Owners of canaries are often unaware of how important it is that these creatures eat a balanced diet. It is essential to their well-being that they receive the right amount of nutrients to prevent illness and death. Knowing how to choose the best canary food will ensure that owners can enjoy the company of a happy, healthy, feathered friend for many years.
The key to formulating a balanced diet is to basically replicate what the bird would be eating in the wild. Although seeds of seasonal availability are the largest part of the bird's diet, it will also eat insects, fruits, berries, and other vegetation. Offering it a variety of sustenance provides a wider range of nutrients.
Pre-packaged foods on the market usually contain a combination of 2 - 5 kinds of seeds. Often, the canaries will only eat those which they prefer and leave the rest, which can easily lead to malnutrition and sickness. While seeds are certainly a valuable part of a bird's diet, it is essential to provide them with other foods as well.
An effective way to provide a nutritionally complete diet to a canary is to feed it specially formulated pellets. These are made from a combination of crushed seeds and are a great single source of many essential nutrients. It is recommended that pellets make up about 75-80% of the bird's diet. Some of these are specially blended for a certain stage in life or condition. Feeding pellets from early on is best as it may be hard to get an older bird to switch over from seeds.
Canary food should be placed in a shallow dish, one for each bird in the cage. They should not be given more than they will eat in 24 hours. Usually about1-2 teaspoons of seed will be enough. There must always be fresh water available for the bird to drink. Canaries need to drink frequently because of their fast metabolism and are prone to dehydration.
About 1/4 of the diet should consist of fruits and vegetables. Popular choices include lettuce, spinach, watercress, apples, grapes, and kernels of corn. Avocado is toxic to canaries and should never be given. These provide an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. All produce must first be washed thoroughly and then cut into manageable pieces the bird can peck at.
Canaries also love to get special snacks. It's generally considered safe to feed them any nutritious food humans eat, such as hard-boiled eggs, cheeses, and meats. During breeding time, it's recommended to feed them a mixture of eggs and biscuits. Treats made especially for birds such as honey sticks and millet sprays are always welcome as well.
Most canaries will not require a supplement, especially if they are on a canary food pellet diet, but sometimes it is beneficial if there is a noted deficiency or when they are laying eggs, which calls for extra calcium. These preparations are usually powders that are mixed with the bird's food or water. Grit may also be given, to help with digestion, but many birds can easily get by without it.
The key to formulating a balanced diet is to basically replicate what the bird would be eating in the wild. Although seeds of seasonal availability are the largest part of the bird's diet, it will also eat insects, fruits, berries, and other vegetation. Offering it a variety of sustenance provides a wider range of nutrients.
Pre-packaged foods on the market usually contain a combination of 2 - 5 kinds of seeds. Often, the canaries will only eat those which they prefer and leave the rest, which can easily lead to malnutrition and sickness. While seeds are certainly a valuable part of a bird's diet, it is essential to provide them with other foods as well.
An effective way to provide a nutritionally complete diet to a canary is to feed it specially formulated pellets. These are made from a combination of crushed seeds and are a great single source of many essential nutrients. It is recommended that pellets make up about 75-80% of the bird's diet. Some of these are specially blended for a certain stage in life or condition. Feeding pellets from early on is best as it may be hard to get an older bird to switch over from seeds.
Canary food should be placed in a shallow dish, one for each bird in the cage. They should not be given more than they will eat in 24 hours. Usually about1-2 teaspoons of seed will be enough. There must always be fresh water available for the bird to drink. Canaries need to drink frequently because of their fast metabolism and are prone to dehydration.
About 1/4 of the diet should consist of fruits and vegetables. Popular choices include lettuce, spinach, watercress, apples, grapes, and kernels of corn. Avocado is toxic to canaries and should never be given. These provide an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. All produce must first be washed thoroughly and then cut into manageable pieces the bird can peck at.
Canaries also love to get special snacks. It's generally considered safe to feed them any nutritious food humans eat, such as hard-boiled eggs, cheeses, and meats. During breeding time, it's recommended to feed them a mixture of eggs and biscuits. Treats made especially for birds such as honey sticks and millet sprays are always welcome as well.
Most canaries will not require a supplement, especially if they are on a canary food pellet diet, but sometimes it is beneficial if there is a noted deficiency or when they are laying eggs, which calls for extra calcium. These preparations are usually powders that are mixed with the bird's food or water. Grit may also be given, to help with digestion, but many birds can easily get by without it.
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