VMD 513: Pet animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

FEEDING OF CAGE BIRDS

• Based on the feeding behaviour cage birds can be differentiated into various categories.
• Munias, Parakeets and Budgerigar are seed eaters or hard bills.
• Mynah is insect eater or soft bill.
• Koels, Pegions and doves fall into two classes seed eater and fruit eaters.
• Generally insect eater requires more care in feeding where as seed eaters are easily fed.
• In addition to seeds like cowpea, peanut, Bengal gram; grains like rice, maize, millet and wheat; vegetables, greens and mashes; minerals and vitamins should also be provided.
• Soaked seeds are better than un soaked seeds.
• Cuttle fish bone and shell grit should also be available to seed eating birds. Grit enables a seed eater to digest its food properly.
• Although birds lack teeth they still require a grinding surface to break up its hard seed and make it accessible to digestive enzymes.
• Shell grit is broken down in the digestive tract and provides additional source of minerals to the birds.