Some suggested food items include: When birds are ill, they will commonly develop a change in their droppings. Several types of commercially formulated pelleted diets in various colors, shapes, and sizes have been developed to meet all birds’ nutritional needs. If you choose to feed your budgie seeds, they should make up no more than 60% of the diet. Different species of birds often require different foods. Offer fresh water every day. Get answers by asking now. I accidentally fed my canaries budgie food, and I'm wooried it will harm them! In the wild, since season dictates seed availability, there are times of the year when insects and certain fruits, berries, and vegetation will constitute the bulk of canaries’ diets. Pet canaries should be fed a well-balanced and varied diet at all times. Some birds in fact, will overconsume grit when it is offered and develop gastrointestinal tract obstructions that are potentially life threatening. You should not feed your canaries egg food during the incubation period. The rest should be fresh fruit and vegetables. Speak to your veterinarian regarding your bird’s specific needs. It also contains flax, hemp, and white millet. Gradually, pellets may be crushed less fine and mixed with smaller amounts of table food until table food is no longer needed to get the bird to eat pellets. Millet is just another form of seed and is not nutritionally complete. Birds LOVE Manitoba Alpiste 100% Natural and Cleaned Canary Seeds A suitable seed mix for a Canary If you opt to buy premixed seed, it will need to be developed specifically for finches. Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. An all-seed diet is not nutritionally complete for a canary. When half-ripe, the small seeds are still white and a bit milky, but the birds also like ripe seed pods. It may take days, weeks, or months to modify a bird's diet. Like soy, rape is a weed. Of course they are not canaries, but I think all birds need a good diet of whole grains (such as whole wheat bread pieces), fresh veggies and fruits (if they will eat fruits), my budgie and tiel are not too keen on fruit, but they LOVE fresh veggies. For the most part, finches and parakeets not only eat but will thrive on the same kinds of seeds. Small amounts of powdered vitamin supplements may be administered on moist food, but are generally not necessary once the bird has been converted to pellets. Offer seeds one week and pellets the next so the birds learn to accept the pellets. Canaries do not need gravel or grit because they remove the outer hull of the seed before ingesting the kernel. As a matter of fact a lot of budgie breeders also know that they can feed a canary mix to the budgies too, as they are very similar. Water Fresh clean water must be available at all times. Always monitor the amount of food each bird eats every day. Budgies prefer half-ripe seed pods of the common chickweed. Yes i think you can.no it won't harm your bird. You should discuss your bird's nutrition with your veterinarian. Is it legal to have an owl as a pet in California ? Different species of birds often require different foods. Initially, birds may not recognize pellets as food. Incubation takes between 13 and 14 days. Different pelleted formulations are available for different life stages and for the management of certain diseases. I know you mean feeding a budgie food to your canaries. Our knowledge of bird nutrition is constantly evolving. Learn more. While you can give canary food to a budgie for a short amount of time I'd highly advise feeding it pellets though because seeds don't have much nutritional value. Birds may be offered pellets in a bowl separate from any other food and ideally first thing in the morning, when they are hungriest. Consult your veterinarian if you encounter any problems with this transition or with the health of your bird. Millet seed, often offered by owners as a millet spray or branch, is often chosen preferentially. The different stages provide different nutrients to your bird. Fresh vegetables are always best; avoid canned varieties. Once the budgie shows the slightest interest with the pellets, the owner can then begin mixing a teaspoon of pellets into its seeds on a daily basis. As with all other animals, birds need a proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. Contributors: Rick Axelson, DVM; Updated by Laurie Hess, DVM. It will be fine. Our knowledge of bird nutrition is constantly evolving due to both heightened awareness of the importance of nutrition and to increased research into birds’ different needs. Different species of birds often require different foods. Poor nutrition can lead to ill health and potentially shorten the life of your canary. Even the new “fortified” seed diets on the market are still lacking, as the bird will only eat the inside of most seeds, leaving the “hull” behind. Unfortunately, not all birds will eat pellets. However, we now know that only birds like pigeons and doves that consume seeds whole, without removing the outer hull, need gravel to help with digestion.