Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, so I understand sunflower seeds are bad and must be picked out. Now from what I've been reading, it sounds like they are just problems when it comes to digestive blockages. Is this all?
What I mean is is there a nutritional problem too? Like are sunflowers considered toxic or something?

You see, I recently found a birdseed (I think it was marketed as parakeet seed) that had sunflower seeds. However, the sunflower seeds were without the shells. Would this stuff be ok?

Also, I've found bird seed with dried cracked corn in it. I'm assuming this is nearly as bad if not worse than sunflower. it really reminded me of walnut substrate.
I mean, jagged dry large chunks of corn would be REALLY bad.

Any other seeds I should avoid or is pretty much everything else ok? I mean alot of bird seeds have stuff like thistle seed, canary grass seed, etc. Anything bad out there I should watch for?

Any brands anyone suggest that don't need to be sifted through for bad seeds, etc?

I just buy red or white millet. There is nothing to sift or pick out. It runs around $19.99 per 50#. I am very happy with it and the uros seem to enjoy the continuous buffet. I would agree that the cracked corn would be very dangerous as far as impaction or potential perforation if ingested.

Pam

Wouldn't a few other seeds in the mix be better for extra nutrition and food variety?

The millet is the substrate. They also get the fresh greens mixture daily with a bowl of the dry split yellow peas, split green peas, red lentils, brown lentils, juvenile iguana food and bee pollen which is left in the cage at all times. They eat better than I do! LOL

Pam

If you go in a health food store they have lots of seeds for sprouting that are edible. Also in the bulk section there may be some other than millet. Like I found spelt, I think it was. An egyptian grain. There are also some wild bird seed combinations for finches without cracked corn or sunflower seeds.-Lucy

I imagine that the sunflowers without the shells wouldn't be a problem, but I wouldn't give too many of them - sunflowers are very fatty.

For seed as a food suppliment, start by looking at the finch mixes - they very rarely contain sunflowers or corn. What I'm currently using is Sun Seed's Sunthing Special Finch Garden Greens and Grains. It comes in a little can, and I just sprinkle a little on my uros food now and again. It includes 3 kinds of millet, canary grass seed, rape seed, niger thistle seed, oat groats, flax seed, sesame seeds, and some dehydrated veggies (like alfalfa and carrot). The only thing I don't like about this seed (and most other bird seeds, unfortunately) is that it has a little bit of artifical color added. Some have artifical flavor(s) added too - often orange oil... makes the whole bag smell like citrus. I'm also not too sure about the oat groats... but they're a small part of the mix anyway.

Dawn