Is your bird a seed junkie? While most pet birds love seeds, a seed-heavy diet can lead to nutritional imbalances and health issues due to high fat content. That’s where millet for birds comes in—a low-fat, nutrient-rich grain that offers both health benefits and mental stimulation. In fact, it is one of the most nutritious grains you can give your bird. Millet aids in digestion and helps ease stress, making it a great treat during molting, weaning or breeding.
What Makes Millet a Healthy Treat for Birds?
Millet is a small round seed, typically white, yellow or red in color. It is low in fat and high in carbohydrates, making it similar to bread for humans. Millet is packed with magnesium, phosphorus, protein, and calcium, making it an ideal treat during molting, weaning, or times of stress.
Spray millet, also called finger millet, is left on the stalk and provides a great treat for birds. It has an appealing texture and delicate taste, and satisfies a bird’s need to forage by harvesting his own seed. Plus it provides entertainment and keeps birds busy!
How to Use Millet as a Healthy Treat for Birds
Millet is the perfect treat to use with baby birds and feather pickers. It is great for baby birds when they are weaning because it offers them a lot of calories to finish developing. Plus they love it! Millet is also great for sick birds who don’t want to eat their normal diet. As with all treats, spray millet should not be the main part of your bird’s diet. Although millet is nutritious, a varied diet is still very important. For smaller birds, you can cut spray millet into smaller pieces to control how much they eat.
There are thousands of different varieties of millet. If your bird doesn’t like a certain one, be sure to try another.
When offered in moderation, spray millet is more than just a tasty snack—it’s a valuable part of your bird’s enrichment and health routine. From helping young birds wean to supporting stressed or recovering birds, millet is a versatile and nutritious option that encourages natural foraging behavior. Just remember to pair it with a balanced diet to ensure your feathered friend gets all the nutrients they need. If your bird doesn’t love one variety, don’t worry—there are many types of millet to try. Give your bird the healthy treat they crave and keep those wings happy with millet!
LEARN MORE:
The Necessity of Treats for Your Pet Bird
Did you know that birds receive more than just nutrition from treats? Treats also serve as comfort, gratification, and distraction for birds.
Feather Picking in Pet Birds
There are numerous causes of feather picking in birds. Learn about feather plucking and the causes, treatment and prevention of feather picking in pet birds.
Dealing with a Stressed Bird
Stressed birds may start biting, feather picking, screaming, and losing their appetite. Read these tips for preventing stress in your bird.
Tips for Feeding Your Bird
Your bird loves her seed, but what else does she need to stay healthy? Get the scoop on extruded diets, fruits, veggies, nuts, and vitamins here!