Is your bird a seed junkie? Most birds love seeds and would probably eat them all the time if they had a choice. The downside is that seeds are often high in fat, and don't provide your bird with the nutrition he needs. However, a seed called millet is lower in fat and more nutritious than normal seeds. In fact, it is one of the most nutritious grains you can give your bird. Millet aids in digestion and helps ease stress, making it a great treat during molting, weaning or breeding.
What Is It?
Millet is a small round seed, typically white, yellow or red in color. It is low in fat and high in carbohydrates, making it similar to bread for humans. Millet is a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, protein and calcium.
Spray millet, also called finger millet, is left on the stalk and provides a great treat for birds. It has an appealing texture and delicate taste, and satisfies a bird's need to forage by harvesting his own seed. Plus it provides entertainment and keeps birds busy!
A Treat For Your Bird
Millet is the perfect treat to use with baby birds and feather pickers. It is great for baby birds when they are weaning because it offers them a lot of calories to finish developing. Plus they love it! Millet is also great for sick birds who don't want to eat their normal diet. As with all treats, spray millet should not be the main part of your bird's diet. Although millet is nutritious, a varied diet is still very important. For smaller birds, you can cut spray millet into smaller pieces to control how much they eat.
There are thousands of different varieties of millet. If your bird doesn't like a certain one, be sure to try another!
