Cookery book
Cookery Book for budgies
Cookery-book for budgie's nourishment - introduction
Dear friends, a lot of years I have been finding how to improve my budgie’s nourishment. I have found a lot of interesting information and I came to the result that it would be better to have a list of seeds, fruits, vegetables, grasses together with pictures and images because the names of grass for example does not tell me much. Since I am not a botanist I have no imagination and I am not able to recognize any plant even if I am going around it. Therefore I would like to put to this thread all information about budgie nourishment together with pictures and photographs. I am collecting info many years and I am glad to have possibility to share this with you. I will put here both essential generally known foodstuff and less known or even unknown foodstuff. Certainly the most of you know many of these plants. Therefore be indulgent if some information will be primitive for you. Nevertheless I think that for some of budgie owners it can be useful information. I will put here a new info every time as soon as possible but not every day because it is partly hard work (to find the plant, to take photo, to adjust photo and to place it here). Therefore I will continue step by step. At last be patient with my English. I hope you will be able to translate it and understand. All mentioned seeds, herbs, grasses etc. are checked up and tried out in practice.
Notice: You can download both the text and pictures. No pictures are copied from another sources or commercial sites. Therefore I marked them "AdnorT2007" or "AdnorT2008".
Seed Mixture
I have tried out a lot of seed mixtures during my life with budgies. There are many seed mixtures producers all over the world. Certainly the experienced breeders are mixing their own seed mixtures. But we rather buy seed mixture in the shop. Now I buy without any exception only two seed mixtures – seed mixture from Trill and seed mixture from Versele Laga. 
Trill – excellent seed purity, good packaging, well–balanced ratio of seeds. Prestige Premium – Versele Laga – excellent packaging, good seed purity, well–balanced ratio of seeds.
Tip: Do not buy any seeds in punctured, deformed or ruptured boxes or bags. There is the risk of insect, warms or moths infestation. You can stock the seeds in the clean, dry and ventilated place. The best stock is in a refrigerator. Then you minimalize pest attack and its spreading. If you notice that single grains are hanging on the hardly visible fibres discard all volume of seeds immediately and check seeds which were stored togeter next to infestated box (if any).
Water
You can use clean, fresh water from the tap. If you are not sure with the water source it is recommended to boil such water and let it cool down. Even chlorinated water is recommended to boil by some authors. I solved it simply – I am using Aqua Drink from Vitacraft producer.
Aqua drink from Vitacraft – mineralized water with iodine ingredient, nullipore, natrium, kalium, magnesium.
Tip: Never use icy water or Aqua drink directly from refrigerator or tap. Water should be on the room temperature or a little lower. Change water minimum one a day – in hot weather more often.
Orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata)
If you go for a walk with your friend or with your family you can bring very delicious gift for you small sweeties which are expecting you at home impatiently. Maybe you have seen this species of grass but maybe you do not know that your sweeties would be very happy if you brought clump of these grasses. They love them. You can find this grass almost everywhere on the meadows, glades etc. Our budgies can eat it as half ripe or ripe. It is very easy to find it. Its spear can achieve 1,5m in height.
Wash down grasses by cold water. Cut the bottom part of footstalk and you can serve them. Rest of grasses you can store in the cup or glass with water for several days. Do not forget to cut bottom always – the stalk can be rotten there.
Tip: Never collect grasses near the streets, highways etc. Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica)
Perhaps each of us was stung by stinging nettle in his life. Surprisingly it is health for us. But the greatest surprise – stinging nettle especially her half-ripe and ripe seeds are tasty for our budgies and can be served as healthy bird food. You can cut the fresh leaves on the small 
pieces too and serve them. Stinging nettle can be turned into a tea made from the leaves and stems. This tea has been used to stop bleeding for people. Birds that suffer from kidney problems can be fed with young stinging nettle leaves.
Tip: Pour hot water over the leaves for neutralizing the stinging substances before serving them to your budgies. Store it in the pot filled with water – stinging nettle is going dry very quickly (after two or three hours stinging nettle can be almost dry). For example before you get stinging nettle home. You can freeze stinging nettle and let it as a good food for the time in winter
Egg
I hope each of us serves eggs to our budgies from time to time. Most of us buy the eggs somewhere in a shop. Happier of us can get eggs from the people at a village who are keeping poultry – hens in our cause. If you have this possibility use always homegrown eggs for yourself and for your budgies too.
What do we get? – Proteins and Calcium. I serve an egg once a week. Certainly the breeders feed with eggs more often in the time of breeding.
On the left you can see homegrown egg and on the right the egg from the shop, Difference is immediately visible by naked eye. I would wish you to compare smell. 
I serve egg as grated – see the picture. You can use slices or simply slit on the halves too or anyway.
