What should my pregnant parakeet eat? Is a seed-only diet safe?

Hello, A well formulated pelleted diet, cuttlefish bone, and dark leafy greens are all good sources of calcium in the pet bird. Here is a link for more information on pet bird diets: https://www.petcoach.co/article/bird-nutrition-feeding-pet-birds-parrot-diets-and-nutrition/ I hope this helps! Thanks for using PetCoach.

Feed a good quality pelleted diet (Harrison's, Roudybush, Lafeber, Pretty Bird or Exact) supplemented with a fortified seed mix and fresh greens and vegetables. Provide a cuttlebone or mineral block. Always have fresh water available. Provide an appropriately sized nesting box and suitable nesting material (straw, Aspen shaving, shredded newspaper, etc.).

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!

A good quality commercial pelleted diet such as Harrison's, Lafeber, KayTee Exact or Pretty Bird can provide complete nutrition. You can supplement with small amounts of a fortified seed mix as well as a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Since she is young, consider transitioning her to a commercial pelleted diet such as Harrison's, Lafeber, Pretty Bird or KayTee Exact. You can still supplement with a bit of a fortified seed mix and fresh vegetables and fruits. Moisten pellets with warm water to make a mash and offer to Luna daily. Mix the pellets into her food and gradually increase the amount over a week or two until she is eating mainly pellets.

Look for a commercial pelleted diet (Harrison's, Lafeber, Pretty Bird, KayTee Exact or Roudybush). These can be purchased online or in most pet stores. Discontinue the almonds and dry fruit. As you know, these do not make up a balanced or healthy diet. Instead, supplement with a bit of a fortified seed mix, fresh fruit and vegetables and cooked grains and beans. You can let her eat rice or cooked eggs off your plate (or from her own plate with you at the table) to get her interested in other, healthier options.

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.