# Weight Loss



## Nicalou (Dec 26, 2016)

When I first got my budgies they were chubby and practically flightless, sleeping most of the day. Their now flying, climbing, playing, shouting and appear healthy but they've lost weight, they still have the occasional power nap but not as often. I've had them for a week and they've reached a stable body mass that's similar to my last budgies. They eat well, having a food dispenser and bowl so the feed is always available, a treat stick, millet spray and I offer them veg but I don't think they eat it.
I've checked their poop and it's healthy.

Could it be the gain in activeness that has caused the weight loss?
or do I need to find a new feed? they eat Trill 'Nutrivit'.


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

The exercise is probably contributing to their weight loss.

Ideally, a budgie should have 1 1\2 to 2 teaspoons of seed per bird, per day. 
You have seed available all the time as well as millet and a seed treat.

I would remove both the millet spray and seed treat. These should be given as a treat occasionally and not always on offer.

A routine would be good for your birds feeding habits and introducing veg and pellets. 
There are a few links here that detail a healthy diet that you should have a look through to give yourself an idea of what is workable for you.

My birds still have seed but enjoy healthy vegetables as well.


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## iHeartPieds (Jan 9, 2017)

Trill isn't recommended for people living in the UK as many have had issues with it. I agree with Therm, in removing the millet and treat stick, but it may also be a good idea to look into an alternative seed mix.


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

You can look in to buying seed from Haith's. They sell amazing fresh seed, in a variety of different mixes and loads of different sizes.

Here's the cage on Budgie seed for you to look at.


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## Nicalou (Dec 26, 2016)

My parents are reluctant to buy food online, but I'm hoping I'll be able to get Harrisons 
http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/p...-adult-lifetime-superfine-453gm-(online-only)

I've also been trying to get better seed but it took awhile to stop them from buying cheep seed from the corner store, and trust me when I say Trill is an improvement, the old stuff was literally millet that had been taken off the spray with sand added for weight.


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

Unless you have a very large Pets at Home store near you, they will not sell Harrison's food instore. 

It is also not seed, but pellets. 
Budgies will not just eat pellets if you take away their seed. They will starve before they eat something they don't want too. 

If you have a Pets at Home store near you where you can go to to get the Harrison's isn't it possible for you to buy seed from there as well? 
They do their own seed mixes which will be both better than the corner shop and Trill.


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## Nicalou (Dec 26, 2016)

I know that Harrison's food is pellets and I'm trying to convince my parents to order it offline. I wouldn't just give my birds pellets but slowly transfer them to pellets and make them part of their diet so it isn't completely seed based. I'll then just give them the recommended amount of seed, or have both seed and pellets available.
There aren't any big pet stores where I live but other budgie seed mixes are available, right now my goal is to get pellets because if I push my parents to hard I'll get neither. My mum is convinced Trill is fantastic because it's sold everywhere, but eventually I'll get different seed. I'm planning on getting a better mix when I next go to Pets at Home.


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

It's really great that you're trying to get your birds on a good diet.

What I would be more concerned about it getting your birds to eat some vegetables and having those in their diet and a good healthy seed mix. 
While pellets are really great for budgies, getting a bird to eat them is a lot harder than getting them to eat veg. While it's a fantastic goal to have, I think swaying your parents on the seed mix first would be a better way to go, because although pellets have great advantages, not all birds will take to them.

It's also well worth having a look at this Trill seed experiment and showing your Mum the results.

If you are set upon going for pellets now, take a look at the stickies on diet and nutrition to give you some tips on how best to introduce them to your budgies diet.


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## Nicalou (Dec 26, 2016)

Thanks Therm
I've read all the stickies about introducing pellets, I even looked at other forums and on YouTube. I'll make veg available to my birds more often and see if my babies have a taste, I may try lettuce once it's back on English shelves since I've heard budgies like it and it'll be a start. I'll show my mum the Trill seed experiment, that may put me on the right track on getting a better seed mix.


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## HappiBudgie (Jan 17, 2017)

I used to have a hard time feeding my budgies fruits and veggies, but I found out that when I first introduce it to them, I should sprinkle a tiny bit of millet on it. Now they eat grapes, spinach, carrots, lettuce, kale, and strawberries. Just a tip you may find helpful


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

Good advice from HappiBudgie. There are a lot of different ways to serve up treats for them. 

Just remember spinach in moderation and fruit once a week.


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## iHeartPieds (Jan 9, 2017)

Nicalou said:


> Thanks Therm
> I've read all the stickies about introducing pellets, I even looked at other forums and on YouTube. I'll make veg available to my birds more often and see if my babies have a taste, I may try lettuce once it's back on English shelves since I've heard budgies like it and it'll be a start. I'll show my mum the Trill seed experiment, that may put me on the right track on getting a better seed mix.


Sounds like a great plan  Just be sure it's not iceberg lettuce since this has very little nutritional value, has lots of water and can cause diarrhea. However romaine/cos lettuce seems to be a favourite  I also found my birds enjoyed spinach (given sparingly) and grated carrot  Also offering the veggies in various ways may help, some like it cut up small in their bowls, and some like mine prefer the veggies to be clipped to the bars or hanging in the cage.  Good luck with convincing your mum!


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## Nicalou (Dec 26, 2016)

My mum has agreed to get a new seed mix, in return I have to shut up about pellets and buying budgie stuff online for at least a month. I got somewhere. 

I'm going try grated carrot and cucumber sprinkled with millet, I just have to find a separate dish to put it in.


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

That's excellent news and a positive step in the right direction!  

Pellets can come a little later.  I'll be interested to hear if you have success with carrot, as I've never been able to get mine to try and most people's budgies love them. 
Have you seen the list of budgie safe fruit and veg?


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## Nicalou (Dec 26, 2016)

Therm said:


> That's excellent news and a positive step in the right direction!
> 
> Pellets can come a little later.  I'll be interested to hear if you have success with carrot, as I've never been able to get mine to try and most people's budgies love them.
> Have you seen the list of budgie safe fruit and veg?


I have seen the list. I looked over it a few times when I was trying to get my last budgie to try veg, he was a very picky eater and would only eat lettuce so I hope my new babies are more open to trying new things.


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## Nicalou (Dec 26, 2016)

I put a dish of grated carrot, cucumber and millet in the budgie cage. I've seen them eat the millet and pick at the other bits.


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

It starts off slow. 

Sometimes, when you're starting out, a bit of wet lettuce is a great starting place. 
You could also poke a little through the bars beside a favourite perch.


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## Nicalou (Dec 26, 2016)

Therm said:


> It starts off slow.
> 
> Sometimes, when you're starting out, a bit of wet lettuce is a great starting place.
> You could also poke a little through the bars beside a favourite perch.


Thank you, I'll give it ago.


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## Nicalou (Dec 26, 2016)

I've got the new seed and they love it.
My mum got it so I'm not sure what's in the mix but it came from a pet shop and the owner mixes it himself, I hope it's good stuff. I'm trying to introduce it to them slowly but they've pretty much abandoned the trill already, which I'm not too happy with, hopefully they don't get too sick.


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