What do Lovebirds Eat? (Ultimate Guide)

Last Updated on August 13, 2022 by Ali Shahid

It is common for people to buy birdseed or food from the store, but did you know that you can feed your birds many different kinds of foods? In this article, we are going to discuss what do lovebirds eat. A healthy and balanced diet is crucial for pet lovebirds’ molts, breeding, and behavior.

A common misconception is that lovebirds only need seeds. This is not true. As a result, these birds are sometimes called “seed addicts. Their diet should be increased in nutritional value. With a pelleted diet, your parrot is guaranteed to get all the nutrients it needs.

There are several types of pellets, including dehydrated food, vitamins, and other nutritional components that help with bird nutrition. You can purchase packages of pellets at a very reasonable price from pet shops and online sellers; just make sure the brand you choose is top-of-the-line.

As you now know the importance of a balanced diet for your lovebird, you also need to know what proportions of each food are best for it. In general, lovebirds and other small parrots should consume:

• For a lovebird, 40% of the food should consist of proteins, fats, and fiber, around 15 percent each. One tablespoon or one and a half tablespoons of seeds are ideal for daily consumption.
• A 30% portion of fruit and vegetables is fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Vegetables with more water generally have less nutritional value than those with less water.
• Other 30% of calories should come from legumes, pasta, rice, sprouts, or animal protein.

The nutritional requirements for everyone can vary slightly. The proportion of their food should be determined according to their activity level, age, and environmental conditions. For birds with special nutritional requirements, such as those with very young, stress, injury, laying eggs, or raising young, pelleted foods are available.

We are constantly learning more about bird nutrition. Increasing awareness of bird nutrition, as well as increased research, have led to this trend. In a similar fashion to all other animals, birds require an adequate amount of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water.

What Do Lovebirds Eat 2022

Few bird owners are aware that birds eat more than seeds. In the wild, many birds eat seeds, but that is not their only diet. When birds are fed a high-seed diet, they are at risk of malnutrition. The lovebird can eat both plant and animal matter, making it an omnivore.

A lovebird’s diet comprises mainly seeds, fruits, and vegetables, with insects making up a small percentage of their diet. The biggest choice you have to make as a lovebird owner is whether to feed your pet seed or pellets.

In either case, nutritional supplements are needed to ensure the diet is balanced. To give you an idea of what a pet lovebird’s diet looks like, here are the different components:

1.Seeds

Wild lovebirds eat many different types of seeds as seasonal plants become available. Seed mixes that are available in commercial markets may contain between four and ten different types of seed. Furthermore, they tend to contain high levels of fat and carbohydrates, which can lead to ill health and potentially shorten the life of your Lovebird if fed as the only source of food.

There is a problem, however: lovebirds prefer to eat just a few of their favorite types of seeds. Most often, millets and sunflower seeds are preferred. Millet spray and branches are sometimes offered as well.

This leads to further malnutrition and more seeds. There is a common practice of offering honey sticks, but, again, the sticks usually consist of a lot of seeds and honey. You can also get molting food, song food, and conditioning food.

There is no real connection between these products and the condition they claim to treat, as they are simply combinations of more seeds. With a balanced diet, molts will be healthy, songs will be vibrant, and conditions will be strong.

In terms of nutrition, seeds are like candy for children: highly palatable. Only a small number of seeds should be consumed as part of a balanced diet. You can gradually reduce the number of seeds you offer and your bird will eat more other foods.

2. Pellets

The specially formulated bird food pellets will provide all of your loved ones with the nutrition they need. However, Lovebirds take a bit of getting used to pellets and you should start feeding them early on.

Since lovebirds who eat seeds and grains are capable of being resistant to change, they can refuse to eat pellets. Adding a small dose of pellets into the regular diet of a lovebird will make the transition easier.

Pellets can then gradually be introduced to their diet until 75-85% of their daily diet consists of pellets. The best diet for your bird would be pellets since they have a uniform shape and size and are usually flavored to make them more appealing.

Furthermore, as opposed to grains and seeds, pellets can’t be picked through by picky eaters. Pellets for birds with special needs are also available in multiple varieties.

Feathered birds, or birds who are in the process of molting, may need pellets with more nutrients. You can even get pellets that contain medicine.

