Mousebirds enjoy and need a varied diet. They can eat ALOT in a days time J
All food should be given fresh daily. How the food is prepared (chopped or whole) is dependant on where you live, or the inside temperatures of where they are kept. I have found if the mousebirds are housed outside, or inside with temperatures above 85 degrees the food will rapidly spoil. With fruit this can be smelled as a wine-like smell. If the mousebirds have chicks they will not feed this to them, and will let the chicks starve and die. NOTE: when breeding if the diet is deficient, and not varied, the pair may not go to nest. Or if they do, they may break and eat the eggs and eat the chicks as they hatch.
I have also learned that the less cuts that are on a piece of fruit or vegetable, and the larger the size will also slow down decomposition, which can rapidly build up bacteria. If you keep mousebirds in a temperature controlled environment, and under 78 degrees, it is fine to chop/dice their foods. If your temperatures are higher I would suggest that you offer large chunks, and whole berries, etc.
A mousebirds bill is designed to effectively tear off bits and chunks of fruit or food to swallow. The upper bill acts as a plow, furrowing sections of the fruit, and the lower mandible acts as a scoop for the tongue to deliver the food back into the throat to swallow. In visually seeing this I now offer large or whole chunks of fruit, veggies, and berries. It’s more natural to the birds. They have a choice in the sections of the fruits eaten. Many times when small fruit like grapes or blueberries are chopped this includes the skins. When given whole, they will eat the inside of the fruit and leave the skins.
USDA link: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ This site is excellent for researching the nutrient content of the fruits and vegetables offered. What I do is look up each food, and print out the information and save it in a binder. I try to look at the Vitamin C and iron content of each food. What you want to look for is low Vitamin C and iron levels. In addition foods, such as banana, contain Vitamin E, which acts to deplete excess iron.
Digestive Tract:
Mousebirds have a short, wide gut, lacking caeca, as might be expected of frugivores. Food transit through the digestive tract is very rapid. Since the gut is so short, food travels quickly and digestive efficiency is low. Droppings are very loose. Many times it will appear that they have passed the fruits whole, especially Papaya. I have found that making sure banana is included with every meal, which tends to slightly slow gut transit.
For example: A Blue-naped Mousebirds intestine is approx.19 cm (6.30”) in length. The feces are voided between 6 and 18 minutes after ingestion of fruits. Transit is much slower when leaves are consumed, which may explain why leaves are often chosen as the final meal of the day in the wild. This is important because the nutrition found in leaves/foliage is difficult to use, thus the reason why it moves slower through the gut. A slow metabolism ensures that the maximum amount of nutrition is extracted from the leaf/foliage. I have learned when weaning chicks or when there are under 3 mousebirds in a group to offer greens as the last meal of the day.
When eating they will average 2-5 grams of food per feeding. In captivity, with a good supply of food available, mousebirds will eat a rate of about three times an hour and consume around 5 g of fruit in that time. In a days time this amounts to a substantial intake of food, thus I’ve found that I will replenish their plates 3-4 times a day. The ingestion of food is equivalent of the individual bird’s body weight. Mousebirds eat very rapidly, taking barely half a minute per feeding. Once satisfied, they go off and cluster or perch near each other with allo-preening amongst flock members.
What I Feed
Given the above information I start the day at 7-8AM. I check all the water bowls and change them. I give all cages some greens, a piece of banana, a slice of apple, a small piece of honey wheat bread, and replenish the pellet bowls. Since I also have cockatiels, I do the same, and then change their seed. if I have chicks/babies to feed I will do this. By this time the mousebirds will have eaten their breakfast. I will then give each cage a plate with a good assortment of fruit. Each cage has a small dish of egg food, which I will change out and give fresh. Several times during the day I will wedge a slice of apple through the cage bars, and give more papaya and banana, and a cluster of grapes, as they empty their plates. I use a stack of 3 or 4 6” paper plates per cage for their fruit/food dishes. This way during the day I remove the top plate so that I have a clean plate to replenish food.
During the late afternoon I will fix up a fresh plate of fruit with several supplements as shown below. I have a total of 29 mousebirds between 4 cages. The 4 plates shown below have a total weight of 528 grams of food. This calculates to 18.20 grams of food consumed per bird from late afternoon til dark. Since I feed a total of 3-4 times a day (other feedings exclude the supplements and extras) this works out to each mousebird consuming its body weight daily.