Tip: Boil the eggs in the water minimum 15 minutes. I boil the eggs 25 – 30 minutes (since the start of boiling water). Why? As it is necessary to destroy possible germs. Human can be restored to health but budgie not in most cases.
Remove dish with egg at about 3 hours.
You can mix the grated egg with grated carrot and breadcrumbs.
The result – feasting budgies
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
I think everyone knows dandelion. Many small umbrellas (seeds of dandelion) are on the wing in spring and your babies are blowing to them. But most people do not know that the leaves of this common plant are a delicacy for our budgies. It is surprise, isn’t it? 
Fresh dandelion can be picked from March to November.
Do not forget to wash them in cold water before.
Tip: You can freeze some dandelion for the winter season.
Pick rather young fresh sprouts. Our budgies prefer them.
Never pick up dandelions near the streets, highways etc. Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
The result – feasting budgies
Soft brome (Bromus hordeaceus)
Pleasant surprise for us today - not too well known gift for our sweeties - and gratis.
Well, now we can go for a walk again. If you are standing somewhere on the meadow or glade you can look around yourself and you will see undoubtedly Bull Grass (bromus mollis) or Poverty Brome (bromus sterilis) or even Soft Brome (Bromus hordeaceus). Then you can cut it for our budgies. They will be happy.
Wash down grasses by cold water. Cut the bottom part of footstalk and you can serve them. Rest of grasses you can store in the cup or glass with water for several days. Do not forget to cut bottom always – the stalk can be rotten there.
Tip:Never collect grasses near the streets, highways etc. Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
Cuttlebone
Perhaps every one has fastened Cuttle Bone in his cage or aviary. You can buy it almost everywhere. But you can notice that there are sold the cuttle bones of different quality. Some of them are not even packaged well. Some of them are dirty. Some of them are broken. Do not buy such ones.
Cuttle Bone is rich in Calcium and it serves for bird beaks grinding.
I buy the Cuttle Bone which is on the picture. This Cuttle Bone is good packaged and clean. But the best Cuttle Bone which I have ever seen was the Cuttle Bone from Vitacraft producer. I can recommend it. Unfortunately this product is not imported to my country or very seldom.
Tip: Install it with soft side towards birds (I saw it installed on the contrary).
Install it near upper perches in the cage (not somewhere at the bottom)
Do not wash it together with the cage (during claening) – the Cuttle Bone is porous and it can saturate any disinfectant.
If you disinfect the cage and all accessories after mites infestation for example – do not forget to throw out Cuttle Bone and replace it with new one.
You can scrape Cuttle Bone and add it to the grit if you have a suspicion for Calcium deficiency (reed the text about the crushed eggshells too).
Apple and Carrot
Probably the most often and commonly used fruit and vegetable for our budgies. What to say on this topic. Perhaps nothing. If I want our cookery book to be complete I have to mention them.
I serve apple once a week or fortnight. There is tendency to diarrhea. After some time diarrhea fades away. I serve carrot once a week.
Do not forget to wash apple or carrot in the cold water. Peel them. I do not use the top of carrot for feeding if I bought the carrot in the shop (except bio products). No one knows where it was stored and how it was sprinkled with insecticide and pesticide.
Tip:Fruit and vegetable are better if they are sold as bio products. Unfortunately they are more expensive then.
It is better to serve carrot and apple as a slice. My budgies do not like grated carrot. Maybe some other budgies like it by contrast.
Do not forget to peel the apple and carrot.
If you have fruit and vegetable in a fridge do not serve them too cold.
You can use so called vegetable holder. It is very good, easy and ready for use.
I do not use metal vegetable holders (they are sold too). They have too sharp jaws and too strong grip. Then they can injure our birds. The plastic vegetable holders are much better.
Rough Bluegrass (Poa trivialis)
....and now I got up a small surprise for you
It is Friday today. I think some of us will go for a walk on Saturday or on Sunday. Do not forget to pick up grasses which we learned so far and you can add another one - Rough Bluegrass (Poa trivialis). It will be excellent treat for our darlings.
The Rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis) flowers in May and June. You can harvest ripe seeds from June to August.
Wash down grasses by cold water. Cut the bottom part of footstalk and you can serve them. Rest of grasses you can store in the cup or glass with water for several days. Do not forget to cut bottom always – the stalk can be rotten there.
You can serve various grasses together. Serve the grasses in a bunch. You will see. Your budgies will do small hill of rubbish from it in an hour.
Tip:Never collect grasses near the streets, highways etc. Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne)
When I was picking up grasses on Saturday I was lucky. I found Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne). Generally There are a lot of Perennial ryegrasses at my meadow where I am picking them every year but this year I found only one (at least I could take a photo for our book). It is strange as there are a lot of Perennial Ryegrasses in front of the houses at housing estate in Prague where I am living. But certainly I cannot pick them up here.
My budgies love half ripe Perennial Ryegrass. Therefore have a look especially at green Perennial Ryegrass.
