Method 1: Choose Food

1. Choose specialized pellet feed for budgerigars. Pelleted feed produced according to a specific formula can meet all the nutritional needs of budgerigars, making it the ideal food for them. Different feeds should be chosen based on the age stage of the parrot. Note that the ingredients in the feed must be all-natural and should not contain any additives or preservatives.

• Young and adult budgerigars require different feeds. Adult parrots are those that are 10 months old or older.

• Buy pellet feed from local pet stores or online.

2. Give budgerigars fresh vegetables. In addition to their staple food, budgerigars also enjoy eating vegetables to supplement their nutrition. You can consider leafy lettuce (avoid round lettuce), spinach, carrots, peas, bitter cabbage, tomatoes, parsley, dandelion, radishes, cucumbers, watercress, broccoli, bean sprouts, and kale.

• Wheatgrass, which is rich in chlorophyll, is also very appealing to parrots.

• Do not feed budgerigars avocado, as this fruit is toxic to birds.

3. Give budgerigars fresh fruits. Fruits that budgerigars enjoy include pears, bananas, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, apples, tangerines, oranges, figs, kiwis, cantaloupes, pitted cherries, and rose hips.

• If feeding dried fruits to the parrots, ensure they do not contain nitrites.

4. Occasionally reward parrots with high-quality mixed grass seeds. Choose a variety of grass seed feeds, such as those containing millet, canary seed, hulled oats, black-eyed peas, flaxseed, sunflower seeds, safflower, and rapeseed. Additionally, the grass seed feed can also include soybeans, rye, canary seed, whole brown rice, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, and sesame.

• Grass seeds are not very nutritious for parrots, so they should only be fed in small amounts as a treat. They must not be considered a staple food.

• The mixed grass seeds must contain a small amount of sorghum, which is often used as a filler.

• The grass seeds fed to parrots must be fresh. If the grass seeds smell moldy, they should never be fed to the parrots.

5. Feed parrots small pieces of nuts. Nuts that parrots love include Brazil nuts, peanuts, chestnuts, and hazelnuts, whether shelled or unshelled. You can use nuts as rewards for the parrots or add them as snacks to their daily diet.

6. Avoid foods high in fat, sugar, and preservatives. Do not feed parrots fast food or sweets like candy and ice cream that contain a lot of artificial sweeteners. Additionally, deep-fried foods like French fries and potato chips should not be included in a parrot's diet.

• Parrot food must absolutely not contain preservatives or food additives.

• Do not allow parrots to consume alcohol or coffee.

Method 2: Create a Feeding Schedule

1. Feed parrots 1 tablespoon of pellet feed daily. Each bird can eat about one tablespoon of feed per day. The parrot's diet should consist of 70% pellet feed and 30% vegetables and fruits.

• Try to keep the feeding time fixed each day to ensure the parrots know when to eat.

2. Prepare food cups according to the number of birds. If you are keeping multiple budgerigars in the same cage, each parrot should have its own food cup. This helps prevent fighting over food and allows the owner to observe the remaining food in each bowl, better monitoring the birds' eating habits.

3. Give parrots washed fruits and vegetables. Rinse fruits and vegetables under clean water, then cut them into small pieces and place them in separate bowls, ensuring they are kept separate from the food cups. Most budgerigars can digest the skins of fruits and vegetables, so peeling is not necessary.

• Try to provide a variety of vegetables and fruits for the parrots. You can occasionally change the types of vegetables and fruits.

• Treat vegetables and fruits as snacks, feeding them to the parrots once or twice a day.

4. Provide clean drinking water. Budgerigars need a lot of clean drinking water. You need to change the water daily and refill it as needed. Check the water cup each night before bed to ensure it is full, so the birds can drink fresh water at night.

• The water cups for parrots must be shallow; otherwise, the birds may risk drowning.

Method 3: Hand-Feed Budgerigar Chicks

1. Owners can hand-feed budgerigar chicks until they are 10 months old. Hand-feeding is very beneficial for newly hatched chicks or young birds. If you want the chicks to grow up healthy and strong, hand-rearing is the ideal method, although it is very time-consuming.

• Generally, hand-reared budgerigars grow up to be stronger and happier than those that eat from food cups.

2. Prepare a syringe and chick-specific feed. The syringe should be small with a small opening. You can purchase it at local pet stores or online. Of course, chick feed is also essential, which is usually in powder form.

• Mix the powder with hot water and feed it to the parrot. The ratio of water to powder can refer to the instructions on the product packaging.

3. Feed the parrot slowly. Hold the parrot in one hand, gently encircling its chest with your fingers. Draw 6 to 8 milliliters of the mixture into the syringe, then drop a little on your palm to test the temperature; it should not be too hot, just warm. Gently tilt the bird's head upward, then insert the syringe opening into the chick's mouth and squeeze out the mixture.

• The chick needs time to swallow the mixture slowly. Do not force-feed with the syringe.

Figure 14

4. Check if the chick's crop is swollen. The crop is located above the chick's stomach and will expand when eating. Stop feeding once the crop is swollen.

• Feed the chick every 3 to 4 hours. Feed until the crop is swollen, but do not overfeed.

5. Clean the bird's beak after feeding. After feeding, gently wipe the parrot's beak clean with a paper towel. Most budgerigars will take a nap after eating.