Parakeet Seed Mix

A good seed mix contains a balance of grass seed, grain, legumes, and oily seed. Parakeets also need sprouting and sprouted seeds.

When seeds sprout they produce a rich supply of vitamins and nutrients lacking in dry seed. The sprouted seed is easy to produce at home, and you should be able to find a supplier too, if you don’t fancy DIY sprouting. This type of seed soon goes moldy, and can only be stored for up to three days.

These parakeets could do with a another food bowl!

Parakeet Sprout Seeds

Many of the seeds in the lists in this section of the Guide are suitable for sprouting. Don’t try sprouting grains, especially oats, as these soon go moldy. Another one to avoid is flax, which goes slimy as part of the germination process, something parakeets find unpleasant.

For DIY seed germination, rinse the seeds under a tap in a sieve and then soak in a bowl in fresh cold water for 6 – 8 hours. Any longer and the seeds will begin to ferment. Rinses them in the sieve, and then suspend the sieve over the bowl and cover it. Between 24 and 48 hours later the seeds will be sprouting. Rinse them every 8 hours to prevent mildew forming.

Sprouting seed adds essential nutrients to the parakeet’s diet

Dry the sprouted seeds on a tea towel. Never serve them to the birds too cold (i.e. from the fridge). Offer the seeds over a three-day period to catch the different stages of sprouting.