3. Fruits

If you remove poisonous seeds from the apple, you can feed your lovebirds it. As well as bananas and citrus fruits, you can also give them oranges, melons, strawberries, kiwis, apples, papayas, peaches, plums, pineapples, pears of any kind, and starfruits.

It has been reported that avocados may be toxic. You should offer your lovebird small amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables every day, making up about 20% to 25% of the diet. If you are considering providing safe and unsafe options, you should refer to the lists above.

Ensure that vegetables and fruits are thoroughly washed so that chemicals are not transferred. If necessary, cut vegetables and fruits into portions that can be used by the bird. The skin does not need to be removed. Place fruits and vegetables separately.

To encourage your bird to eat other foods, reduce the volume of the food it. Don’t stop trying; offer your bird a little bit of a variety of different foods every day.

4. Vegetables

A few vegetables mixed should be consumed by lovebirds. As well as providing some of the nutrients that seeds and grains cannot provide, vegetables can help add variety to their diet. Many vegetable options are good for lovebirds, including

• Spinach
• Kohlrabi
• radish
• kohlrabi
• Kale
• Carrots
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cucumbers

Since they are rich in vitamins and minerals, lovebirds prefer brassicas, like kale and broccoli. Because lettuce consists primarily of water and is not nutrient-rich, it is not advisable to feed lettuce to lovebirds.

5. Grains

Lovebirds also need grains as part of their daily diet. The main difference between grains and seeds is that grains are grass seeds, whereas seeds come from broadleaf plants. · Additionally, grains, and seeds have different nutritional properties.

The omega 6 fatty acids in grains tend to be higher while the omega 3 fatty acids in seeds tend to be lower. Grain is also usually higher in carbohydrates than a seed, and grains lack the nutrients that seeds usually contain.

Lovebirds should consume grains such as Wheat, Corn, Oats, Rye, Milo, and Canary Grass seed. Due to its size, corn is a favorite of lovebirds.

To make it easier for your lovebird to be able to eat grains, you can sprout them first.

5. Supplements

You can talk with your veterinarian about the diet and nutritional needs of your bird. Several experts believe that a bird can survive without supplements if it consumes 75 – 80% of its diet in the form of pellets. Supplementation with certain vitamins and minerals may be particularly beneficial during particular life stages, such as egg-laying.

A calcium supplement can be prescribed if your lovebird is found to be deficient in calcium. In addition to being more stable, powdered supplements are more convenient. You can mix them with water or put them directly on food.

It is of limited value to sprinkling powder on seeds or dried foods because these will not be ingested by the bird but will end up on the bottom of the dish.

6. Water

To keep properly hydrated, lovebirds should drink between 5 and 10 ounces of water each day. Fresh, waste-and-debris-free water is essential for the health of your Lovebird. The water bowl must also be kept clean every day to prevent bacteria from breeding.

What foods you Should not Give to Lovebirds?

• Eggplant  
• Apple seeds
• Cabbage
• Nectarine pits
• Peach pits
• Pear seeds
• Plum pits
• Leek
• Alcohol
• Mushrooms (any kind)
• Onions Kale
• Salt
• Apricot pits
• Rhubarb
• Cherry pits

Frequently Asked Questions

Could you tell me what I shouldn’t give my lovebirds?

Among the most common foods that are toxic to birds are avocado, caffeine, chocolate, salt, face, apple seeds, onion, and garlic.

Rice is safe for lovebirds?

Birds can eat rice without harm, according to ornithologists. Rice that is too hard can harm birds. Their stomachs are dried out by the dry rice, which absorbs moisture from their stomach and kills them.

Does a lovebird eat bread?

Although birds can digest all types of bread, they should only consume it as part of a varied diet. Bread is an empty filler for birds because it lacks the necessary protein and fat.

Conclusion

Birds of all kinds, including lovebirds, enjoy varying diets. Despite eating a wide variety of things, seeds are the most popular. The problem with seeds is they don’t contain all the nutrients, and they are very fatty, which is not good for lovebirds.

To prevent them from having boredom of only one food, you should give them a variety of foods. It is known that certain foods are toxic to lovebirds, including avocado and apple seed. You will find a list above of toxic foods. As these foods can be fatal to lovebirds, never give these foods to lovebirds.