Avian nutrition has come a long way in the last twenty years thanks to pelleted diets. These diets prevent birds from using what I like to call the smorgasbord approach . . . they pick out their favorite food items and drop the healthy stuff on the bottom of the cage. Avian veterinarians have been recommending these diets to correct the health problems caused by nutrient deficient, high fat seed diets.
Unfortunately, pelleted diets do have limitations. The color variety of cockatiels, lovebirds, budgerigars and parrotlets may develop renal problems from large amounts of pelleted diets. The condition will often correct itself when the pellets are removed from the diet. Current recommendations discussed at IVECCS include limiting pellets to 50% or less of the diet for sensitive individuals. The other 50% should be a mix of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and nuts tailored to the specific bird. Always choose foodstuffs fit for human consumption to avoid contamination with unhealthy microbes.