Tip:Never collect grasses near the streets, highways etc.
Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
Do not forget to wash them in cold water.
You can freeze them for winter time.
Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus Pratensis)
This grass is flowering in May and you will not omit it probably in a meadow. You can pick up it and to try to offer it to your budgies. My budgies prefer half ripe Meadow Foxtail but you can try to offer ripe grass too. But generally this ripe grass is not so popular by our sweeties.
There is a half ripe in the middle of the picture.
Tip: Never collect grasses near the streets, highways etc. Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
Pineapple
We all know this fruit from tropical areas. There is nothing to say probably. Certainly we serve flesh of Pineapple. I serve it very seldom.
Tip:
Do not serve this fruit too often. Pineapple contains a lot of sugars and we do not want to have fatty budgies, do we?
Banana
Probably yet more known fruit is Banana. We all eat it very often. Then you can offer banana to your budgies if they like it.
I serve banana relatively seldom. My sweeties do not like it too much. Certainly we serve flesh of Banana.
Tip:
No special tip.
Table Grapes
There is a Table Grapes on the pictures (blue sort)
Table Grapes – peeled off and cut in a half
Again well known sort of fruit which we can offer to our budgies - Table Grapes. I insert these fruits in order to be our cookery book complete.
Certainly you can use white Table Grapes as well. I serve Table Grapes only seldom. Do not forget to peel off husk or cut it in a half at least.
Tip:
Peel the fruit. Wash the grapes before serving
Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
Perhaps everyone knows this well known herb Ribwort plantain. You can find it almost everywhere on the meadows and glades. Dried inflorescences of the ribwort plantain are a tasteful addition to a budgie's diet. You can serve the fresh, long and narrow leaves of this plantain certainly too. Ribwort plantain flowers from May to October. Each part of this herb has a slight antibacterial effect.
Ribwort Plantain
Ribwort Plantain – detail
Ribwort Plantain – leaf
Do not forget to pick up this health herb for your budgies. I was looking for other species of plantain on Saturday too but I did not find it. I hope I will be more successful next time and I will be able to share the knowledge with you.
Tip:
Never collect grasses near the streets, highways etc.
Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
Do not forget to wash them in cold water.
Do not forget!!! – The good nourishment of our budgies is basic pillar of their health.
Do not forget!!! - Our budgies are very domesticated. Therefore they eat almost everything - for example human food (dumplings, sauces, sausages etc.). They are not able to recognize what is dangerous for them and what isn't. You yourself have to keep ward over them (their nourishment).
Cucumber
Each of us probably has eaten cucumber in any form. It is time you can try to offer this vegetable to your budgie(s). Some of budgies like this sort of vegetable.
I serve slice of cucumber fastened in vegetable holder.
You can peel cucumber (I do it) or you can serve it with a peel (I do not recommend it if you buy it in a shop).
If you serve it with a peel do not forget to wash it before serving carefully.
Tip:
You can peel cucumber (I do it) or you can serve it with a peel (I do not recommend it if you buy it in a shop).
If you serve it with a peel do not forget to wash it before serving carefully.
Flax
It is interesting that Flax is not mentioned too frequently. Flax seeds have high content of fat and therefore do not exceed more than 2% of common daily diet with flax seed. Some budgies like flax. They have a fun with foofstalks of flax too. My budgies like nibbling of stalks more then eating seeds.
Tip:
Do not sprout flax seeds.
Buy the flax seeds in a shops (without pesticides) – Vitacraft producer for example.
Owing to high content of fat, oily seeds should be stored only for a short while. I store them solely in refrigerator.
Common Sorrel
Common Sorrel (Rumex Acetosa)
This plant is about from 30 to 100 cm in height. Leaves are oblong earthbond. Flowers are small 3,5 to 5mm long – green or red. They are organized in narrow thin panicles.
You can find Common Sorrel at meadows, pastures and alongside paths. Common Sorrel contains oxalates potassic, vitamin C, flavone glycosides etc.
Tip:
Do not use Common Sorrel too often. I serve it twice a month.
Never collect Common Sorrel near the streets, highways etc. Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
The Common Sorrel is not convenient for freezing.
Do not forget to wash Common Sorrel up before serving in cold water.
White Clover
White Clover (Trifolium repens)
You can find this decent sort of clover on lawns, meadows, gardens and alongside paths. The white flowers contain sweet nectar and therefore budgies and other birds appreciate them as their food. White clover is flowering from May to July and can be up to 30 centimeters tall. But generally it is lower. 
Tip:
White Clover is one of the most favorite for its sweet nectar.
Never collect grasses near the streets, highways etc. Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
The White Clover is not convenient for freezing.
Do not forget to wash White Clover up before serving in cold water.
