The Best Parakeet Diet and Foods: What to Feed a Budgie
The Basic Parakeet Diet
Parakeets are relatively easy to feed. They are curious birds that are generally willing to try out most treats you present to them. Most budgie owners prefer to purchase pre-mixed seeds at pet supply stores; however, a seed diet alone does not provide a parakeet with all the essential nutrients it needs.
The good news is that the rest of the nutrients your budgie needs can already be found in simple foods around your home. You may be surprised at how many "human" foods are safe and recommended for parakeets.
Wondering what to feed parakeets? Read on to learn all about the best food for parakeets!
Types of Seeds Budgies Can Eat
There are a variety of parakeet seed blends for sale at local pet stores, and generally, one is not better than another. Seeds tend to be low on certain amino acids, vitamins and minerals parakeets need. This is why a purely seed-based diet is not recommended, as it can deprive the parakeet of nutrients.
In addition, parakeets that live a sedentary lifestyle and are placed on a seed diet alone may have excessive fat deposits, which can have the same consequences on the bird as on a human. This is because seeds are relatively high in fat, and for an inactive bird, this is bad news.
Do not purchase seeds that are not labeled “for parakeets” or “small/medium birds”. For example, seeds that can be placed in a bird feeder outside for birds in the wild will have an even higher concentration of fat than parakeet seeds because the birds in the wild use a lot of energy just flying around. You should not feed this type of seed to a less active parakeet.
With all of this in mind, it’s important to realize that there is a wide range of fat content in the types of seeds that parakeets eat. It is possible to feed them a relatively low-fat-content diet of seeds. Still, there are not enough vitamins and minerals in such a diet, and it, therefore, must be supplemented by pellets, fruits, vegetables, and even nuts.
Below are some common types of seeds that are found in parakeet blends or which can be purchased and mixed separately:
- Safflower: ideal for any small parrot
- Groats: ideal for any small parrot
- White sunflower: given in moderation
- Striped sunflower: common in many small/medium parrot mixes
- Canary seed: suitable for budgies as well
- Millet spray: a favorite treat for budgies
Pellets
Pellets are designed to mimic seeds and are often mixed into seed diets to provide the nutrients that the seed alone does not. They may contain several vitamins and minerals the bird needs, which is great!
The bad news is that parakeets not trained to accept this type of food will generally not eat it even if it is mixed within the seed and the purpose of the pellets is lost. Monitor your parakeet if you can to see if it eats the pellets or drops them to the cage floor, as most often do.
The best way to integrate pellets into a parakeet's diet is to do so gradually. Most parakeets will reject the pellets entirely if switched abruptly from a seed to a pellet diet. Grab six zip-lock baggies (one for each week) and refer to the table below on how to gradually mix and introduce the food to your parakeets. You can stop at three weeks and feed your budgie a half-seed, half-pellet diet, which will still provide variety but with the added benefits of pellets.
If your budgie needs a stricter diet (e.g., budgies that are bred for shows), then continue to the sixth week until the budgerigar is on a pellet diet only.
How to Introduce Pellets into a Budgie's Diet
| Week | Mixture |
|---|---|
1 | 5-part seed, 1-part pellet |
2 | 4-part seed, 2-part pellet |
3 | half seed/half pellet |
4 | 2-part seed, 4-part pellet |
5 | 1-part seed, 5-part pellet |
6 | Use pellets only |
Offer fruits and vegetables along with a parakeet's normal seed/pellet diet.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables provide natural vitamins and minerals for a parakeet, and they also offer the bird various options. Berries such as strawberries and blueberries are very high in antioxidants, and as soon as a parakeet gets a taste for the juice of the fruits, it will soon begin eating the fruit itself.
Note: Do not feed birds avocado! They contain persin, a toxic and lethal chemical to birds.
Vegetables can be equally as appetizing as fruits and can (and should) be served with other leafy greens like lettuce (avoid iceberg lettuce since it is sparse in nutrients). Kale or spinach are good to add to a vegetable mix.