Banana tends to be the favorite fruit. A peeled banana weighs approx. 100 grams. In a days time between all the mousebirds I will use-4-5 bananas.
The small pink plate is food for 4 mousebird chicks I am weaning. The gram weight is 44 grams of diced and small chunks of fruit. The weaning chicks will consume 4 plates of this in a days time, in addition to supplemental feedings of formula, apple wedges, greens and soaked pellets. As with the adults, the weaning chicks will consume their weight per day.
The Fruits and Vegetables are from the Grocery store. Try to find Organic, or if not organic, rinse well. Many of the supplements can be found in a health food store, like Whole Foods. If you can not find anything locally, do a Google search. NOTE: it is not necessary to use all the supplements I do, but I’ve found they add extra nutrients that are in low levels in the fruits. Some of the supplements that are high in protein are good to help stimulate breeding, and as a source of protien when feeding babies.
At each feeding try to offer a minimum of 4-6 different fruits. During the day you can vary the fruits so that in a days course the mousebird has a variety of foods.
I post on a bird forum: Avian Avenue, in the Softbill Circle section at the bottom of the site. This is a link to a very long thread that has a lot of info: http://forums.avianavenue.com/softbill-circle/5569-mousebirds.html
Click on the photos for a larger view
All food should be given fresh daily. How the food is prepared (chopped or whole) is dependant on where you live, or the inside temperatures of where they are kept. I have found if the mousebirds are housed outside, or inside with temperatures above 85 degrees the food will rapidly spoil. With fruit this can be smelled as a wine-like smell. If the mousebirds have chicks they will not feed this to them, and will let the chicks starve and die. NOTE: when breeding if the diet is deficient, and not varied, the pair may not go to nest. Or if they do, they may break and eat the eggs and eat the chicks as they hatch.
I have also learned that the less cuts that are on a piece of fruit or vegetable, and the larger the size will also slow down decomposition, which can rapidly build up bacteria. If you keep mousebirds in a temperature controlled environment, and under 78 degrees, it is fine to chop/dice their foods. If your temperatures are higher I would suggest that you offer large chunks, and whole berries, etc.
A mousebirds bill is designed to effectively tear off bits and chunks of fruit or food to swallow. The upper bill acts as a plow, furrowing sections of the fruit, and the lower mandible acts as a scoop for the tongue to deliver the food back into the throat to swallow. In visually seeing this I now offer large or whole chunks of fruit, veggies, and berries. It’s more natural to the birds. They have a choice in the sections of the fruits eaten. Many times when small fruit like grapes or blueberries are chopped this includes the skins. When given whole, they will eat the inside of the fruit and leave the skins.
USDA link: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ This site is excellent for researching the nutrient content of the fruits and vegetables offered. What I do is look up each food, and print out the information and save it in a binder. I try to look at the Vitamin C and iron content of each food. What you want to look for is low Vitamin C and iron levels. In addition foods, such as banana, contain Vitamin E, which acts to deplete excess iron.
Digestive Tract:
Mousebirds have a short, wide gut, lacking caeca, as might be expected of frugivores. Food transit through the digestive tract is very rapid. Since the gut is so short, food travels quickly and digestive efficiency is low. Droppings are very loose. Many times it will appear that they have passed the fruits whole, especially Papaya. I have found that making sure banana is included with every meal, which tends to slightly slow gut transit.
For example: A Blue-naped Mousebirds intestine is approx.19 cm (6.30”) in length. The feces are voided between 6 and 18 minutes after ingestion of fruits. Transit is much slower when leaves are consumed, which may explain why leaves are often chosen as the final meal of the day in the wild. This is important because the nutrition found in leaves/foliage is difficult to use, thus the reason why it moves slower through the gut. A slow metabolism ensures that the maximum amount of nutrition is extracted from the leaf/foliage. I have learned when weaning chicks or when there are under 3 mousebirds in a group to offer greens as the last meal of the day.