Radish
Radish
Our favorite Radish. Everyone knows these red or white vegetable. Now we are speaking about red form of Radish. But not everyone knows that Radish is convenient and healthy vegetable for budgies. This vegetable is a little aromatic and not every budgie likes it. But you can try this vegetable and some of your budgies will nibble it surely.
You can serve a slice of Radish in vegetable holder. Do not grate it.
Tip:
Wash Radish up before serving in cold water.
Do not buy Radish if you have pesticide suspicion. Prefer self grown Radish or Radish bought in bio vegetable shops.
Your budgies have to be used to eat Radish. Do not be discouraged if the first trial will not be successful.
Velvet Grass
Velvet Grass (Holcus lanatus)
You probable have seen Velvet Grass but you probably do not know that your budgies love nibbling of this grass. Velvet Grass flowers from June to August. You can recognize this grass according to its color. Its color is white with a slight imbuement of violet (flower head).
Tip:
This grass is one of the most favorite.
Never collect grasses near the streets, highways etc. Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
This grass is not convenient for freezing.
Do not forget to wash grasses up before serving in cold water.
Eggshells
Eggshells
Do not always throw out the eggshells. You can use them as a good source of Calcium. Budgies will be grateful to you especially before and in the time of breeding.
Take the eggshell after you shell the egg.
Remove eggshell membrane.
Sterilize eggshells in boiling water.
Dry the eggshell. I dry them in microwave oven. It is good as the second grade of sterilization.
Crush the eggshells. You can use a teaspoon for example.
This is a result of our work – crushed eggshells.
Finally we can serve them and the rest we can give in the convenient case. I use something as Petri dish.
You can crumb it to the grit directly or you can use extra feeder. I prefer crushed eggshells mixed with the grit and then I supply them from time to time.
Shepherd's Purse
Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
If you are going out somewhere at a meadow or glade or you simply set for the nature do not forget to see around. Then you can notice small discreet plant - Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris). You cannot mistake. Surely you recognize it according to triangular silicule fruits. Flowers are white to light pink. Shepherd's Purse is flowering from March to October and the plants reach a height 20 to 40 cm.
Tip:
Never collect Shepherd's Purse near the streets, highways, agricultural areas etc.
Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
Do not forget to wash Shepherd's Purse up before serving in lukewarm water.
Red Foxtail Millet
Red Foxtail Millet
"I like Red Foxtail Millet" our budgies scream. They are right. The most of budgies really loves it. But in spite of it some budgies prefer other gifts. There is a little mess with the name "Spray Millet". Generally if one says "Spray Millet" everyone envisions Red Foxtail Millet. There are more sorts of millets over the world. For example: California Golden Spray Millet – well known by our colleagues from US and Canada. Generally yellow sorts of millet are not so favorite by our budgies.
You can buy Red Foxtail Millet almost in every pet shop. But if you look at millet carefully you can see the difference in the quality (among various producers if you like importers).
I have chosen Red Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica 'Hylander') from Vitacraft
Advantage: very good quality, very clean, good packaging.
Drawback: more expensive
Red Foxtail Millet
Tip:
It is possible to get half ripe millet but about it later.
Do not serve too much Red Foxtail Millet. Your budgies would not eat anything else. Use it only in small quantities. Otherwise there is a danger of overweight and vitamins and minerals lack. I serve it once a week or fortnight.
Use it as a gift during taming and training.
Red Foxtail Millet can be sprouted and served then.
Cauliflower (Brassica Oleracea, Brassicacea fam.)
Cauliflower
Do you like a cauliflower soup? You can ask your mum, wife or grandmother to be so kind as to prepare a cauliflower soap to dinner or lunch. Perhaps a piece of cauliflower will remain for your budgies. Cauliflower is very good vegetable for our sweeties. Cauliflower is very nutritious. Cauliflower was cultivated from wild cabbage as well as kohlrabi and cabbage. If you taste raw Cauliflower then you can notice almost the same taste as kohlrabi. Cauliflower contains all important vitamins but mainly vitamin C and K.
Cauliflower
Tip:
Serve raw Cauliflower.
Serve succulent inflorescence.
Rinse Cauliflower carefully before serving.
Do not serve Cauliflower immediately after you take it from a fridge. It has to have a room temperature.
You can serve grated Cauliflower mixture with grated boiled egg.
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Dill
Maybe you have a small garden or your neighbour or grandparents on the village. Then you can grow nice slim herb - Dill. This herb is about 40-60 cm tall, with really very slender stems. The flowers are white to yellow. You know this herb more likely as a spice in various sauces. But know you can pick up this herb and serve it to your budgies. The plant is slightly aromatic and budgies may not like it for the first time. But then, they will like it.
Dill
Tip:
Wash up Dill before serving in cold water.
Dill is good for freezing for the winter season.
Do not use chemically treated plants.
Fennel Tea
Fennel Tea
Lately we were speaking about our budgie’s medicine cabinet a little. Today we can add another important item to it – Fennel Tea.
