Pellets: Zupreem versus NutriBird?

[Cage Cleaner]

OK, a quick google search indicates that Vit. K isn't potassium, but that it is still nonetheless noncarcinogenic. In fact, it's been used in cancer prevention studies.

[GlassOnion]

Thank you for sharing! I'm gonna have to question my source now

[Cage Cleaner]

Yeah ,I learned something from that, too. I never knew a vitamin K existed. I always thought it was colloquial for Potassium but I was wrong.

[CinnamonParrots]

Thanks guys! I will definitely be on the prowl for better pellets around here. Unfortunately I will no longer get my special discounts for buying Zupreem at the local pet store, also it is the only pellet my lovebird actually would eat. *sigh* I should have read the label more carefully, but it didn't occur to me that I ought to be alarmed by it's high sugar content as well! Now I understand, thanks everyone! I will most likely be getting Total Organics from the pet store near me... Does that mean Tropican is also not a good brand of pellets as well? A lot of people across Canada I'm sure feed their birds that too, and it is 1 of the 3 major brands of pellets sold in one chain of pet stores which is quite influential. Pets Mart sells Kaytee as well, but the store I go to sells only Tropican, Zupreem and Pretty Bird.

[HungryBird]

The issue with Vitamin K is that some companies use a synthetic version and some companies use a natural version. The synthetic version is the one that gets people upset. Apparently it has been banned for use in human food but is still often found in pet food. It is in many, many brands of dog and cat food as well. It is typically called menadione sodium bisulfite complex but some companies list it under different names such as dimethylprimidinol sulfate or something similar. It is also labelled as "Vitamin K supplement" or "a source of Vitamin K activity" by some companies, obviously to hide what it actually is. If you contact those companies (in writing, not by phone or you will not get the truth) and ask exactly what the scientific name of the ingredient is you will hear it is menadione sodium bisulfite complex. They may give a different name that does not include the word "menadione" but if you look it up you will see. Here is an example of a response I received:

"We use menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfate.  This is a stabilized Vitamin K3 source that is used in most manufacturing pet food diets.  This is a stable and reliable source."

So while the wording was not exactly menadione sodium bisulfite complex it was close enough. When I asked if menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfate was the same thing as menadione sodium bisulfite complex I was told that the person I was taking to was unsure of the answer to that question.

A natural source of Vitamin K is alfalfa, which is what a few bird pellet companies are using instead of synthetic Vitamin K. I choose to use pellets that do not contain synthetic Vitamin K as I am unsure about the safety of that particular ingredient.

[lt.rafferty]

I tried feeding my Sun Conure a mix of pellets, seed and nuts- but he would pick out the bits he liked (sunflower seeds..) and leave the rest. I don't know how it compares to the brands you mentioned but I transitioned him onto Vetafarm nutriblend pellets. They do small and large multi colored pellets. My bird loves these - well the red and yellow ones anyway (so he still picks at his food but at least it's a more balanced diet). I supplement his pellets with raw almonds or peanuts in their shells and fruit. He loves citrus fruits (except lime), pineapples, cherries, grapes amd peapods. I find he won't eat some fruits chopped up in his bowl, but will if I hang them from a stick (strawberries and kiwis for example). He loves to eat what the humans have and I tend to let have what he wants so long as it's not salty or meat. He especially likes a bit if dry breakfast cereal. Not sure what the experts would say about that though...

[rebeccaturpeinen]

The issue with Vitamin K is that some companies use a synthetic version and some companies use a natural version. The synthetic version is the one that gets people upset. Apparently it has been banned for use in human food but is still often found in pet food. It is in many, many brands of dog and cat food as well. It is typically called menadione sodium bisulfite complex but some companies list it under different names such as dimethylprimidinol sulfate or something similar. It is also labelled as "Vitamin K supplement" or "a source of Vitamin K activity" by some companies, obviously to hide what it actually is. If you contact those companies (in writing, not by phone or you will not get the truth) and ask exactly what the scientific name of the ingredient is you will hear it is menadione sodium bisulfite complex. They may give a different name that does not include the word "menadione" but if you look it up you will see. Here is an example of a response I received:

"We use menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfate.  This is a stabilized Vitamin K3 source that is used in most manufacturing pet food diets.  This is a stable and reliable source."

So while the wording was not exactly menadione sodium bisulfite complex it was close enough. When I asked if menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfate was the same thing as menadione sodium bisulfite complex I was told that the person I was taking to was unsure of the answer to that question.

A natural source of Vitamin K is alfalfa, which is what a few bird pellet companies are using instead of synthetic Vitamin K. I choose to use pellets that do not contain synthetic Vitamin K as I am unsure about the safety of that particular ingredient.

So if they just write Vitamin K, this could still be a supplement?

Zupreem clearly writes Vitamin K supplement, Nutribird just writes Vitamin K.

[HungryBird]

I would send them an e-mail to find out.

[spiral]

HERES THE ingrdient list for nutribird i just thought it might be usefull

Ingredients
Cereals, seeds (min 10% groundnut kernels), fruit (min 5% fresh fruit), vegetable protein extracts, derivatives of vegetable origin, sugars, minerals, L-Lysine, methionin, Extr.Yucca schidigera, fructo-oligosaccarides, vitamins, trace elements.
Analysis
Protein 15%
Oil 16%
Fibre 3.5%
Ash 4.5%
Calcium 0.9%
Phosphorous 0.6%
Copper 14mg/kg.

not sure about this dibate about ingreadents but wanted to help.

[Bobioden]

Maxx, my GCC is on Roudybush Crumbles and he loves them. I can buy them in bulk for $3.49 a pound from my local bird store. I usually buy a few pounds when I am there, keep out 1/2 a pound and freeze the rest.