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  • As with all other animals, birds need a proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. Macaws are vulnerable to high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, stroke, vitamin A deficiency, insufficient dietary calcium, egg-binding, and other nutrition-related problems. Seeds are highly palatable and preferred by birds, but nutritionally they are incomplete, lacking vitamins, minerals, and protein. Fruits, vegetables, and greens should account for no more than 20-25% of the daily diet. Pellets are the ideal diet and should ideally represent approximately 75-80% of the bird's diet. Converting seed-eating birds onto a formulated diet is not always easy. Consult your veterinarian if you encounter any problems with this transition or with the health of your bird. In general, a bird that is eating 75-80% of its diet in the form of pelleted food does not need supplements. Macaws do not need gravel or grit because they remove the outer hull of the seed before ingesting the kernel.

  • Mynah birds eat a variety of foods and have relatively short digestive tracts when compared with other parrots. Mynah birds are not seed-eaters in the wild and are omnivorous. Provide your mynah bird with bite-sized pieces of food. Mynah birds are very sensitive to iron levels in their food; therefore, they must be offered pelleted food that is low in iron and certain fruits and vegetables must fed sparingly or not at all. Mynah birds may occasionally enjoy pinky mice or insects such as mealworms, wax worms, crickets and other insects Mynah birds do not require grit or gravel for proper digestion.

  • Our knowledge of bird nutrition is constantly evolving. This is due both to heightened awareness of the importance of nutrition and to increased research into birds different needs. As with all other animals, birds need a proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. Different species of birds often require different foods.

  • Our knowledge of bird nutrition is constantly evolving. This is due both to heightened awareness of the importance of nutrition and to increased research. As with all other animals, birds need a proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins, minerals and water.

  • Our knowledge of bird nutrition is constantly evolving. This is due both to heightened awareness of the importance of nutrition and to increased research into birds different needs. As with all other animals, birds need a proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. Different species of birds often require different foods.

  • Interactive feeders that require a pet to think and work for their food call upon the natural instinct to hunt or forage. Besides being fun, these food puzzles may help both physical and behavioral problems in cats and dogs. When used correctly, interactive feeders may benefit pets that eat too quickly, become bored when alone, or suffer from separation anxiety.

  • This handout discusses the need for ensuring your pregnant cat is receiving adequate nutrition to make sure both she and her kittens thrive during this time of increased demands on her body. Feeding and diet suggestions are provided.

  • This handout discusses the need for ensuring your pregnant dog is receiving adequate nutrition to make sure both she and her puppies thrive during this time of increased demands on her body. Feeding and diet suggestions are provided.

  • Special attention needs to be given to a cat’s nutrition before and during her pregnancy to promote a healthy birth and healthy kittens. It is important to maintain a good body condition throughout pregnancy as her weight increases. A good quality kitten or all life stages diet is recommended during the entire pregnancy; ideally one evaluated using feeding trials. This diet is usually fed throughout the lactation period, but attention to body condition is essential here as well, and the diet may need to be restricted if there is a small number of kittens or the cat starts becoming overweight. Weaning is usually aided by feeding significantly less food for a few days while restricting access to nursing to decrease milk production.

  • Special attention needs to be given to a dog’s nutrition during her pregnancy to promote a healthy birth and healthy puppies. It is important to maintain a good body condition throughout pregnancy as her weight increases. A good quality adult maintenance diet is recommended during the first 40 days but after this the energy demand increases greatly and this is most easily met by feeding puppy food. This diet is usually fed throughout the lactation period, but attention to body condition is essential here as well, and the diet may need to be restricted if there is a small number of puppies or the dog starts becoming overweight. Weaning is usually aided by feeding significantly less food for a few days while restricting access to nursing to decrease milk production.