When eating they will average 2-5 grams of food per feeding. In captivity, with a good supply of food available, mousebirds will eat a rate of about three times an hour and consume around 5 g of fruit in that time. In a days time this amounts to a substantial intake of food, thus I’ve found that I will replenish their plates 3-4 times a day. The ingestion of food is equivalent of the individual bird’s body weight. Mousebirds eat very rapidly, taking barely half a minute per feeding. Once satisfied, they go off and cluster or perch near each other with allo-preening amongst flock members.
What I Feed
Given the above information I start the day at 7-8AM. I check all the water bowls and change them. I give all cages some greens, a piece of banana, a slice of apple, a small piece of honey wheat bread, and replenish the pellet bowls. Since I also have cockatiels, I do the same, and then change their seed. if I have chicks/babies to feed I will do this. By this time the mousebirds will have eaten their breakfast. I will then give each cage a plate with a good assortment of fruit. Each cage has a small dish of egg food, which I will change out and give fresh. Several times during the day I will wedge a slice of apple through the cage bars, and give more papaya and banana, and a cluster of grapes, as they empty their plates. I use a stack of 3 or 4 6” paper plates per cage for their fruit/food dishes. This way during the day I remove the top plate so that I have a clean plate to replenish food.
During the late afternoon I will fix up a fresh plate of fruit with several supplements as shown below. I have a total of 29 mousebirds between 4 cages. The 4 plates shown below have a total weight of 528 grams of food. This calculates to 18.20 grams of food consumed per bird from late afternoon til dark. Since I feed a total of 3-4 times a day (other feedings exclude the supplements and extras) this works out to each mousebird consuming its body weight daily.
Banana tends to be the favorite fruit. A peeled banana weighs approx. 100 grams. In a days time between all the mousebirds I will use-4-5 bananas.
The small pink plate is food for 4 mousebird chicks I am weaning. The gram weight is 44 grams of diced and small chunks of fruit. The weaning chicks will consume 4 plates of this in a days time, in addition to supplemental feedings of formula, apple wedges, greens and soaked pellets. As with the adults, the weaning chicks will consume their weight per day.
The Fruits and Vegetables are from the Grocery store. Try to find Organic, or if not organic, rinse well. Many of the supplements can be found in a health food store, like Whole Foods. If you can not find anything locally, do a Google search. NOTE: it is not necessary to use all the supplements I do, but I’ve found they add extra nutrients that are in low levels in the fruits. Some of the supplements that are high in protein are good to help stimulate breeding, and as a source of protien when feeding babies.
At each feeding try to offer a minimum of 4-6 different fruits. During the day you can vary the fruits so that in a days course the mousebird has a variety of foods.
I post on a bird forum: Avian Avenue, in the Softbill Circle section at the bottom of the site. This is a link to a very long thread that has a lot of info: http://forums.avianavenue.com/softbill-circle/5569-mousebirds.html
Click on the photos for a larger view
Below is a listing foods that can be offered to mousebirds.
NO SEEDS, or Millet! A mousebirds digestive system can not digest seeds, like a hookbill/parrot type bird can. They will get in the bowl and shimmy and try to take a bath like they do in a sand dish. Otherwise they will just look at it and just starve and die.
Fruits
Grapes
Papaya
Banana
Apples
Pear
Kiwi
Figs
Peaches
Tomatoes
Strawberries
Cherries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Mulberries
Apricot
Cantaloupe
Honey Dew
Guava
Prickly Pear
Tamarind
Plums
Plantain
Paw-Paw
Elderberries (black)
Sapote
Watermelon
Persimmons
Lychee (peeled)
NOTE: Try and avoid offering citrus, like oranges and tangerines because they are high in Vitamin C, which can act to bind the iron that is in other foods eaten. If you do offer citrus fruits be very conservative, and offer a couple times a month, or at a Maximum, once a week. Use the USDA link above to look up Vit. C and iron levels. Preferably you would like the Vit. C levels lower than the iron levels.
Emergency Fruit:
Canned Peaches (when fresh peaches are out of season)
Canned Pears
Canned Fruit Cocktail
Canned Papaya, Guava, Lychee Fruit
Click on the photos for a larger view
NO SEEDS, or Millet! A mousebirds digestive system can not digest seeds, like a hookbill/parrot type bird can. They will get in the bowl and shimmy and try to take a bath like they do in a sand dish. Otherwise they will just look at it and just starve and die.