Fennel has very important anti spasm features. Therefore Fennel Tea can help budgie against constipation and flatulence. Gas can be gathered in a crop or abdomen of a bird in consequence of some fungal infection. If you do not have Fennel Tea at your disposal you can use Anise Tea. But about Anise Tea we will speak in the next paragraph.
Fennel Tea - your Fennel Tea will look similarly
Tip:
If you have some possibility serve Fennel Tea after consultation with your avian vet.
You can prepare Fennel Tea according to the instruction in the previous posts.
The tea can be flavored with dextrose or honey as well. (Attention!! - remember Megabacteria and kidney disease restrictions)
Greater Plantain (Plantago major)
One of the plantain species which is very healthy for our budgies is Greater Plantain. You can find it alongside of the paths, ways, alongside forests and sometimes on the meadows (if there is proper soil). You can pisk up Greater Plantain roughly from June to early November. Our budgies prefer half ripe seeds then ripe seeds. Certainly you can serve leaves too.
Greater Plantain
Tip:
Greater Plantain is very good for freezing for the winter season.
Greater Plantain helps against diarrhea.
Each part of Greater Plantain has a slight antibacterial effect.
Do not pick up Greater Plantain near the streets, roads (car fouling - lead), in the parks (dog's excrements), agriculture areas (pesticides, chemicals) etc.
Wash up Greater Plantain before serving in cold water.
Do not serve cold plant directly from the fridge.
Grit
There are a lot of products with Grit in the pet shops. I use the Grit from Vitacraft producer for example. This Grit contains shell limestone, mussel grit and minerals as well.
Grit from Vitacraft Grit from Vitacraft - detail
Tip:
You can append crushed eggshells to it.
Chamomile Tea
You can buy Chamomile Tea at a chemist's. Chamomile is one of the most valuable herbaceous plants. You should have Chamomile Tea in your budgie medicine cabinet as well. This herb has its place in a healthy budgie diet as additional medical supplement.
Chamomile Tea or if you like Chamomile herb suppress the inflammations and it is very helpful against infectious diseases. If your budgie is suffering from crop inflammation or some respiratory diseases then Chamomile Tea will help your feathered patient to restore to health more quickly. I can recommend Chamomile Tea if your budgie is suffering from diarrhea as well. Chamomile steam bath can be tried against a cold and various diseases of air passages of birds.
Chamomile Tea – your Chamomile tea will look just like that
Tip:
If you have some possibility serve Chamomille tea after visit of your avian vet.
You can prepare Chamomile tea according to the instruction in the next paragraph.
The tea can be flavored with dextrosis or honey as well.
(Attention!! - remember Megabacteria and kidney disease restrictions)
Kohlrabi
Probably I do not have to introduce Kohlrabi. But someone of you does not know you can serve Kohlrabi to your budgies. Kohlrabi has a low nutrition value. Therefore do not serve it very often. Kohlrabi contains vitamins C, E and B and other helpful substances. Leaves have doubled content of substances then a fruit. Therefore you can serve leaves as well (but not chemically treated plants). Kohlrabi is convenient diet supplement for our budgies.
Kohlrabi
Tip:
Do not serve old xylocarp or sprouting plants.
Peel a kohlrabi before serving.
Cut thin slice of kohlrabi for serving.
Do not use chemically treated plants.
Use kohlrabi from time to time (a low nutrition value).
Chicory (Cichorium intybus)
It is the herb that can grow more then 1 meter in height. Its stalk is relatively thin distorted but rigid. The flowers are about 3 - 4 cm in diameter. They are blue and very rarely pink or white. Chicory is flowering from July to October.
Where can we find this herb? We can find Chicory at fields, meadows, glades, ditches etc. It contains glycoside bitter substance - intybin (it regulates digestive tract activity, affects liver pancreas and blood system activity). Farther Chicory contains inulin, volatile oil, choline, tanning agents and higher amount of minerals.
If you go for a walk do not forget to collect this herb with very nice flowers for your budgies. If they do not like it they use this herb as very good for climbing, pecking, hanging and chewing. But my budgies love this herb.
Chicory
Tip:
Do not pick up Chicory near the streets, roads, in the parks, agriculture areas etc.
Wash up Chicory before serving in cold water.
It is good to use this herb for joy of birds as well (convenient for climbing, hanging, chewing etc.)
Chicory is healthy, tasty and funny for budgies
Kiwi fruit
The kiwifruit is native to the Yangtze River valley of northern China. The Kiwifruit is oval, ovoid or oblong fruit is up to 2-1/2 inches long, with russet-brown skin densely covered with short, stiff brown hairs. Kiwi fruit is very rich in vitamin "C". If you buy some Kiwifruit do not forget to offer at least a small piece to your budgies. Vitamin "C" is very important in the life of budgies and Kiwifruit is good source of this.
