|
Q: Do you know your bird's lifespan?
Many bird owners are amazed when they first learn of the potential
lifespan of their pets. Parakeets and cockatiels can live ten to twenty years
and Amazon parrots have reached forty years of age. In fact, larger birds,
such as cockatoos and macaws, have been known to outlive their owners, sometimes
reaching ages of fifty to sixty years!
Unfortunately, only a small percentage of pet birds actually
reach "old age" and many never make it past their "teens".
What causes this situation?
The Problem
For the majority of birds that
perish early in life,
the main culprit is nutrition! |
Birds have been blessed with an incredibly hardy, but delicate body. This
is what allows them to glide and fly so freely all around us. One of the drawbacks
to this slim body is there is no place to "store" energy. People
store energy in the form of fat, but a fat bird can't fly!
As a result, birds must eat regularly to fuel the "engine" that
allows them flight. In fact, the average parakeet will consume about 17% of
it's body weight in food every day. Translated into human terms, it would require
a 120 pound person to eat over 20 POUNDS of food a day!
| The importance of a balanced
diet for pet birds is critical! |
The amount of food a bird eats is not the only concern. Pet birds require
over 400 different nutrients on a daily basis. A shortage of any one of these
nutrients can cause the bird's health to fail.
Many bird foods claim to be nutritionally balanced, and they are, but ONLY
if the bird eats everything in the food mix. However, birds are a lot like
people and, when given a choice, will usually choose food that appeals to them
rather than what's best for them. Minerals and vitamin supplements are helpful,
but can be costly or inconvenient.
THE SOLUTION
Lafeber's bird food combines all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients birds
need in a form that prevents "picking and choosing". Each pellet
contains the necessary balance of protein, calories and carbohydrates to give
birds the fuel they need to run their engines. Since vitamins and minerals
are included in the pellets, there is no need for additional supplements.
Best of all, Lafeber's pelleted food is 100% edible and won't leave a mess
of uneaten scraps for you to clean.
The future is bright for your bird, but only with the right food today. Choose
Lafeber's pet bird food for the best nutrition both now and in years to come.
Good Nutrition is the key to long, healthy life!
More Tips from Doc Lafeber
|