Fruits
Grapes
Papaya
Banana
Apples
Pear
Kiwi
Figs
Peaches
Tomatoes
Strawberries
Cherries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Mulberries
Apricot
Cantaloupe
Honey Dew
Guava
Prickly Pear
Tamarind
Plums
Plantain
Paw-Paw
Elderberries (black)
Sapote
Watermelon
Persimmons
Lychee (peeled)
NOTE: Try and avoid offering citrus, like oranges and tangerines because they are high in Vitamin C, which can act to bind the iron that is in other foods eaten. If you do offer citrus fruits be very conservative, and offer a couple times a month, or at a Maximum, once a week. Use the USDA link above to look up Vit. C and iron levels. Preferably you would like the Vit. C levels lower than the iron levels.
Emergency Fruit:
Canned Peaches (when fresh peaches are out of season)
Canned Pears
Canned Fruit Cocktail
Canned Papaya, Guava, Lychee Fruit
Click on the photos for a larger view
Greens and Vegetables
(Necessary when you have pairs setup and feeding babies)
Arugula
Dandelion
Endive
Escarole
Watercress
Romaine
Spring Greens
Chickweed
Mustard Greens
Broccoli
Mung Beans
Green beans
Pigeon peas (canned, fresh, dried/soaked)
Squash (baked)
Sweet Potato (baked)
Zucchini
Corn Silk
Avocado (From Mexico. Care must be taken that it is only the pulp, with no green discoloration from the skin. The skin and seed are toxic)
Carrots (shredded)
Carrot Tops
Leaves from plants and flowers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_plants_with_edible_leaves
Noni Leaves
Hibiscus Leaves
Aloe Vera
Click on the photos for a larger view
(Necessary when you have pairs setup and feeding babies)
Arugula
Dandelion
Endive
Escarole
Watercress
Romaine
Spring Greens
Chickweed
Mustard Greens
Broccoli
Mung Beans
Green beans
Pigeon peas (canned, fresh, dried/soaked)
Squash (baked)
Sweet Potato (baked)
Zucchini
Corn Silk
Avocado (From Mexico. Care must be taken that it is only the pulp, with no green discoloration from the skin. The skin and seed are toxic)
Carrots (shredded)
Carrot Tops
Leaves from plants and flowers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_plants_with_edible_leaves
Noni Leaves
Hibiscus Leaves
Aloe Vera
Click on the photos for a larger view
Flowers (any edible flower, including the leaf and stems)
Hibiscus
Purslane
Pentas
Aloe
Chamomile
Marigolds
Nasturtiums
Orange Blossoms
Violets
Elderberry Flowers
Lilacs
Pansy
Rose Petals
Blossums from green Peas and Squash
Honeysuckle
Link to a list of Edible Flowers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edible_flowers
Click on the photos for a larger view
Hibiscus
Purslane
Pentas
Aloe
Chamomile
Marigolds
Nasturtiums
Orange Blossoms
Violets
Elderberry Flowers
Lilacs
Pansy
Rose Petals
Blossums from green Peas and Squash
Honeysuckle
Link to a list of Edible Flowers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edible_flowers
Click on the photos for a larger view
Live Foods, and Protein sources are essential when breeding. If lacking mousebirds will eat the eggs and chicks.