Kiwi fruit
Tip:
Wash up Kiwifruit before peeling in cold water.
Peel it.
Do not forget to remove rest of Kiwifruit after maximum 5 hours.
Lawn daisy (Bellis perennis)
TLawndaisy (English Daisy) is very tiny herb. You can find it at lawns, meadows, gardens and pastures. Lawndaisy (English Daisy) is flowering almost all year - from February to September. It can achieve 25 cm in height but usually it is lower. The flower is white to pink and tops are almost red.The target of the flower is yellow. This beautiful plant has the curable effects.
If you go for a walk do not forget to bring the small bunch of Lawndaisies to your wife and to your budgies. They will love you for it.
Lawn daisy
Tip:
Never collect Lawndaisy (English Daisy) near the streets, highways, agricultural areas etc. Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
The Lawndaisy (English Daisy) is not convenient for freezing.
Do not forget to wash Lawndaisy (English Daisy) up before serving in cold water.
Lawndaisy (English Daisy) is dies back quickly after picking. You can prolong this time if you put it to the pot with water and store it in the fridge.
Black Elder
Black Elder (Sambucus nigra)
Each of us probably knows very beautifully flowering Black Elder. It is about 1,5 to 5 meters high shrub (from time to time you can see 10 meters Black Elder in height). The flowers are white to lightly yellowish. The fruit is 5 to 8 mm big black berry - so called elderberry. The Black Elder flowers from June to July.
You can find elderberries at the edges of the forests, shrubbery, according to the paths, in the gardens etc.
Ripe berries of the Black Elder (Sambucus nigra) are a healthy goody for our budgies. You can pick up ripe elderberries from August to September.
Black Elder - fruits - detail Black Elder - fruits Twig of Black Elder
Tip:
Elderberries can be frozen for winter.
Do not pick up elderberries near the streets, roads, in the parks, agriculture areas etc.
Wash up elderberries before serving in cold water.
Do not serve elderberries very often - more content of sugar.
Important remark:
Never serve Black Elder twigs - they are toxic for budgies!!!
Blackthorn
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) - Have you ever eated sloes? I think so. They are small dark blue berries (such small plums but rounded) with a harsh taste. However after being frozen they are very sweet. The common name is derived from its dark bark and skin, and from the thorns or spines that it bears. Flowers are white in early spring. You can collect the ripe fruit from September to December. Blackthorn looks for sunny location at slopes and alongside paths. You can collect sloes but twigs with sloes just now. Your budgies will love to gnaw wood of the blackthorn and they can gain some minerals from the bark.Certaily you can offer to your budgies blackthorn flowers in Spring as well. And finally the sloes contain high amout of vitamin C.
Blackthorn - Sloe cut Blackthorn leaf underside Blackthorn leaf right side
Blackthorn
Remark:
Never serve sloes with the stone - the core of the stones is toxic for budgies!!!!
Tip:
Sloes can be frozen for winter.
Do not pick up sloes and twigs near the streets, roads, in the parks, agriculture areas etc.
Wash up sloes and twigs before serving in cold water.
I remove sharp thorns (just to be sure).
Tear the surface of sloe before serving (better for budgie)
Timothy-grass
Timothy-grass (Phleum pratense) - now it is the last time when we can collect some native grasses for our budgies. Perhaps you will succede with some last stalks of Timothy-grass (Phleum pratense). Timothy-grass (Phleum pratense) can have 1 meter in height. You will hardly find lonely Timothy-grass. Timothy-grass (Phleum pratense) range only in thick bunches. Flowering is dense and cylindrical in the length 2 – 8 cm. Timothy-grass (Phleum pratense) is flowering from June to August.
We can find Timothy-grass (Phleum pratense) at the meadows and glades and pastures and another grass locations with sufficiency of water.
Well, do not forget to pick up Timothy-grass which we just learned now. It will be excellent treat for our budgies.
Timothy-grass - leaf
Timothy-grass - flower - detail
Timothy-grass
Wash down grasses by cold water. Cut the bottom part of footstalk and you can serve them. Rest of grasses you can store in the cup or glass with water for several days. Do not forget to cut bottom always – the stalk can be rotten there.
Tip:
Never collect grasses near the streets, highways etc.
Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
Blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
Do you go to the forest sometimes? I you go you can pick up very well known forest fruit – blueberries. You can prepare a cake with blueberries or to eat them sweetened with ice cream for example. But what is the most important – do not forget on your sweeties in the cage or aviary – budgies.
Blueberries
Blueberries
Blueberries
Tip:
Wash up Blueberries before serving in cold water.
Blueberries are not convenient for freezing (but it is possible).
Do not serve dry or mouldy Blueberries.
You can mash them a little before serving.
Budgies have to get used to them firstly.
You can serve Blueberries including leaves – for instance a small shrublet.
