system, liver and kidneys. FOLIC ACID---Helps: the body use proteins; the production of red blood cells and body tissue. PANTOTHENIC---Essential for: cellular metabolism; a healthy digestive tract; functioning of adrenal glands. C---Assists: connective tissue formation, and healing wounds and burns; production of red blood cells; fighting infection. D3---Essential for: bone formation; a healthy heart and nervous system; blood clotting (Birds do not utilize vitamin D2; they must have D3). E---Is an antiozidant; prevents the degeneration of fatty acids, and vitamins A and B; circulation and tissue regeneration. K---Essential for: proper liver functioning; blood clotting; vitality factor. Effects of Deficiency, impaired blood clotting. MINERALS---Mineral supplements are as important to your bird as vitamins because most seeds are mineral deficient, especially in calcium. Calcium and phosphorus deficiences can show up as a sudden lameness in female birds that are laying eggs.

MINERAL CHART---This chart on minerals indicates those which a bird needs and thrives on. CALCIUM---Development and growth of bones and muscles; proper functioning of heart, muscles, blood and nervous systems. CHLORINE---Helps maintain chemical acid alkali and fluid balance; produces digestive stomach acids. IODINE---Acts as a regulator of metabolism; essential to thyroid production of thyroxine hormone. IRON---Essential for the development and function of healthy blood is part of the haemoglobin in red blood cells that transports oxygen. MAGNESIUM---Important for bone formation and proper metabolism; activates enzymes. MANGANESE---Important for: bone and blood formation; regulating metabolism by activating enzymes. PHOSPHORUS---Essential for: important metabolic functions; cell growth and regeneration; digestion of vitamins B2 and B3; combines with calcium in bone formation. SELENIUM---Works in conjunction with vitamin E---may have some anti-cancer properties. SODIUM---Regulates the body's fluid balance and helps in acid alkali balance. ZINC---Essential for: normal matabolism; is part of insulin.