FAQ: Treats for birds

Such a bird is usually advised to have vegetables and greens instead of seed, nut or honey treats. A weight-loss plan is worth discussing with a vet, as sudden changes in diet can harm a bird.

A sick bird's diet should be agreed with a vet. A favourite treat sometimes helps encourage a bird to eat, but it must not replace treatment or any special food the vet has prescribed.

A new or unsuitable product can sometimes cause looser droppings or other digestive upsets. Introduce new treats one at a time and watch the bird's droppings, behaviour and feathers, and see a vet if changes last.

A long-term fatty diet is considered one of the factors linked to liver problems in pet birds. So give fatty treats in moderation, and see a vet if you notice listlessness or changes to the beak or nails.

Regular weighing to the gram on kitchen scales helps you spot weight changes early. Weigh at the same time of day, write the results down and discuss any marked changes with a vet.

A treat can help a bird link an unpleasant situation, such as cage cleaning or travel, with something pleasant. But constant stress or feather plucking is a serious sign whose cause should be investigated with a vet.

Yes, simple treats such as vegetable and fruit skewers or seed balls with a little egg can be made at home. The key is to use only bird-safe ingredients, with no salt, sugar or spices.

Thread pieces of carrot, bell pepper, apple or broccoli onto a stainless steel skewer or a bird-safe stick and hang it in the cage. Remove any uneaten pieces after a few hours.

Rinse the seeds, soak them in clean water for a few hours, then rinse and keep them moist in a sieve, rinsing several times a day. When tiny sprouts appear, feed them that same day, and a mouldy smell or slime means the seeds must be thrown away.

Millet, wheat, oats, mung beans, lentils or special bird sprouting mixes are the usual choices. The seeds must be sold for eating or sprouting, not sowing seed, which may be treated with fungicides.

Yes, as long as they have not been sprayed with pesticides, or the product's stated waiting time has passed, and they are washed well. Home-grown carrots, peas or berries are a good way to vary a bird's diet.

Wrap a few seeds or a piece of nut in unprinted paper or put them in a cardboard tube so the bird has to tear it open. Use only clean paper without glue, ink or sticky tape.

Some keepers bake biscuits for birds from wholemeal flour, egg and grated vegetables, with no salt, sugar or baking powder. Such treats must be thoroughly baked, cooled and given in moderation.

Homemade treats without preservatives spoil faster than shop-bought ones. Use fresh ones within a day or two, and keep dried or baked ones airtight and check them before each use.

They are treats or toys with food hidden inside, so the bird has to find, pull out or take them apart. This imitates natural foraging, reduces boredom and encourages movement.

Start with very easy tasks: leave part of the treat visible, for example poking out of paper or in an open box. Once the bird gets the idea, make the tasks gradually harder.

Yes, there are small foraging toys for budgies or lovebirds, such as wicker balls or little boxes. The parts should be big enough that the bird cannot swallow them and its feet or beak cannot get stuck.

Some birds like to forage on the ground, so part of the seed can be scattered on clean paper or a foraging mat. Only scatter onto a clean surface and clear away any leftovers.

Activity and foraging can reduce boredom, which is one possible cause of feather plucking. But plucking can also be a sign of illness, so the bird should be seen by a vet first.

Yes, many owners hide some or all of the treat allowance in toys so the bird ‘earns’ it. Just make sure the bird really finds and eats the food, especially at first.