Post by RavenSong on Jul 12, 2011 13:53:53 GMT -6
Source: Starling and Sparrow Rescue and Care
Adult starlings require a high animal protein diet and the following diets are both highly acceptable. If you have a baby starling that is not yet eating on it's own please refer to the Baby Care & Feeding Guide .
A starling is ready to move on to the adult diet once he/she has been eating on their own for at least 2 weeks.
Clean water should be provided at all times. The water tubes used for pet birds are highly recommended to prevent it from becoming soiled. Water should be changed at least twice per day.
The first recommended diet is the Mazuri Insectivore Diet and is a complete balanced diet. You should also provide 1 hard boiled or scrambled egg with a little mashed carrot and apple sauce/shavings/pieces on the side for added protein and vitamins. Remove any of the egg mixture after 2 hours to prevent the bird from consuming spoiled food.
The other recommended diet is based on a dog/cat food that has at least 28% or more protein, 9% - 12% fat. Also is it very important that the first ingredient be a type of meat (preferably chicken). Please check product ingredients and analysis. The food can be served dry or moist. If dry you may need to grind it in smaller pieces. Mix this with either chicken layer mash (feed) or soft bill pellets. You should also add the hard boiled egg mixture (listed in above diet) in a separate dish once per day. Remove any uneaten egg mixture after 2 hours to prevent the consumption of spoiled food. The wet mixture must be changed to a fresh bowl at least twice per day to prevent it from becoming sour.
The moist dog food mixture may be made in larger quantities, separated into individual portions and frozen for later use. Thaw in the microwave as needed and allow to cool to room temperature before serving.
For adult sparrows you will also need to offer a small separate dish of seed. The best to use is the Kaytee formula for finches.
Healthy Treats for Adult Starlings and Sparrows
Chicken: shredded or cut in small bites (fully cooked)
Berries: any kind, but avoid giving cherry pits
Tuna: fully cooked small bites (if from the can be sure to rinse to remove any added salt)
Carrots / sweet potatoes / beets: may be steamed or shredded
Small broccoli florets: raw or cooked
Eggs: hard boiled or scrambled in the microwave (no added grease as in frying)
Organic dandelion leaves: very high in vitamin A. (picked fresh is not recommended due to chances of pesticides, best to purchase them from your local grocery store).
Greens: turnip, beet, kale or celery leaves
Fresh or frozen vegetables: peas, corn green beans or tomatoe dices
Fruits, berries and juices: slice larger fruit into small pieces (may also give freeze dried fruit)
Figs or raisins: highly nutritious
Bean sprouts: aids in digestion
Yogurt: plain or with fruit only (no sugars, artificial sweeteners or colors)
Multi-grain enriched breads : make sure the product reads whole grain (do not use light bread, it has no nutritional value.)
Nuts and legumes: finely chopped
Crickets: best are the ones fed a high calcium diet
Cooked or freeze dried caterpillars: purchased at Exotic Nutrition.com
Unsafe Foods
Earthworms: carry a parasite (gapeworm)
Rhubarb leaves: toxic
Alcohol: this includes wines, grain alcohol and malt beverages (no alcohol or alcoholic beverages are acceptable)
Caffeine: including from coffee, sodas or teas
Chocolate: toxic
Candy: starlings are sucrose intolerant
Excess salt or salty foods: salt should be kept at very low levels
Raw meat or egg: may carry salmonella or other disease
Avocado: toxic
House plants: this includes plants found growing outside that are not known to be safe
Milk: they are lactose intolerant and cannot digest the large proteins found in milk either
Flies or mosquitoes: may carry Giardia lamblia (a parasite) and other diseases
Adult starlings require a high animal protein diet and the following diets are both highly acceptable. If you have a baby starling that is not yet eating on it's own please refer to the Baby Care & Feeding Guide .
A starling is ready to move on to the adult diet once he/she has been eating on their own for at least 2 weeks.