Live Mealworms (place in a small bowl which curves inward) White-backed love mealworms. I’ve found other species are reluctant to try them, so other sources of protein need to be supplied. Canned mini mealworms can be found at PetsMart, and can be top dressed on fruit. if you can not find live (small) mealworms locally you can find them online. http://www.nyworms.com/mealworms.htm
Mashed Hard Boiled Egg
Insecta-Pro (Live Food replacement) http://www.vetafarm.com.au to find a supplier
Plant Protein: (Found at Whole Foods) For info: http://www.iherb.com/Life-s-Basics-Plant-Protein-18-6-oz/10900?at=0
CeDe Egg Food
Soaked Monkey Biscuit
Turkey Crumbles (from a feed store)
Bee Pollen Granules (From a Health Food Store)
Pigeon Peas (canned, grocery store, look for low sodium content)
Avocado
Ant Eggs http://www.allbirdproducts.com
Click on the photos for a larger view
Live Mealworms (place in a small bowl which curves inward) White-backed love mealworms. I’ve found other species are reluctant to try them, so other sources of protein need to be supplied. Canned mini mealworms can be found at PetsMart, and can be top dressed on fruit. if you can not find live (small) mealworms locally you can find them online. http://www.nyworms.com/mealworms.htm
Mashed Hard Boiled Egg
Insecta-Pro (Live Food replacement) http://www.vetafarm.com.au to find a supplier
Plant Protein: (Found at Whole Foods) For info: http://www.iherb.com/Life-s-Basics-Plant-Protein-18-6-oz/10900?at=0
CeDe Egg Food
Soaked Monkey Biscuit
Turkey Crumbles (from a feed store)
Bee Pollen Granules (From a Health Food Store)
Pigeon Peas (canned, grocery store, look for low sodium content)
Avocado
Ant Eggs http://www.allbirdproducts.com
Click on the photos for a larger view
Pellets
MAZURI ZULIFE Soft-Bill Diet
Zupreem Fruit Blend, Cockatiel size
Kaytee Mynah
Zupreem Low-Iron Softbill
Pretty Bird Species Specific, Softbill
Keep a fresh bowl of pellets in the cage 24/7. When the parents are feeding chicks, or you are weaning chicks, the pellets can be soaked/moistened with fruit juice. Do not use orange juice on the soaked pellets.
Click on the photos for a larger view
MAZURI ZULIFE Soft-Bill Diet
Zupreem Fruit Blend, Cockatiel size
Kaytee Mynah
Zupreem Low-Iron Softbill
Pretty Bird Species Specific, Softbill
Keep a fresh bowl of pellets in the cage 24/7. When the parents are feeding chicks, or you are weaning chicks, the pellets can be soaked/moistened with fruit juice. Do not use orange juice on the soaked pellets.
Click on the photos for a larger view
Bread
(From Carole) Susanne gives Honey Wheat in the AM. I give whole grain, and recently found a sweet potato/pecan loaf he just loves. I plan to make my own birdy bread/muffins and get a bunch of veggies he doesn't like into it, such as broccol
(From Carole) Susanne gives Honey Wheat in the AM. I give whole grain, and recently found a sweet potato/pecan loaf he just loves. I plan to make my own birdy bread/muffins and get a bunch of veggies he doesn't like into it, such as broccol
SUPPLEMENTS
Lorikeet Nectar, dry, sprinkled on fruits
CalciBoost Powder (for breeding hens, and growing chicks)
Access to sunlight or Full-Spectrum Lighting (Necessary when breeding to prevent soft shelled and shelless egg, or egg binding)
BioPlus (Probiotic)
Trace Mineral Powder http://www.morningbirdproducts.com to find a supplier
Bee Pollen
Plant Protein
Yogurt
Brewers Yeast (Whole Foods)
Beta-Carotene
Click on the photos for a larger view
Lorikeet Nectar, dry, sprinkled on fruits
CalciBoost Powder (for breeding hens, and growing chicks)
Access to sunlight or Full-Spectrum Lighting (Necessary when breeding to prevent soft shelled and shelless egg, or egg binding)
BioPlus (Probiotic)
Trace Mineral Powder http://www.morningbirdproducts.com to find a supplier
Bee Pollen
Plant Protein
Yogurt
Brewers Yeast (Whole Foods)
Beta-Carotene
Click on the photos for a larger view
Water
Under normal conditions, the high water content of the diet makes drinking unnecessary. Mousebirds suck up water similar to pigeons and doves. They will just drink small sips of water right after eating their fruit/foods.
Water should be changed at least 3 times a day because they will dip their bill in the water and get bits of fruit in the water. This can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Make it a habit to change the water at night so that they have fresh water in the morning. The night time water should be clean with no additives or supplements.
Under normal conditions, the high water content of the diet makes drinking unnecessary. Mousebirds suck up water similar to pigeons and doves. They will just drink small sips of water right after eating their fruit/foods.
Water should be changed at least 3 times a day because they will dip their bill in the water and get bits of fruit in the water. This can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Make it a habit to change the water at night so that they have fresh water in the morning. The night time water should be clean with no additives or supplements.
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