Feeding Your Pet Bird (Pet reference books) [Paperback]

Petra Burgmann (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 182 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (September 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812015215
• ISBN-13: 978-0812015218
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 6.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #461,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gets You Going in the Right Direction, December 26, 2000

By 

Tequila "desert dweller" (Mesa, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Feeding Your Pet Bird (Pet reference books) (Paperback)

Need some creative ideas to get your psittacines on a healthy diet? This book will give you the information to help you plan a more beneficial diet for your feathered loved ones.

I would have liked to have gotten more information on presentation; as we know, food is not just sustenance for parrots, it's entertainment as well. Still, this book was invaluable in understanding the intricacies of developing meals which optimize nutritional value.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful guide...., October 25, 2003

By 

Dianne Foster "Di" (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Feeding Your Pet Bird (Pet reference books) (Paperback)

Oh what is a parrot owner to do? One book says holly berries are unsafe while another says they are not. While I am not about to feed my parrots Ilex in any form, I have noted that the Mockingbirds and others fight over the holly berries out back, and the pokeberry bushes across the street are stripped clean (and their offspring come up in my yard). Petra Burgmann subscribes to idea that holly plants are unsafe and that birds will eat unsafe things. (How do they survive in the wild?).

I've lived with companion birds for about nine months, and thankfully not killed any of them in spite of the fact Burgman and other authors I've read offer conflicting advice. I guess the rule of thumb is if in doubt, don't do it. I thought I was doing a pretty good job of balancing the nutritional needs of my birds, but on reading Burgmann's book I find there is more I can do. The baby Senegal and Lutino Cockatiel parrots who live with me seem to be more willing to try a variety of foods than do the pair of five-year old Cockatiels I obtained from the shelter last January who are interested in little other than seed. (Burgmann has much to say about seed!)

Following Burgman's advice, I am persisting in morning and afternoon offerings of non-seed items to the reluctant duo. This morning, the female "shelter" Cockatiel (Keena) actually dragged a piece of broccoli from her food dish and pecked at it a few times. This is progress as she generally shuns anything that smacks of plant life with the exception of Cilantro. According to Burgman, she and the other parrots need to eat broccoli or something with Vitamin A on a regular basis.

Burgman points out that birds do not have a very well developed sense of smell, so yesterday I tried a Jalapeño pepper with Bertie the Senegal, and he attacked it madly. Of course the dog was shocked when he tossed the leftovers on the floor for her. This morning, the crew had Pomegranate seeds in honor of Persephone who disappears at this time of the year. Burgmann says birds like texture in their food, so the Pomegranate seeds are a good bet though she does not list them as a nutritious item in her food list. (At least they don't appear on the toxic list!)

Burgman's book includes a somewhat technical discussion of nutrition and bird physiology, but she writes in a clear and concise style that makes it relatively painless to read. I took the book to work and read it while I ate my own lunch. She explains bird food processing relative to human food processing so I could imagine what was happening to my lunch. I had no idea the liver performed so many critical tasks.

Although she provides a good bit of text about bird droppings, I found no pictures. A recent article in BIRD TALK demonstrated droppings can indicated problems. Keena's droppings are colored green (and not from the food she ate), which may indicate fatty liver disease...what birds get if they eat only seed. Uh oh, she just pecked at the broccoli.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST have book!, March 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Feeding Your Pet Bird (Pet reference books) (Paperback)

A MUST for those unsure of the best avian diet, or those with finicky eaters. The section on quantity of vitamins etc per item of food was invaluable in creating a balanced diet for my birds, although I did have to look on the Internet for the ideal quantities for a companion bird. Even better, it has a whole section on how to transfer your bird to a new diet without stress. It's so good I carry it around in my handbag for reference!