Converting to Pellets Part 2: The Preferred Method

When purchasing commercially packaged pellets, as opposed to bulk, most companies will include their chosen method for converting to pellets in the package. Kaytee goes a step farther and includes a measuring cup in their pellets. The preferred method of most manufacturers seems to be mixing in pellets with the regular seed, gradually increasing the ratio of pellets to seeds until the bird is converted.

In the Pet Warehouse catalog, Lafaeber states the following: "1. Mixing with current diet - This involves mixing the pellets with your bird's current food. Start by mixing pellets with about 10% of the food, then gradually increase the amount of pellets each day until pellets account for the entire diet. This method is often done over a period of two or three weeks, depending on your bird!"

Kaytee provides more exact instructions with their Exact pellets. For their brand, they recommend a 1 part to 3 part ratio of pellets to seeds for about 7 days, then mixing to equal parts of seeds and pellets for a few days, then a 2 to 3 ratio for about 7 more days. (I do not have a Kaytee flyer anymore, so these are not exact parts/days, but give you a good representation of their method).

Nearly all bird professionals recommend that birds' diets change over a period of time. Being notoriously picky eaters when it comes to change, birds can starve to death if their current food is completely removed. This is why I do not recommend the method in the first article to anyone, and gave the specific reasons why I choose it for my birds, namely that they had been on pellets before and relished the brand I purchased.

The easiest way to utilize this method is to purchase the pellets of choice and some resealable containers. I find the food storage containers work well. I mix up the first batch of food using the ratios recommended by the manufacturer. A measuring cup for larger birds (keeping in mind their total daily food intake), and measuring spoons for smaller birds work well as a measuring tool. Towards the middle and end of the conversion, you may wish to keep your batches small, in case the formula needs "tweaking."

Ideally, every bird should have a well bird checkup (yes, even that parakeet you had given to you) once a year. The visit to the veterinarian provides a forum for you to discuss your bird's nutritional needs with someone knowledgeable about avian nutrition. At this time, weight disorders or other diseases caused by bad nutrition can also be diagnosed, and the bird's diet changed accordingly.

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