Food & Bird Carrier Comparisons?

[brfussne]

So I was doing some research on bird food and I was wondering what you guys consider to be the best food for your bird??? I've read ZuPreem & Lefebers?? Any comments or concerns about these 2 types? (Obviously different birds require different types of food, I was just talking about brand names v.s quality.)

Also, what do you guys consider to be the best bird carrier for traveling or vet visits, ect? I've seen clear plastic types ones, i've seen miniature stainless steel bird cages, and i've ever seen nylon ones that kinda resemble backpacks.

And one last thing, I read that some people prefer to give their bird a water bottle instead of a cup/bowl to prevent waste in the water. What are your takes on a water bottle? Do you use one? How does your bird like it?

Thanks in advance!

[GlassOnion]

Totally Organics Pellets are of the the best quality you can find on the market. Go to their website and read the ingredients. http://totallyorganics.com

Goldenfeast, Harrison's, Roudybush are all good as well.

Zupreem is terrible, I don't know where you got that they were the best. Have you SEEN the fruity pellets?- they are so brightly colored and turn bird poop bright blue and red, and sugar is the 4th or 5th largest ingredient in their pellets.

I go for water bowls, some bottles are a safety hazard and some birds never learn to use them properly.

King's aluminum travel cages are my favourite carriers by far.http://www.mysafebirdstore.com/product. ... oduct=9033

[brfussne]

Totally Organics Pellets are of the the best quality you can find on the market. Go to their website and read the ingredients. http://totallyorganics.com

Goldenfeast, Harrison's, Roudybush are all good as well.

Zupreem is terrible, I don't know where you got that they were the best. Have you SEEN the fruity pellets?- they are so brightly colored and turn bird poop bright blue and red, and sugar is the 4th or 5th largest ingredient in their pellets.

I go for water bowls, some bottles are a safety hazard and some birds never learn to use them properly.

King's aluminum travel cages are my favourite carriers by far.http://www.mysafebirdstore.com/product. ... oduct=9033

Thanks GlassOnion!! After posting this, on a different thread I read that someone mention ZuPreem and you said it was horrible because of the food dyes & sugar. I actually stopped feeding my Chinchillas & dogs food with dyes in it long ago. I definately agree that food with dyes in it are harmful. I will check out the travel cages & Totally Organic pellets you posted.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

I actually think Zupreem gets a worse rap than they deserve. They make products that are dye free. Most do contain sucrose, but having it be 6th on the list doesn't tell you how much is in there -- the next listed ingredient is dicalcium phosphate, which is presumably in trace amounts.

Harrison's looks great on paper, but my birds won't eat it well and I've seen others report that their birds don't like it. TOP likewise, although that went over a bit better. It's fairly hard to find.

I like Scenic, but it goes rancid much more quickly than other pellets. Roudybush is good. I have used several varieties of Zupreem. I'm a bit leery of Kaytee because of their corporate policies and I'm not all that familiar with Pretty Bird.

At the end of the day the best pellet is the pellet your bird will eat. I actually like to mix several and change it up every time a little bit -- that way if something is discontinued I'm not going to have to deal with a bird that only eats one pellet. Well, for Scotty anyway. Scooter still won't really eat the pellets.

I've seen arguments that feeding a mix of pellets "unbalances the nutritional profile", but IMO that's an unsupportable argument. If each component is wholesome on its own, it's wholesome in combination as well. Unless you believe one manufacturer has "THE" right answer, which at this point in time, I don't.

[brfussne]

I actually think Zupreem gets a worse rap than they deserve. They make products that are dye free. Most do contain sucrose, but having it be 6th on the list doesn't tell you how much is in there -- the next listed ingredient is dicalcium phosphate, which is presumably in trace amounts.

Harrison's looks great on paper, but my birds won't eat it well and I've seen others report that their birds don't like it. TOP likewise, although that went over a bit better. It's fairly hard to find.

I like Scenic, but it goes rancid much more quickly than other pellets. Roudybush is good. I have used several varieties of Zupreem. I'm a bit leery of Kaytee because of their corporate policies and I'm not all that familiar with Pretty Bird.

At the end of the day the best pellet is the pellet your bird will eat. I actually like to mix several and change it up every time a little bit -- that way if something is discontinued I'm not going to have to deal with a bird that only eats one pellet. Well, for Scotty anyway. Scooter still won't really eat the pellets.

I've seen arguments that feeding a mix of pellets "unbalances the nutritional profile", but IMO that's an unsupportable argument. If each component is wholesome on its own, it's wholesome in combination as well. Unless you believe one manufacturer has "THE" right answer, which at this point in time, I don't.

Good point, EntrancedbymyGCC. I think mixing a wide variety of seeds & pellets sounds like a good idea as long as it is dye free and free of other harmful substances to your bird. Also mixing a wide variety of foods probably keeps your bird from being bored of the same meal as well, and using a wide variety gives your bird a wide variety of vitamins & minerals. I like the idea that GlassOnion said about Totally Organic. You can't go wrong with organic foods!