However, fruits should not be served to a parakeet daily since they contain more sugar than vegetables. Two to three times a week should suffice. On the other hand, vegetables can be given daily along with the bird's regular seed diet. One note to keep in mind is that a budgie's droppings will become more watery when fed fruits or vegetables, but do not mistake this for diarrhea.
These should be offered often (every day, if possible) along with the normal seed/pellet mix.
Some fruits that can be fed to a parakeet
Fruits for a Parakeet
- Bananna - high in potassium
- Grapefruit - high in vitamin A
- Mango - high in vitamin A
- Apricot
- Watermelon
- Peach
- Apple
- Grapes
- Orange - all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C
- Blueberry - high in antioxidants, may stain droppings
- Blackberry - high in antioxidants, may stain droppings
- Papaya - high in vitamin A
- Cantaloupe - high in vitamin A
- Strawberry - high in antioxidants, give in moderation
- Passion fruit
- Cherry/Sour cherry - may stain droppings red, but this is normal
This is not a complete list, but it does contain the more common fruits that are likely to be found around the house. Generally, all fruits are safe for parakeets when given in moderation with the exception of avocado.
Also, remember that if a parakeet refuses the food once, it does not mean it will refuse it always. Try presenting the food in a different form next time. Chop it up more finely or mix it in with seed and other fruits all at once.
Some vegetables that can be fed to a parakeet
Vegetables for a Parakeet
- Tomato - high in vitamin A
- Cucumber
- Carrot - very high in vitamin A
- Parsley - give in moderation
- Kale
- Spinach - high in antioxidants
- Broccoli - high in potassium
- Cabbage
- Peas - high in potassium
- Chili peppers - see note at bottom*
- Squash
- Beans - such as kidney, lima, soy, chic peas, lentils
- Zucchini
- Lettuce - do not give iceberg lettuce, dark greens only
- Asparagus
- Beans - break the pod halfway and let your budgies pick at them
Just as the list of fruit, this is not a complete list, but they are more common vegetables. Do not give parakeets vegetables from a can; these are often stripped of nutrients and contain preservatives and additives in the juices, which may be harmful to a bird.
One way to introduce vegetables to a budgie is to steam or boil them. For example, carrots can be boiled and cut into tiny pieces. This can be topped with some leafy greens and some millet spray to tempt the birds to pick at the treat.
*Budgies can safely be fed hot chili peppers because the VR1 receptors, which are responsible for detecting a hot/spicy food, in their mouths do not "respond" to the hot/spicy taste like our VR1 receptors, so they do not taste the chili pepper the same way we do.
Parakeets can eat a variety of nuts. They can be ground or chopped up finely and added to a parakeet's seed/pellet mix
What Nuts Can Parakeets Eat?
Parakeets can eat quite a few types of nuts. They are nutritious but also high in fat, so make sure to give them sparingly; two-three times a week is enough. Remember never to feed your parakeet slated or otherwise flavored nuts, and stay away from any "Party-mix" varieties that almost always come roasted and salted.
Nuts Suitable for Parakeets
- Almond - avoid the roasted variety
- Cashew
- Hazelnut
- Walnut
- Pecan
- Macadamia
- Peanut - take them out of the shells first, or wash and inspect the shell to ensure there is no mold growing
- Pistachios - the same as with peanuts; if they are in their shells, wash and inspect the shell first
If your parakeets are not eating the nuts as is, you can crush a few and mix them in with their regular pellet/seed diet. If you chop up all their fruits and vegetables into a mix, then you can also add chopped nuts into the mix as well.
Millet and flavored seed blocks for parakeets. Give millet in moderation (1–2 inches per day).
Treats and Snacks for a Parakeet
- Millet spray - can be fattening; give no more than two inches per day
- Flavored Seed Sticks - sold in most pet stores
- Cuttlebone - (also cuttlefish bone) a natural calcium block, helps to trim a bird's beak
- Mineral block - a source of minerals that also helps to trim a bird's beak
- Grass seeds - you can find these in any field of flowers or even in your backyard. This can be given often.
- Oat grass - you can grow your own!