Potato
Vegetable - Potato (boiled)
I do not have to introduce potatoes surely but someone of you do not know you can serve boiled potato to your budgies. Potato contains vitamin A and therefore potato can be convenient diet supplement for our budgies.
NEVER SERVE RAW POTATO !!!!! (note: some sources do not exclude raw potato serving but do not risk - it is not hard work to peel and boil potato, is it?)
Potato
Peel potato
Peeled Potato
Cook potato
Serve potato
Tip:
Do not use old mouldy potatoes or sprouting potatoes.
Scrape potato in thick layer (I scrape potato two or three times).
Especially greenish parts have to be removed (scraped).
Boil potato longer time then usually (for people) - let it a little to boil to mush (I boil potato about 15 - 20 minutes since water has started to boil).
Mash potato slightly.
Peach
If you buy some Peaches in the greengrocery you can try to offer slice of Peach to your budgies. Some of budgies like it, some of them do not. Since it is well known fruit there is no sense to describe Peach more here.
Peach Always remove the stone Peach in a vegetable holder
Tip:
Remove leathery husk before serving (especially if you bought Peach in the greengrocery – possible chemical spray)
Cut thin slice and put it in vegetable holder.
Black Tea
You can buy Black Tea at almost every shop. I bought my tea in Tesco. I prefer high quality teas for my budgies therefore I chose Ahmad tea – Ceylon tea. I doubt that some very cheap so called Ceylon teas are really made from tea leaves.
This tea is made from leaves from the hillside of Ceylon (it is written on the box and I try to believe). Certainly you can use some another Ceylon tea. (But I think I do not have to tell you anything about it. It is said Englishmen are experts on teas).
Black Tea - it is a good quality Black Tea on the picture above (I think)
You can use Black Tea for stimulating budgie’s blood circulation. Black tea can be used as a remedy from a stress state for example or against diarrhea as well. But it is a good idea to consult Black Tea using with your avian vet.
Tip:
Do not serve too strong Black Tea.
Prepare Black Tea according to the instruction in the previous post.
Cracker
This text can be taken as a part of the chapter about seed mixtures. If you want to prepare something delicious for your sweeties then you can bake the Crackers for them.
The preparation is very simple and results are very good.
Dear friends, since I do not want to take someone ideas I would like to ask for permission our Senior Member Anja12 and I would like to use her recipe for these Crackers. Thanks Anja12.
Anja12's recipe:
A very easy and cheap alternative is baking your own crackers – your budgies will love you for that!
What you need:
1 egg
80 gram meal (best would be wholemeal)
1-2 soupspoons honey
budgie seeds
Mix meal, egg and honey until you get a sticky stringy dough. Then add seeds as much as possible. The dough is only used as “glue”, so there should be as much seeds in it as possible.
Then make sticks or other forms (you can place wooden sticks or wodden clothespins in the dough) and put it into the oven. Bake it approx. 15 minutes with a temperature of 180°C (electric), and 150°C (air circulation).
And on the following picture you can see finished Crackers
My personal products
I use Trill mixture for it as basic mass. Do not use seed mixtures which contain granules (for example Versele Laga Prestige Premium). You can buy Crackers in a pet shop too. There are many producers of this product – for example Vitacraft – see the picture below....
.....but believe me – our home products are more delicious for our budgies.
Tip:
Do not do Crackers too thick
You can shape them – I use simply Christmas pans
Do not use any oils
Use baking paper
You can taste it.
Lettuce Salad
There are several Cultivar Groups (Butterhead, Crisphead (Iceberg), Looseleaf, Cos, Summer Crisp) of Lettuce which are ordered here by head formation and leaf structure and hundreds of cultivars of Lettuce selected for leaf shape and colour. You can buy Lettuce at a greengrocery, supermarket or to grow Lettuce in our garden. It is very recommended to grow it in the own garden because shop sold Lettuce is very often very strongly sprinkled by pesticides or another chemicals. Unfortunately naither washing up does not help very much. I use only self grown Lettuce or Lettuce which is bought in bio product shop.
Lettuce salad - right side of the leaf - underside of the leaf
Tip:
Grow your own Lettuce without pesticides and chemicals.
Wash up Lettuce before serving in cold water.
You can put rest of Lettuce in the water to some pot and insert it to the fridge - Lettuce will keep fine for a week.
Rabbit Clover (Trifolium Arvense)
You can find this nice and hairy sort of clover at dry lawns, meadows, gardens and pastures. The colour of its flower is whitish that turns to pink. This species of clover is flowering from June to October. The flowers contain sweet nectar and therefore budgies and other birds love them. Leaves are trifoliolate. The the Rabbit-Foot Clover can grow up to 30 centimeters. But generally it is lower.
Rabbit Clover
Tip:
Rabbit-Foot Clover is very popular among the budgies for its sweet nectar.
