Our lives are rather busy, and time spent at work can take away from the moments we can enjoy with our pets. Do your children want to take care of a pet? A dog or cat could be too much responsibility, and in addition, they would come with expenses that might not be sustainable at the moment. This situation is increasingly common in Australian households, so more and more people are deciding to buy pet birds. Why would you be interested in a parrot or a Lorikeet? In short, because they are intelligent, affectionate animals that can form a real connection with your family and can be a loyal companion for decades.
However, as a responsible person, you know that any pet, large or small, comes with an increased responsibility that you must manage skillfully. Do you know, for example, what nutritional characteristics differentiate the Lorikeet food found in stores from the one designed for Cockatoos? Do you know the ingredients that should be included in a healthy parrot’s diet? All these questions need pertinent answers. Therefore, in the next few minutes, we will analyse these queries and present why you should always turn to products marketed by recognised manufacturers, such as Vetafarm, Harrisons Organic, or Tropimix.
Begin your search for a bird store by exploring online directories and forums dedicated to avian enthusiasts. Utilize search engines with specific keywords such as “bird store near me” to find local options. Consider visiting pet supply stores and asking for recommendations from knowledgeable staff.
What’s So Special About Lorikeet Food?
Lorikeets are playful and intelligent birds, which by their colourful plumage, could be the centre of attention in any room. Lorikeets, when kept indoors, can live to be over twenty years old, and their high energy levels and ability to mimic human speech make them a favourite bird for families with young children. But Lorikeets are not only exciting animals because of their appearance or intelligence. They also possess some exotic nutritional needs that can be fascinating to watch.
Lorikeet food differs from parrot or other types of bird food through its composition. While most birds feed on seeds and nuts, Lorikeets have a high metabolism and need a diet rich in nectar and fruit to thrive and grow healthily. The ideal Lorikeed food pellets found in stores should contain a minimum of 80% nectar, with the remaining 20% consisting of fruit and vegetables. Lorikeets are nectarivorous, meaning they feed almost exclusively on pollen and nectar extracted from flowers. But they also enjoy the many tropical fruits found within their territory. Incidentally, their tongue is specialised for removing pollen, and their feeding habits are fascinating to watch, especially for the little ones.
It is imperative to choose a specialised Lorikeet food manufacturer with experience in the Australian market who has all the resources to create a fruit and nectar mix to the taste of your small bird. Perhaps the most recognisable companies operating in our domestic market are Wombaroo, Vetafarm, Paswell, and Avione. The food you buy must be designed for Lorikeets, as their nutritional preferences differ significantly from other birds in the avian kingdom.
What to Know About Parrot Food?
Parrots are intelligent, long-living animals that can be ideal pets for Australian homes. And compared to other types of birds, their diet is pretty straightforward. Parrots mainly need a diet rich in fibre, protein, and beneficial fats, which can be extracted from seeds, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Unlike Lorikeets, which feed on nectar, parrots must avoid high-glucose or high-fructose ingredients as these can cause intestinal damage when consumed in excess.
Parrot pellets should comprise at least 60-70% of your bird’s diet and be manufactured by an experienced company such as Vetafarm or Murphy’s. What is in these pellets? In short, a well-distributed mix of seeds, nuts, and fibre, specifically combined to meet your bird’s caloric needs. The remaining 30% of your parrot’s diet should consist of various vegetables such as broccoli, bell pepper or zucchini and fruits like grapes or apples.
Fruits are an essential part of the natural diet of parrots, but they should not account for the bulk of their nutrition, as sugars in excess can be difficult to digest. So, a 5-10% fruit diet for your feathered friend would be ideal. In addition, parrots, especially African Grays, can easily suffer from Vitamin A deficiency, so it’s best to turn to parrot food produced by a reputable brand like Vetafarm or Pretty Bird which has added nutrients and vitamins, helpful, especially if your little friend is a picky eater.
What to Look for In Bird Food?
As with food purchased for other pets, it’s best to look at the selections of famous brands, such as Living Worlds or Vetafarm, before making a buying decision. The purchased food should only contain natural and carefully selected ingredients with a known origin. It is best to avoid bird feed that contains artificial preservatives such as Ethoxyquin or Propylene glycol, as well as companies that boost the hue of their pellets with artificial colours.
The bird food you purchase will depend on your avian species’ preferences and nutritional needs. Do you own a Lorikeet? Then it should benefit first and foremost from a diet based on nectar and fruits rich in natural sugars. Is your bird an African Gray? Then it will primarily need protein and beneficial fats, so bird pellets should account for about 80% of its diet. Do you own a Cockatoo? Then this percentage could be reduced to 50%, with the rest of the diet consisting of vegetables and berries. The Australian market is spoilt for choice when it comes to bird food, and today’s customers have all the resources needed to make the right decision for the comfort of their birds.
Enjoy Your Pet for Years to Come
Birds are animals that can provide faithful accompaniment throughout our lives. African Grays, for example, can live in captivity for up to 80 years. And all these decades, if you care for your bird correctly, will likely bring you rewards and joys that are hard to achieve with any other type of pet. Proper Cockatoo or Lorikeet food from reputable manufacturers, such as Vetafarm or Harrisons, could supplement your bird’s nutritional needs. In contrast, accessories such as cages or swings could provide it with the distraction it needs to develop appropriately both physically and behaviorally.
But proper bird ownership involves more than that. Nutrition and purchased accessories are essential, but your bird will also need regular vet check-ups, proper socialisation that includes time spent with the important people in your life, and a mate to keep them happy when you’re not home. Birds are social and affectionate animals that can act as beloved companions for decades when properly cared for. And the moments spent in their company can improve the mood of even the grumpiest individual.
