VOLUNTARY INTAKE OF CAPTIVE PSITTACINES FED MIXED DIETS OF SEEDS AND EXTRUDED FEED

Abstract

Psittacines are popular pet birds throughout the world. In the wild these birds consume a varied diet composed of seeds, nuts, flowers and invertebrates, according to seasonal availability. It is rare for captive birds to have a similar lifestyle and such a diverse diet. In captivity, mixed feeds (seeds and extruded feed) are available on the petfood market. However, these mixed diets allow birds to actively eat seeds resulting in non-balanced diets. The aim of this study was to determine selective voluntary intake of different diets based on different types of seeds and extruded feed in three different small/medium psittacine species commonly maintained as pets. Rose-ringed parakeets (P. krameri) preferentially consumed sunflower seeds, while lovebirds (Agapornis spp.), in the absence of sunflower seed, selected smaller seeds (canary grass and millet seeds). Cockatiels (N. hollandicus) consumed balanced amounts of seed and extruded feed. When sunflower seed was not provided, all three species selected canary grass and millet seeds over extruded feed. Extruded feed was only consistently consumed when offered as the only food source. This selective feeding resulted in excess intake of fat, protein and gross energy and generally a low calcium and imbalanced calcium and phosphorus ratio in diets in which extruded feed was not consistently consumed. Finally, metabolizable energy intake was above the recommended maintenance energy requirement when experimental diets containing sunflower seeds and exclusively extruded feed were offered. Voluntary intake of mixed diets can predispose captive psittacines to nutrient deficiencies, specially especially in the long term.