I have a parakeet, Ollie is 6 months. He doesn’t let me handle him yet. My questions concern: his nails, do they have to be trimmed? He has yet to go to the vet. He sometimes rocks from foot to foot, could this be food related or boredom? He is eating Nutriberries broken down by hand, mixed with Higgins Brand Vita Seed.
Hi Susan,
Parakeet nails will need to be trimmed at some point. There are grooming perches that can help keep them from being as sharp, but these do not keep them from getting too long in general. You would want the solid concrete type and nothing with loose abrasives such as sandpaper type perches or covers. Loose abrasives can be ingested and cause digestive issues or become embedded in the foot, causing foot problems. You would buy a larger size than his regular perches and place it where he uses it to get to another perch, but not where he would use it as his main perch or sleeping perch – so not the highest perch. I have found these are most beneficial for keeping the nails under control between nail trims and they can reduce how often the nails need trimming.
The shifting from foot to foot is normal. It can be boredom or Ollie may just be a bit anxious, or want out of the cage. I hope he learns to trust you and lets you handle him. Parakeets are wonderful pets!
The Nutri-Berries are nutritionally balanced as a complete diet. The Higgins company also makes quality foods. My main concern is that if Ollie selectively eats from the loose seed, he may not be eating the little granules I believe they use for the added nutrients. Any nutrients added to seed is mostly lost when he hulls the seeds, since parakeet mouths and tongue are dry. The seeds in Nutri-Berries are hulled so that added nutrients are not lost when the bird eats them. I would recommend the Nutri-Berries as 80% of his daily diet, with the loose seed being 20% that can also include fruits, veggies and healthy treats.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
