Why is one of my parakeets acting weird? What safe treats can I give?

Happy birthday, Peko! I'm not entirely sure what smackers and petsile fruits are, but they look to be some sort of seed treat made especially for birds, so it should be OK to give. If you'd like to give the birds a special treat, some veggies such as salad greens, berries, fruits like a little apple or pear, etc can all be given as a fun snack as an alternate option. Other items such as spray millet are another fun treat most budgies enjoy. Make sure you are giving any treats in moderation and still feeding their regular diet to ensure they stay healthy and do not have any GI upset.

Thanks for reaching out about Cheeya. You are correct that birds need more than seeds/pellets to thrive. A wide variety of vegetables including greens, red/orange/yellow vegetables such as carrots and squashes. Fruits are more like treats, due to high sugar content. As per handling them. It is a continuation of winning their trust and offering treats. Good luck.

I am happy to read he is behaving normally. Continue to monitor his behavior for symptoms of illness. Lovebirds can eat a variety of seeds, fruit and vegetables. These include banana, apple, pear, grapes, squash, cooked pasta, potato and corn. Limit fruit as it can lead to loose stool. A commercial pelleted diet should be fed and supplemented with a fortified seed mix. Stay away from mushrooms, chocolate, avocado, fresh/raw tomato and diets based solely on seeds.

Hello again! These items look great for King, but the bag is correct - generally, parakeets and parrots should be fed a pellet-based diet to avoid fatty liver disease. Seed diets are high in fat (even without the sunflower seeds), so should be given as a treat supplementally only. Millet should also be given in moderation. Your bird can definitely have fruits, but include some veggies, too! Grapes, apple, banana, broccoli, kale, green beans, and peppers can be great for birds. Avoid avocado, apple cores/seeds, cherries (with seeds - seedless are ok) onion, and garlic. Dried fruits are ok too, just avoid the ones that have added sugar. I hope this helps! Good luck with King!

Parakeets, also called Budgerigars, are small members of the parrot family and they can become good mimics. The average adult size is 7 inches long, head to end of tail. The average life span is between 10 to 20 years with proper care. A well-balanced Parakeet diet consists of: Specialized pellets should make up 60-70% of diet, fresh vegetables and fruits and small amounts of fortified seeds Clean, fresh, filtered, chlorine-free water, changed daily. Do not feed birds: avocado, fruit seeds, chocolate, caffeine or alcohol; it can cause serious medical conditions. Avoid sugar and high fat treats. Things to remember when feeding your Parakeet: Fresh food and water should always be available. Vegetables and fruits not eaten within a few hours should be discarded. Remember, treats should not exceed 10% of total food intake. Housing Parakeets acclimate well to average household temperatures, not to exceed 80°F; be cautious of extreme temperature changes. The habitat should area that is well-lit and away from drafts. A habitat approximately 18"W x 18"D x 18"H, with metal bars spaced no greater than 1-2" apart, makes a good home for one Parakeet. A flight habitat is strongly recommended. It is best to provide the largest habitat possible. Perches should be at least 4" long and 3-8" in diameter; a variety of perch sizes to exercise feet and help prevent arthritis is recommended. Perches should be at least 4" long and 3-8" in diameter; a variety of perch sizes to exercise feet and help prevent arthritis is recommended. A metal grate over the droppings tray will keep the bird away from droppings; line the droppings tray with habitat paper or appropriate substrate for easier cleaning. To avoid contamination, do not place food or water containers under perches. Parakeets can be kept alone to bond with pet parent or in pairs to bond with each other. Different birds she not be housed together. Normal Behavior Parakeets are talkers, but their little voices are sometimes hard to hear. Active and need daily time out of their habitats to interact with family. Keep in pairs if unable to devote daily interaction time. Provide foraging toys, which provide important mental stimulation. Housing Maintenance Clean and disinfect the habitat and perches regularly; replace substrate or habitat liner weekly or more often as needed. Replace perches, dishes, and toys when worn or damaged; rotate new toys into the habitat regularly. Ensure that there are no habitat parts or toys with lead, zinc or lead-based paints or galvanized parts as these can cause serious medical issues if ingested by your bird. Do not use a lot of cleaning agents around your bird a natural cleaner. Grooming & Hygiene Provide filtered, chlorine-free, lukewarm water regularly for bathing; remove the water when done. As an alternative, mist the bird with water. Clipping flight feathers is not necessary, but when done correctly it can help prevent injury or escape; consult an avian veterinarian on what is best for your bird. Nails should be trimmed by a qualified person to prevent injury to the bird. Signs of a Healthy Animal: Active, alert, and sociable Eats and drinks throughout the day Dry nares and bright, dry eyes Beak, legs and feet normal in appearance Clean, dry vent Smooth, well-groomed feathers Common Health Issues Chlamydiosis: Appetite loss, fluffed feathers, nasal discharge, green stool. Seek immediate avian veterinary attention. Diarrhea: Fecal portion of stool is not formed. Multiple causes from diet change to internal parasites. Consult with an avian veterinarian and ensure proper diet. Feather plucking: Bird plucks own feathers; may be due to boredom, poor diet or other illness. Consult your veterinarian and relieve boredom with attention, new toys or new space. Mites (scaly face and leg disease): White deposits on eyes, beak, legs, and feet. Consult your veterinarian. Red Flags Beak swelling or accumulations Fluffed, plucked, or soiled feathers Sitting on floor

If Mithu is refusing to eat at all I would be concerned that he is ill. It would be best to bring him to a local vet for an exam to rule out issues such as illness, infection, parasites, nutritional issues, etc that could be causing him to feel ill and not want to eat. If he checks out healthy and just doesn't like his food, a balanced seed and pellet diet is a good base diet that provides plenty of nutrients. You can then add in fruits and veggies as treats to help add some variety and balance things out. Visit the Petco website for some [parakeet foods](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/bird/bird-food-and-treats#facet:43057809711497107101101116&productBeginIndex:0&orderBy:&pageView:grid&minPrice:&maxPrice:&pageSize:&) we offer so you can get a feel for what to feed.

If at first you don't succeed, try try again! Patience and retrying are your best bets. Birds can be picky eaters, and sometimes it takes several introductions of the same thing over and over before they decide to try (and like) it! You may want to try introducing those treats again at different intervals or times of day to see if they eventually start to check it out. In some cases, a bird may never be interested in it, especially if they weren't exposed to it when they were younger, and as long as they have a balanced diet otherwise, that is OK- toys or attention can work great for enrichment as well!