|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Useful Avian Facts
Avian veterinarians and breeders have long understood that the majority of avian health concerns they encounter are directly related to poor nutrition. Feeding birds was a nutritional guessing game until research provided the understanding of the proper avian diet.
Below are some facts every bird owner should know about avian nutrition:
General
| • |
Between 50 and 75% of bird illnesses are avoidable by feeding a nutritionally well-balanced diet. |
| • |
Beak condition, plumage color/intensity, body condition, and attitude are affected by nutrition. |
| • |
Poor nutrition causes reduced immune response and poor health. |
| • |
Poor nutrition, disease or any other stresses increase the body's requirement for nutrients. |
| • |
A bird's nutritional requirements can be affected by:
| • |
The bird's specie |
| • |
Reproductive status |
| • |
Health |
| • |
Environment/Activity |
| • |
Molt/Feather Replacement |
| • |
Age |
|
| • |
Proper maintenance of the pet bird and its environment are critical to continued good health. Daily cleaning/disinfecting of water containers is essential. |
Feeding
| • |
Most seeds, grains and fruits are deficient in a number of critical nutrients (i.e. calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D, etc.). |
| • |
Fresh, deeply pigmented vegetables are much more nutritious than fruits. Generally, fruits should only be considered as treats. |
| • |
A seed-only food (unsupplemented) is NOT a satisfactory diet for any pet bird. |
| • |
A nutritionally adequate diet for pet birds can be achieved with a variety of feeding methods:
| • |
Extruded diets (e.g. exact) |
| • |
Commercially produced, supplemented diets containing a wide variety of ingredients (e.g. Fiesta, Perfect Choice) |
| • |
Fortified seed diets (e.g. Forti-Diet) |
|
| • |
A properly researched, complete extruded diet is the most nutritionally superior of all diet types since precise levels of nutrients can be controlled and each bite is complete. |
Health Care
| • |
Learn to recognize normal behavior and attitude of your bird. It is a natural instinct for birds to hide signs of illness. |
| • |
Understand what are normal characteristics of your bird by monitoring their droppings, clarity of eyes and nostrils, plumage and attitude. These may give you the first signs of a health concern. |
| • |
"Bird-proof" your home. Safety check your pet's cage. |
| • |
Regular veterinary check-ups may help prevent or detect major diseases or illness. |
Kaytee exact was developed to address many of the above concerns and is the most extensively researched, tested, and proven extruded bird food available today. Formulated in the Kaytee Avian Research Center, Kaytee exact defines bird food. Each formula considers the specific nutrient requirements of different species and bird types and is designed to provide complete and balanced nutrition throughout all the life stages of birds.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
