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Helping a Pet Bird Lose Weight

Submitted by Michael Adams on January 8, 2010

Just as excess weight can pose health concerns for a human; it can be harmful for your pet bird too. Obesity in birds can result in serious conditions such as fatty liver disease, diabetes and arteriosclerosis. These diseases may even prove to be fatal for some birds.

Birds that are most prone to developing such conditions include amazon parrots, galah cockatoos and budgies. Excess weight, however, can be easily dealt with by making appropriate changes in a bird’s dietary habits and lifestyle.

There are certain steps that you can take to ensure that your pet bird sheds those extra pounds.

Firstly invest in a weighing gram scale that has a perch. These are usually readily available at bird stores or can also be bought on the internet. The bird must be weighed every week at the same time of the day. Maintain a record of the bird’s weight to evaluate progress. A chart depicting the normal average weight for different species of birds will tell you what your pet bird should be weighing. The built of birds within the same species may also vary and hence you can check if your bird is overweight by feeling the breastbone on a regular basis. The muscles and bone on either side of the bone usually protrude. The bird may be overweight if the bone is sunken. If the bone feels too sharp, the bird may be underweight. Next, set a weight loss target for the bird, which would ideally be the higher value of the average weight of that particular species. Give your pet pellets which are low in fat and high in fiber. The fiber will help to reduce the bird’s appetite by causing a feeling of fullness. The pellets must be fed to the bird only in the mornings and evenings and must not be kept near the bird during the rest of the day. Also reduce the quantity of nuts and seeds that you give to the bird.

Fruits and vegetables contain very few calories and are rich in fiber and water. Give your pet plenty of fruits and vegetables during the day to satisfy hunger, while still contributing to weight loss. Birds need exercise too. Encouraging the bird to fly or perform flapping exercises is an effective way to help the bird lose extra calories. You can also give the bird a toy that will promote activity such as a swing. Once ideal body weight has been attained, work on helping the bird to maintain it by adhering to the dietary and lifestyle changes.

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