The 5 Best Food For Budgies

The 5 Best Food For Budgies

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Budgies are known as beginner birds because they are playful and easy to care for.

Just because they may not be as high-maintenance as other birds, however, doesn’t mean they are any less deserving of top-notch care.

Caring for your budgie means providing a healthy, high-quality diet that will meet your bird’s nutritional needs.

Keep reading to learn more about budgies and their nutritional needs. You’ll also see our top 5 picks for the best bird food for budgies.

We highly recommend looking at the comparison table we have below where we highlighted the features of each product. You’ll also find more detailed information about each product later in the article.

Compare Best Food For Budgies

Overall Best 1. Roudybush Daily Maintenance Crumble Bird Food View on Chewy Read Review	Runner Up 2. Kaytee Supreme Parakeet Food View on Chewy Read Review	Premium Choice 3. Lafeber Classic Avi-Cakes Small Bird Food View on Chewy Read Review	Best For Budget 4. ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor with Natural Fruit Flavors Daily Small Bird Food View on Chewy Read Review	Best Affordable 5. Brown's Tropical Carnival Gourmet Parakeet Food View on Chewy Read Review
Crude Protein 11% Min	Crude Protein 12% Min	Crude Protein 12.5% Min	Crude Protein 14% Min	Crude Protein 12.5% Min
Crude Fat 6% Min	Crude Fat 3.5% Min	Crude Fat 4.5% Min	Crude Fat 4% Min	Crude Fat 7.5% Min
Crude Fiber 3.5% Max	Crude Fiber 8% Max	Crude Fiber 5% Max	Crude Fiber 3.5% Max	Crude Fiber 8.5% Max
Moisture 12% Max	Moisture 12% Max	Moisture 15% Max	Moisture 10% Max	Moisture 12% Max

What Do You Need To Know About Budgies?

The name budgie is a shortened version of budgerigar, but this bird is more commonly known as the parakeet. Parakeets are a very popular species of pet bird, known for their manageable size and their affectionate nature. Some budgies can even learn to mimic human speech.

Though the term budgie can be used accurately for any parakeet, there are different kinds of parakeets and not all of them are budgies.

There are actually two types of budgie. The traditional Budgerigar comes from Australia and is smaller than the English budgie which was bred in England for the show and pet trade.

The most common color for budgies is green because it is their natural color, though budgies bred for the pet trade come in a wide range of colors. In addition to being very colorful, budgies are easy to care for, but they do have specific dietary requirements that go beyond simple birdseed.

How To Choose The Best Bird Food For Budgies?

Budgies are relatively inexpensive pets simply due to their small size, but they do have specific dietary requirements. A diet consisting only of seeds will not provide the whole spectrum of nutrients a budgie needs to be healthy. A vet-recommended diet for budgies includes seed, pellets, fruits, and veggies.

Here are some things to look for in food for budgies: 

• Nutritionally balanced pellets. Pellets are the ideal diet for budgies because they are nutritionally balanced – they should make up 75% to 80% of your bird’s daily diet.
• Several types of seed. In the wild, budgies eat a wide variety of seeds, so if your budgies eat seed make sure to choose a blend that contains several types of seed.
• Fresh fruits and veggies. About 5% of your budgie’s diet should be made up of fruit and 10% to 20% from fresh vegetables like leafy greens, peas, carrots, broccoli, and sweet potato.
• Low grit. Some birds require the addition of grit in their diet to help them digest their food, but budgies tend to remove the husks from their seeds before swallowing and therefore do not require much grit in their diet.

Keep reading to see our top 5 recommendations for the best bird food for budgies.

The Top 5 Best Bird Food For Budgies

The best food for budgies will be nutritionally balanced which generally means pellets. If your budgie won’t eat pellets, you’ll have to find the right balance of seed, grains, fruits, and vegetables to ensure that your bird gets the nutrients it needs.

Overall Best

1.

Roudybush Daily Maintenance Crumble Bird Food

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Product Info

• Crude Protein: 11% Min
• Crude Fat: 6% Min
• Crude Fiber: 3.5% Max
• Moisture: 12% Max

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 11%

Crude Fat: 6%

Crude Fiber: 3.5%

Moisture: 12%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 12.5%

Fat: 6.82%

Fiber: 3.98%

Carbs: 76.7%

Pros

• Complete nutrition in every bite
• No artificial colors or flavors
• Made with natural, high-quality ingredients

Cons

• Some birds aren’t used to pellets

Give your parakeet complete nutrition in every bite with Roudybush Daily Maintenance crumbles. This bird food is packed with protein and essential nutrients, formulated in bite-sized crumbles that are easy to eat. Ideal for birds 3 inches or taller, this recipe is great for parakeets and other small parrots.

These crumbles are made with high-quality, natural ingredients without the addition of artificial colors or flavors. It is a 100% edible recipe with no animal by-products and no waste.

Runner Up

2.