Never collect Rabbit-Foot Clover near the streets, highways, agricultural areas etc. Avoid the parks in the towns and villages and all places you can await our four legs doggies excrements.
The Rabbit-Foot Clover is not convenient for freezing (but it is possible).
Do not forget to wash Rabbit-Foot Clover up before serving in cold water.
Mango (fruit of Mangifera Indica)
Would you like Mango? I do not like it too much. But if you do not like it too then it does not mean that your budgies do not like Mango as well. I can confirm that most of budgies like Mango very much.
Therefore if you visit greengrocery then do not forget to take one Mango for your sweeties. They are waiting for you at home and for some healthy treat.
Mango Mango in cut Mango slice-you can serve it
Mango stone
Tip:
Peel Mango before serving
Remove stone - the stone is toxic for budgies
Cut in slices
.........and you can serve it
How to boil a good tea for budgies?
Tea strength
Tea Strength - strong or light tea?
No matter what sort of tea you want to offer to your ill bird in lieu of drinking water but do not boil the tea too strong please and cool down the tea on a room temperature before you serve the tea.
If you prepare the tea from a tea bag then following rule is valid. Boil the tea according to the instruction hints for one tea cup in recommended dosing. Then dilute this tea with about one half of tea cup of pure water (it means add 50% of pure water (boiled) more after you prepared the tea according to the instruction).
Tip:
Do not use destilled water.
Use an analogous process if you do not use a bag tea.
Energy drink for budgies
Energy and tasty tea
We know that ill budgie mostly needs a lot of energy. It is not valid if a bird has an extreme excess weight.
If you need an energy and tasty tea for your budgie you can append Dextrosis or Honey to a tea as well. You can buy dextrosis at a chemist’s. If you prefer honey you can buy it at a shop. But I buy honey directly from beekeepers (no synthetic honeys from a shop). Well, we have prepared a tea according to the instruction in the previous post. For this quantity of a tea you can append a half of teaspoon of dextrosis. The same dosage is valid for honey. It could be unhealthy even for healthy bird if you dosed more sugar to your budgie.
The extreme attention is valid if your bird is suffering from kidney disease or kidney problems. You can add dextrosis or honey only in the case if you consult it with your avian vet.
Please, read all my info about Megabacteria and do not underestimate it. It is very important. If your budgie is suffering from Megabacteria no sorts of sugars in any forms are allowed!!!!
You can add vitamins to a tea as well. But I will write later about it.
Tip:
You can add dextrosis or honey to clean drinking water as well.
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
Dear friends - Purple Coneflower is my trump in budgie nourishment. If you have a small garden or bigger flower-pot you can grow very nice and healthy plant Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea). Do not forget to serve this plant to your budgies then!
The plant and its extracts currently are being marketed primarily for their effect of stimulating the immune system.
Be sure your budgies will like nibbling of this plant. I serve this plant one a week or more often.
Purple Coneflower - a half ripe flower
Purple Coneflower - a flower
Purple Coneflower - leaf - right side
Purple Coneflower - leaf - underside
You can use these plants for your own preparation as well if you are predisposed to influenza (very helpful against flu, cold etc.) - very easy to prepare it. I have used it a lot of years in winter.
Tip:
Remove the plant about two or three hours after serving (it gets dry)
You can serve leaves, stalk and flower as well.
You can remove prickles from the flower to be more approachable.
Wash up Purple Coneflower before serving in cold water.
You can freeze leaves and stalk for winter time.
Top Of Carrot
Top of Carrots is one of the most favorite vegetables for budgies. They love it. You can buy it at greengrocery but I would prefer to grow it in the garden. Be careful – check it for chemical spray – pesticides and herbicides.
Top of Carrot
Top of Carrot - underside
Top of Carrot - right side
Tip:
Wash up Top of Carrot before serving in cold water.
Top of Carrot is not convenient for freezing.
Do not use chemically treated plants. Use self growing Top of Carrot if you can.
Do not serve dry or mouldy Top of Carrot.
You can use Top of Carrot as a tret for budgies (during tame for example). Some of budgies love it even more then spray millet.
Top Of Parsley
Top of Parsley is one of the most favorite vegetables for budgies as well – similarly as a Top of Carrot. They love it. You can buy it at greengrocery but I would prefer to grow it in the garden. Be careful – check it for chemical spray – pesticides and herbicides.
Top of Parsley
Top of Parsley - right side
Top of Parsley - underside
Tip:
Wash up Top of Parsley before serving in cold water.
Top of Parsley is not convenient for freezing.
Do not use chemically treated plants. Use self growing Top of Parsley if you can.
Do not serve dry or mouldy Top of Parsley.
You can use Top of Parsley as a treat for budgies (during tame for example).
<2008 Aleš Troníček>
I would like to thank Ales my very good friend for giving me his permission to share his wonderful knowledge.