Mealtime Should be a Special Occasion

Mealtime can be a rewarding experience for your birds when eaten in a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere. With the proper routine, the meal can be a happy event full of fun and enjoyment. Let each meal be a pleasant occasion, and at the same time an avenue for nurturing a loving relationship.

AN OCCASION FOR FRIENDSHIP, FUN
    AND GOOD FOOD

Challenging Tradition
The generally accepted concept of keeping food in front of birds all the time must first be challenged. Why do we do it? Tradition leads us to believe that birds might die if their dish isn't full all the time. But is this founded in fact? No! Food has probably been left in cages as a matter of convenience more than anything else. True, pet birds do need to eat daily, especially the small ones, but not continually all through the day.

Why then shouldn't we go along with tradition? The answer is simply... there's a better way.

Many of the answers we're seeking are found by looking into nature's design. "The goal of excellent health and peaceful existence for pet birds can be better reached when the footsteps of nature are followed.'' And what does nature do about mealtime?

If you examine the behavior patterns for all of the birds in the psittacine (parrot) family, you will find that nature has taught them primarily to eat two meals a day. And for good reason. By eating early in the day and again in the evening, they avoid exercise during the hot tropical day.

Daytime temperatures in the desert (home to the parakeets) and in the tropics (home to the rest of the psittacine family) easily exceed 100 degrees F. Nature knows that heat kills and that heat coupled with poor air circulation becomes more dangerous to birds-, and if you add high humidity as in the jungles, the situation can become precarious. (Heat waves in this country threaten the lives of hundreds of thousands of chickens. Poultry people take great measures to protect their chickens against heat).

Pet birds have a body temperature much higher than humans, 104-109 degrees, If those body temperatures reach 110 degrees it could mean death. That's why birds never run a fever when they are sick, and it's also why heat can be dangerous to them.

Nature wants to restrict their physical activities during the hot time of the day. Therefore, for tropical birds mealtime and food gathering activities take place when it's the coolest-early in the morning and late afternoon.

To assure that birds would not have to eat constantly, nature gave them a food storage area termed a crop. They fill their crop in the morning to provide food throughout the day, and then fill it again in the evening for the overnight fast.

Nature did not create a situation in which birds were to continually eat. Nature lets birds develop a robust appetite and then they gather food. Food gathering is really their most important daily activity in the wild, and is a deeply instilled instinct. Hunting for food is carried on during their regular feeding hours or longer depending upon the availability of food. The only time birds fail this important task is when injured or sick.

To deny pet birds this task in captivity by having food constantly in their dishes can possibly initiate internal disorders. For harmonious living, birds need to daily "act out'' the food gathering process.

While physically impossible for birds to actively hunt for their meals in captivity, it is possible for them to go through the food gathering process. This is reflected in their actions. They become more active during this period and also become more vocal and alert. The process goes on as if they were physically searching for food, and this activity, while mostly only mental, is to their advantage.

The Program-To Make Mealtime Exciting
Start by having food available for one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. Initially, the food dish can be within the cage, but as time goes on, feeding outside the cage will be preferred.

When starting this program, birds may miss their first meal, but birds are smart animals, and at every other meal their crops will be filled. Even the tiny finch does well on two meals a day. The only birds not to feed in this manner are those that are sick or in their reproductive cycle.

Offer birds their food and then remove in one hour, or only give them enough food that it will be completely eaten in one hour.

When food is not available to be eaten, birds develop a normal appetite. The crop empties of solid food in about 6-9 hours, and then signals the birds to begin searching for food. In pet birds, it fed in the morning, food gathering would start in late afternoon. Even if the owner did not return until midnight, the birds would be in no danger of starvation or other physical harm as a result of not eating sooner.

Hunger is a sign that the birds' bodies are functioning normally, and is a signal that they should begin looking for their next meal. Hunger does not mean starvation. It is very comparable to another body signal-fatigue. Hunger tells us we should eat-, fatigue tells us we should rest.

Hunger is an asset in another way also. As hunger becomes more pronounced, food looks better and better and an excitement builds as mealtime gets closer. Anticipation seems to stimulate.

Added Enjoyment
Eating can mean even more than food to birds. If the owner takes time to hand feed or in some other way socialize with his birds, the human contact can mean as much to the birds mentally as the food does physically. Hungry birds consider the person bringing food a friend, and a bond of friendship gradually develops. Birds look forward to a relationship with other living things, and we, as owners, want birds to look forward to seeing us and wanting our friendship.

Mealtime, then, brings a joyful contact between birds and their owner.

Making New Friends
Food enters the picture again as the avenue to expand relationships to include more people and hopefully everyone. At mealtime or treat time people other than the owner should be encouraged to do the feeding. In time using appetite motivation, new friendships will emerge.

Mealtime, then, is an opportunity to make new friends.

Between Meal Snacks-Treat Time
Birds fed only at mealtime seem to be especially ready to accept a food treat.

They quickly learn that between meal snacks are fun, and besides, they like the extra attention.

Treats can include any of the quality products sold in pet stores, or any wholesome table foods. Birds seem to readily accept the food they see people eat.

Controlling Waste-Bird Owners Love It
When food is abundant, birds can waste tremendous amounts. They scoop it out of their dish; pick it up; chew on it; grind it up; tear it into pieces-, play with it; sort through it; and eat only what pleases them.

What a contrast to birds being fed at mealtime in the morning and evening! These birds go through the mental food gathering process; anticipate mealtime, go to their food with a ravenous appetite, eat heartily and clean up all the food in the dish. No time for playing games. The birds concentrate on what they're supposed to do-eat.

A certain satisfaction comes from watching birds eat, and although an owner may at first feed just from duty, he will soon enjoy it.