Kaytee Supreme Parakeet Food

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Product Info

• Crude Protein: 12% Min
• Crude Fat: 3.5% Min
• Crude Fiber: 8% Max
• Moisture: 12% Max

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 12%

Crude Fat: 3.5%

Crude Fiber: 8%

Moisture: 12%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 13.64%

Fat: 3.98%

Fiber: 9.09%

Carbs: 73.3%

Pros

• Made with all-natural grains and seeds
• No artificial colors or flavors
• Fortified with essential vitamins and minerals

Cons

• Some birds may only pick out seeds they like

If you’re looking for an affordable option that provides for your budgie’s nutritional needs, try Kaytee Supreme Parakeet Food. This formula is packed with natural grains and seeds, completely free from artificial colors and flavors. Plus, it’s veterinarian-recommended.

This recipe is uniquely designed to maintain exceptional health and strong growth in parakeets, enriched with vitamin and mineral supplements with a premium mix of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.

Premium Choice

3.

Lafeber Classic Avi-Cakes Small Bird Food

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Product Info

• Crude Protein: 12.5% Min
• Crude Fat: 4.5% Min
• Crude Fiber: 5% Max
• Moisture: 15% Max

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 12.5%

Crude Fat: 4.5%

Crude Fiber: 5%

Moisture: 15%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 14.71%

Fat: 5.29%

Fiber: 5.88%

Carbs: 74.12%

Pros

• Made in small batches with premium ingredients
• Nutritious blend of pellets and whole grains/seed
• Encourages natural foraging behavior

Cons

• Some birds have trouble breaking apart the clusters
• Product may arrive with clusters stuck together

Made with a nutritious 50/50 blend of seeds and pellets, Lafeber Avi-Cakes provide balanced nutrition for your parakeet. It’s a perfect option for parakeets who love to forage, combining the nutritional balance of pellets with the tasty appeal of seeds. This recipe is also enriched with omega fatty acids as well as essential vitamins and minerals.

Lafeber is a family- and veterinarian-owned company, and all their products are made in small batches with hand-inspected ingredients. This product is hand-packed in the USA on the Lafeber farm.

Best For Budget

4.

ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor with Natural Fruit Flavors Daily Small Bird Food

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Product Info

• Crude Protein: 14% Min
• Crude Fat: 4% Min
• Crude Fiber: 3.5% Max
• Moisture: 10% Max

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 14%

Crude Fat: 4%

Crude Fiber: 3.5%

Moisture: 10%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 15.56%

Fat: 4.44%

Fiber: 3.89%

Carbs: 76.11%

Pros

• Complete nutrition in every bite
• Packed with fruit flavor and essential nutrients
• Made in the USA

Cons

• Contains some artificial color
• Contains added sugar

Some parakeets simply don’t like pellets. If you’re having trouble making the transition or simply want something your pet will love, try Zupreem FruitBlend Flavor Parakeet Food.

These tasty pellets are nutritionally balanced but loaded with fruit flavor from apples, oranges, grapes, bananas, and more. Every bite is nutritionally complete with highly palatable.

Best Affordable

5.

Brown's Tropical Carnival Gourmet Parakeet Food

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Product Info

• Crude Protein: 12.5% Min
• Crude Fat: 7.5% Min
• Crude Fiber: 8.5% Max
• Moisture: 12% Max

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 12.5%

Crude Fat: 7.5%

Crude Fiber: 8.5%

Moisture: 12%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 14.2%

Fat: 8.52%

Fiber: 9.66%

Carbs: 67.61%

Pros

• Made with over 30 unique gourmet ingredients
• Supplemented with omega fatty acids and probiotics
• Encourages foraging behavior, relieves cage boredom

Cons

• Some birds may pick out only the seeds they like
• Contains some artificial colors

For budgies who prefer seed mixes, this Tropical Carnival Gourmet Parakeet from Brown’s is sure to be a hit. Loaded with over 30 unique gourmet ingredients, this recipe is bursting with fruits, seeds, nuts, veggies, and more to provide for your pet’s nutritional needs.

The variety encourages natural foraging behavior and helps relieve cage boredom as well.

How Much Should You Feed Your Budgies?

Because the budgie is a fairly small bird, it doesn’t require a large volume of food. Most budgies do well on 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of seed per day, depending on their size. If you have more than one budgie in the cage, you should provide separate dishes for each bird. Birds typically establish a pecking order, so providing one food dish per bird ensures that all of your budgies get the food they need.

How Many Times a Day Should You Feed Your Budgies?

Most budgies prefer to graze on food throughout the day, so you should offer your budgie food once a day and let the bird eat it as it likes. To keep the food fresh, only offer your budgie one day’s worth of food at a time and clean the dish before feeding it the next day.

Final Remarks

Balanced nutrition is important for all birds, but small birds like budgies can sometimes be a challenge because they eat a lesser volume of food. Nutritionally balanced pellets are the best way to meet your budgie’s dietary needs, but if your bird is currently eating seed, you may need to transition it onto a pellet-based diet supplemented with seeds, fruits, and veggies. If you’re not sure where to start shopping for budgie food, try one of our top 5 picks reviewed above!