Converting to Pellets 4: Choosing the Pellet

In this final look at converting your birds to pellets, we'll discuss how to select the right brand. Several factors create the decision of which brand to choose and where to purchase it. With the variety of mail order retailers, such as Pet Warehouse , Hornbeck's, Great Companions, and others, no longer does having local source restrict which brands to purchase.

I discussed pellets with members of the First Internet Bird Club, which brands they feed to their birds and how they selected those brands. Most participants in the discussion agreed that nutritional content, company reputation, cost, and availability all played an important role. In addition, some owners actually tasted their birds' pellets, and thus, taste, or appeal, also became an important factor.

First, let's discuss availability. If you're lucky enough to live in a major city, like myself, and have bird stores available, then the availability of certain brands might not be an issue. For someone living in a smaller town, or more rural area, the bird owner may need to mail order pellets. While mail order is probably more convenient than remembering to stop at the store, it does pose a challenge, especially when first converting. You'll probably not want to spend a lot of money on a brand of pellets that your bird may not eat. Oftentimes, companies can send samples, or you may find a brand on an outing to a larger city, then decide to ship the brand to you if your bird's like it. As we move towards a more global village, and with the ease of shopping online, availability will become less of an issue.

However availability does remain an issue for some, including myself. "My only problem with deciding which brand was availability," says Mary Jane. "Pretty Bird was originally recommended to me a few years ago. I have had a few instances when I could not readily find that brand."

Brenda, another FIBC member also noted that Harrison's and Roudybush, which are two highly recommended brands, are not sold at pet stores, but since she mail orders anyway, it was not an issue.

Depending on how "in touch" with the bird community at large you are, company reputation may not play a large role. There is a brand of bird food I will not personally purchase, given my experiences with this company as the director of a bird rescue organization. However, depending on the issues, this may, or may not, affect your purchase.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic