Change in diet – for the love of your pet

We recently got a comment from a Bird Breeder in the UK that his birds find it very difficult to move from another brand to Animalzone's food. This problem is not unique to bird food; all pet food manufacturers have the same issues. The most important thing to remember is that the health of your pet comes first. It will take an investment of time, and some discipline on your side to change their diet, but in the end it will be worth it because they will be so much healthier when they are on a healthier diet.

Any change in food will always be met with a certain amount of resistance and it's not just the taste that is important for birds but the texture as well. It is usually more difficult to change the diet from seed to processed food, than just change from one processed food to another. Animalzone's advantage: a natural product with high palatability from the roasting process, resulting in a nutty taste and flavor. The shape of the pellet aids the more natural way of eating, it can be picked up and held in their feet.

Any change in diet must happen responsibly, it doesn't matter if the change is from seeds to processed food or from one processed food to another.
3 Ways to change diet:
Method 1: Take old food away, put only new food in. It should take about 3 days; the first 2 days will be slow with minimal eating, but by the 3rd day you bird should be eating well.
Method 2: Put new food in, then with mealtimes, give a small bowl for a short period of time of the old food just to get the bird's appetite going, he must not eat too much, but must still be hungry enough to eat the new food.
Method 3: Equal quantities of food in different bowls or mixed together, gradually lessen the old food over a period of 2 weeks.

Take into consideration the size of your bird, the larger species can handle change better, but birds like budgies with their high metabolism and smaller body, will therefore be more sensitive and will be suited to a more gradual change.
Large: African Greys, Macaws and cockatoos – try Method 1
Medium: Ringnecks, Conures, etc – try Method 2
Small: Cockatiels, Budgies, etc – try Method 3

Birds will resist change in their diet and especially if they have been living on a seed diet. They get addicted to the high fat content because it gives them an energy rush and it makes it difficult for them to change.