Should You Feed Your Quakers
A Pelleted Diet?

THE DAYS WHEN people believed that their birds could survive indefinitely on nutritionally deficient, seed-only diets, seem almost prehistoric, yet they're not that far past. Only within the past 15 years or so has avian nutrition come to the forefront as a major concern of hobbyists, vets, and bird food companies.

Veterinarians have long blamed avian ills on poor nutrition, and the importance of a well-balanced, varied diet has become more evident. Research into avian nutrition has made great strides in recent years, and as a result, bird food manufacturers have been able to formulate a variety of healthful, prepared bird diets.

Pellets, crumbles and extruded foods are available to suit the taste and nutritional requirements of virtually every pet and aviary bird. If you're considering switching your bird to a pellet-based diet, or converting from seed altogether, you probably have some questions.

Pellet Or Extruded?
Manufactured avian diets are commonly referred to as "pellets," but the processes used to make "pelleted" and "extruded" foods are somewhat different. The extrusion method involves mixing pulverized ingredients together, then heating the mixture to temperatures exceeding the boiling point. The hot gruel is then forced through various dies to become the shapes designed to pique avian interest. The advantages of an extruded product include minimal dust and low bacterial counts because of pasteurization at high temperatures. This disadvantage is that the heating process destroys some vitamins.

Pellets are formed by combining ground ingredients, then heating the mixture to approximately 180 degree F and extruding it under high pressure to form the pellets. There is little loss of nutrients to heat, but bacteria counts may be higher because of the low temperatures used in the processing.

Formulated bird foods come in various shapes, sizes and colors. Some pellets resemble basic rabbit food, while others look and smell like fruity breakfast cereals. Most come in several seizes to suit small, medium and large birds. Handfeeding and medicated formulas are also available.

Storing Formulated Bird Foods
Instructions for proper storage are printed on the packaging of most manufactured avian diets, and the shelf life of the specific product is often indicated. Read product labels, and follow any special instructions for storage.

Basically, food should be kept in a cool, dry area, protected from rodents, insects and animals. Do not store large portions of pellets or crumbles in moisture-proof, tightly closed containers, because the moisture in the food itself can promote the growth of mold under such conditions. Keep bags of food off the floor, because mold can develop, and rodents can invade the bags.

You can refrigerate smaller containers or keep them on a pantry shelf if you will use the food quickly and climatic conditions are favorable. Refrigerate food if you live in a warm, humid climate. I prefer to keep about a week's worth of pellets in a jar on the bird shelf of my kitchen cabinet and refrigerate the remainder.

Advantages to Pelleted Diets
Density of nutrition: Pelleted and extruded foods have resulted from extensive research and testing, and are formulated to satisfy all known nutritional requirements of commonly kept pet and aviary birds, so separate vitamin supplements are unnecessary. It is important to note that supplementary vitamins should not be given to birds on pellet-based diets, as vitamin toxicity may result. (Literature from the Rolf C. Hagen Company, however, says that Prime vitamin, mineral and amino acid supplement can be added to Hagen Tropican breeding mash to add beneficial bacteria and digestive enzymes.)

Most manufacturers of formulated diets include supplemental feeding directions on packaging or in free, point-of-purchase literature. Many of these allow for the inclusion of up to 25% fruit, eggs, seed, vegetables, and table food as part of the total diet.

Neat and Easy To Use:
Manufactured diets only require that you dispense the allotted amount to your bird on a daily or twice daily basis. As with any food, you'll want to start with clean dishes and fresh feed each day to prevent deterioration of uneaten or soiled food. If you have stopped feeding seed altogether, you won't have seed hulls scattered about. This make life easier for bird-sitters, too; and ensures that your pet will enjoy proper nutrition when you must be away from home.

Parent birds on manufactured diets will, in turn, feed the nutritious food to the babies. When you take over, the prepared hand-feeding formula will take the guesswork out of rearing they young.

Increased Breeding:
Many breeders have reported increased breeding success after birds have been switched to pellet-based diets. My own birds consume dramatically larger quantities of pellets when breeding and raising babies.

Freshness:
Since manufacturers produce pellets and extruded diets year-round, you can always obtain "fresh" food. Buy brands with dated packaging, or purchase manufactured foods from shops that turn over their inventory quickly. ("Freshness", as it related to seed, can be a confusing term. Some seed stored in the pyramids has sprouted thousands of years later. Proper storage is more important than just the age of the seed.)