Vitamin Deficiencies

Vitamin Deficiencies

In the wild, birds snack on the right amounts of sprouted greens, berries, insects, nectar and other foods to fulfill their nutritional requirements. Nurturing healthy caged critters is another story. It is necessary to make sure your bird is getting all the nutrients she needs from what you feed her.

Now that you're in charge of hunting and gathering, do you offer your pet a balanced diet, including pellets, seeds, fruits and vegetables? If not, your feathered friend may experience a dangerous vitamin deficiency.

Vitamin A

Your picky eater may lack this nutrient if she dines exclusively on seeds. Vitamin A helps the respiratory tract fend off airborne invaders, so birds with this deficiency often develop sinus infections. A sure sign your bird's not getting enough vitamin A is white infected patches on the roof of her mouth.

When your mother told you eating carrots was good for your eyes, she wasn't kidding. If your bird lacks vitamin A, she may experience vision problems. Feed her a variety of vegetables daily. The best picks include any deep green or orange veggies, such as spinach, parsley, endive, yams or carrots.

B Vitamins

Many seed devotees also don't get enough riboflavin, folic acid, niacin and vitamin B-12. Low B vitamin levels cause slow growth, poor feathering and abnormal feather color in baby birds. This deficiency can even decrease a mother's egg production, prevent eggs from hatching or cause skeletal defects in developing birds. Switching to wholesome formulated pellets and hand-feeding formulas containing whole grains can do wonders for growing birds and mothers-to-be.

Vitamin K

Bacteria in a bird's digestive tract produce small amounts of vitamin K, a nutrient essential for proper blood clotting. A deficiency can cause excessive bruising or bleeding in birds that experience even mild trauma. Luckily, feeding your bird a small amount of dark green leafy plants or vegetables, such as spinach, leaf lettuce and parsley, can provide the necessary vitamin K.

Vitamin E and Selenium

Without enough of these key nutrients, birds, especially cockatiels, can experience paralysis in their limbs, tongue or eyelids. Other symptoms include muscle tremors, difficulty biting and eating and incoordination. Sources for vitamin E and selenium include vegetable oil, wheat germ oil and dark green leafy vegetables including spinach, parsley and endive.

Detection

Diagnosing a vitamin deficiency isn't always easy. But problems such as chronic sinus infections or poor growth often point to dietary problems. If your bird eats only seeds and exhibits any of the symptoms described above, your veterinarian may recommend supplements.

Prevention and Treatment

You can ward off vitamin deficiencies by feeding your winged companion daily helpings of vegetables and a vitamin-enriched pellet diet. Fruits such as apples, grapes, oranges or cantaloupe add balance and variety to the diet. Your biggest challenge will be convincing your pet to eat her veggies. Try mixing them with her regular food and offer them in different colors and sizes.

Luckily, your veterinarian can treat most vitamin deficiencies with a simple change in diet. When you see your bird's healthy appearance and happy attitude, you might want to rethink your own diet!