Clean water should be provided at all times. The water tubes used for pet birds are highly recommended to prevent it from becoming soiled. Water should be changed at least twice per day.
The first recommended diet is the Mazuri Insectivore Diet and is a complete balanced diet. You should also provide 1 hard boiled or scrambled egg with a little mashed carrot and apple sauce/shavings/pieces on the side for added protein and vitamins. Remove any of the egg mixture after 2 hours to prevent the bird from consuming spoiled food.
The other recommended diet is based on a dog/cat food that has at least 28% or more protein, 9% - 12% fat. Also is it very important that the first ingredient be a type of meat (preferably chicken). Please check product ingredients and analysis. The food can be served dry or moist. If dry you may need to grind it in smaller pieces. Mix this with either chicken layer mash (feed) or soft bill pellets. You should also add the hard boiled egg mixture (listed in above diet) in a separate dish once per day. Remove any uneaten egg mixture after 2 hours to prevent the consumption of spoiled food. The wet mixture must be changed to a fresh bowl at least twice per day to prevent it from becoming sour.
The moist dog food mixture may be made in larger quantities, separated into individual portions and frozen for later use. Thaw in the microwave as needed and allow to cool to room temperature before serving.
For adult sparrows you will also need to offer a small separate dish of seed. The best to use is the Kaytee formula for finches.
Healthy Treats for Adult Starlings and Sparrows
Chicken: shredded or cut in small bites (fully cooked)
Berries: any kind, but avoid giving cherry pits
Tuna: fully cooked small bites (if from the can be sure to rinse to remove any added salt)
Carrots / sweet potatoes / beets: may be steamed or shredded
Small broccoli florets: raw or cooked
Eggs: hard boiled or scrambled in the microwave (no added grease as in frying)
Organic dandelion leaves: very high in vitamin A. (picked fresh is not recommended due to chances of pesticides, best to purchase them from your local grocery store).
Greens: turnip, beet, kale or celery leaves
Fresh or frozen vegetables: peas, corn green beans or tomatoe dices
Fruits, berries and juices: slice larger fruit into small pieces (may also give freeze dried fruit)
Figs or raisins: highly nutritious
Bean sprouts: aids in digestion
Yogurt: plain or with fruit only (no sugars, artificial sweeteners or colors)
Multi-grain enriched breads : make sure the product reads whole grain (do not use light bread, it has no nutritional value.)
Nuts and legumes: finely chopped
Crickets: best are the ones fed a high calcium diet
Cooked or freeze dried caterpillars: purchased at Exotic Nutrition.com
Unsafe Foods
Earthworms: carry a parasite (gapeworm)
Rhubarb leaves: toxic
Alcohol: this includes wines, grain alcohol and malt beverages (no alcohol or alcoholic beverages are acceptable)
Caffeine: including from coffee, sodas or teas
Chocolate: toxic
Candy: starlings are sucrose intolerant
Excess salt or salty foods: salt should be kept at very low levels
Raw meat or egg: may carry salmonella or other disease
Avocado: toxic
House plants: this includes plants found growing outside that are not known to be safe
Milk: they are lactose intolerant and cannot digest the large proteins found in milk either
Flies or mosquitoes: may carry Giardia lamblia (a parasite) and other diseases
My pet sparrow, 'Pokette', has been driving me crazy with one of her games she likes to play - I call it the 'I'm going to chirp directly in your ear until you can guess what exotic food I want you to feed me' game. Yesterday it was crickets and corn. Today it was peas and plums - and yes, once she'd eaten her greens, she was 'a-peas-ed'! 
She has all this food in her cage, so she can fly back and peck at it for herself, then fix me with a disappointed look in her beady little eyes if I fail to guess what she wants. If I guess correctly, she rewards me by flying to my shoulder and nibbling on my earlobe (sometimes not very gently, if I took too long to guess!). Thanks to your information, my earlobe was spared a mauling, Pokette is happy and all is silent. For now... 