Parakeets, like all birds, have a unique digestive system. This means that they are unable to break down certain types of foods in the same way as humans or other mammals. One thing that can help with this is giving your parakeet probiotics. Probiotics increase the balance of good bacteria in their gut which helps them digest food better and absorb nutrients more efficiently!
Today we're going to talk about 3 great options for probiotic supplements for parakeets – including what they do when you should use them and how much you should give your bird every day!
At A Glance
What Are Probiotics And What Do They Do?
In birds, probiotics are mainly found in their digestive tract and help them break down food better. They also improve the absorption of nutrients from food! You can feed your bird a supplement containing probiotics, or you can also give them some foods with live cultures.
Are Probiotics Good For Birds?
Yes, probiotics are beneficial for birds.
Probiotics lessen the risk of infection by bolstering healthy gut bacteria that keep harmful bacteria in check. A healthy gut also strengthens immunity and helps absorb important nutrients like iron.
Do Parakeets Need Probiotics?
No, parakeets do not need to supplement probiotics to live a long, happy life. However, they are a normal part of the diet for many pet parakeets.
When Should You Use Them?
If your bird is experiencing digestive issues, is recovering from an illness or is getting on in age, an avian veterinarian might suggest giving your parakeet some. Or you might just decide to bulk up your bird's system yourself in a safe and holistic way.
Why Give Your Parakeet Probiotics?
The health of your bird's gut microbiome has a profound effect on many aspects of how its bodies function. It's no wonder that the health of bacteria in the stomach affects everything from mood to mental function. Your bird's happiness and stress levels are linked to bacterial colonies in its gut–or rather, lack thereof.
Probiotics are an essential element in the diet of all my birds, but they take on a special importance for those that have systemic antibiotics and heavy parasite loads. Probiotics help balance out what's being depleted from their natural gut flora while these animals go through some tough times.
They also come into play when there is significant stress to the bird's system (captivity can be stressful) or if it has lost its appetite due to illness–a probiotic might make them feel better enough, so they start eating again!
Top 3 Best Probiotics For Parakeets
If you decide to supplement your parakeet's diet with probiotics, you'll need to find the right one for them. No two birds will react well to the same types of gut bacteria! Here are our top three recommended best probiotics for parakeets:
HealthyGut All-Natural Avian Probiotics Dietary Supplement for Parrots Digestive System Formula
The HealthyGut probiotic for birds is a blend of 8 species of freeze-dried probiotic organisms that promote healthy digestion and a normal pH level in your bird.
The HealthyGut supplement contains Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium lactis, Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus thermophiles, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium animalis.
These beneficial bacteria are known to be important for digestion and gut health in parrots!
Key Benefits
- ALL-NATURAL – holistically promotes normal digestion.
- Regulates pH.
- Helps defend against feather picking and effects from stress.
- Aids relief from digestive upset or antibiotic use.
- Aids general microbiome support in your bird.
- FOR BIRDS OF ALL AGES – from a baby to an adult, and everything in between!
- DEFENDS AGAINST FEATHER PICKING – helps make your parakeet more comfortable.
- REDUCES STRESS – promotes a healthy, happy mood for your parakeet.
- SAFE & EFFECTIVE – high-quality freeze-dried probiotics specifically formulated for birds that can be incorporated into the diet by sprinkling on top of food or administered by syringe.
What People Say About HealthyGut All-Natural Avian Probiotics
If your bird has been losing its feathers or chronically laying eggs, you might find it comforting to know that a happy Lovebird mommy's female Lovebirds were losing feathers off their backs, but after giving them Vitamin-D3 and probiotics, their feathers returned.
Similarly, a woman who took her 20-year-old parrot to the vet and discovers he needs probiotics said she bought this item, which she uses by sprinkling it on his food or dipping an apple slice in it. She is very pleased with how her bird has responded to the supplement.
Nekton-Biotic-Bird Probiotics for Birds
NEKTON-Biotic-Bird is a vegan, non-gmo probiotic supplement for all species of birds. The contained probiotic bacteria support the enzymatic digestion of food in the craw and in the intestines of birds.
The prebiotic ingredients such as fructans and mannan-oligosaccharides promote a natural and healthy composition of craw and intestinal flora.
NEKTON-Biotic-Bird helps indigestion and accelerates regeneration after antibiotic treatments.
This is also a great supplement to give to your bird to prepare him for stressful situations such as, transport, changes in diet, new environments or company. Adding this to his diet will help to counteract the negatives effects of those occurrences.
Key Benefits
- Powder supplement – easy to mix into water or sprinkle on both wet and dry food.
- Accelerates your birds rehabilitation after illness or antibiotics.
- Promotes the growth of positive intestinal bacteria
- Forms a protective layer in your birds stomach against unfriendly microorganisms.
- Contributes towards a happier healthier bird.
What People Say About Nekton Biotic Bird Probiotics
Most customers would agree that this probiotic was well worth the money and they will continue to purchase it for their birds.
After years of working in bird rehabilitation, this product has always been one of the major contributors to swift bird recovery.
OASIS Alive and Well, Stress Preventative & Pro-Biotic Multivitamins & Electrolyte Tablets for Birds
Alive and Well for Birds is a fizz tab for birds that introduce probiotics, vitamins, and electrolytes into the digestive systems during stressful periods.
It is suitable for canaries, parakeets, cockatiels, parrots, and cockatoos particularly during breeding or showing seasons.
Alive & Well probiotics are used to help prevent physical and emotional stress during changes in diet, caging, or surroundings.
This unique formula includes the beneficial probiotic bacteria and microflora population needed as a follow-up treatment after any use of antibiotics in birds. Alive & Well for Birds can increase the bird's immune system response to disease-causing organisms by replenishing the good bacteria that have been killed off by antibiotics.
It also aids in rehydrating sick or stressed birds with low body fluids caused by diarrhea or vomiting. Helps maintain proper fluid balance in pet birds suffering from respiratory infections such as colds, flus or psittacosis (parrot fever). Also recommended to aid recovery from chronic disease, poor appetite and malnutrition.
Key Benefits
- ALL NATURAL – Alive & Well for Birds is an all natural product. It contains no artificial colors, preservatives or flavors.
- INCLUDES VITAMINS AND ELECTROLYTES – The combination of vitamins and electrolytes helps to maintain the balance of fluids in the body.
- STRESS PREVENTION MEASURE – Use during times of stress such as change in diet, caging or surroundings. Can also be used as a follow-up treatment after any use of antibiotics in birds.
- SUITABLE FOR CANARIES, PARAKEETS, COCKATIELS, PARROTS & COCKATOOS PARTICULARLY DURING BREEDING OR SHOWING SEASONS.
How To Feed A Sick Parakeet
Sometimes when a bird is sick, it will refuse to eat, which could lead to starvation. In this case, you may need to hand feed your bird, although we do not recommend force-feeding, technically this is what you would be doing. You will need a bird syringe for this.
The following information should be helpful if your parakeet is sick and you wish to feed them.
How To Syringe Feed A Bird?
The following is a step-by-step guide on how to syringe feed a bird. This is not an easy task, and it's important that you prepare for this procedure by gathering all the necessary supplies beforehand:
- Syringe
- Feeding bowl
- Water
- Pre-prepared food mixture (liquid or roundabout) or probiotic powder.
- Bring the water up to room temperature (not cold or hot), so it's easier for your parakeet to digest. This will be used in your mixture to make it easier to pass through the syringe.
- Fill the syringe about one inch from the top of its barrel with the warm mixture.
- Gently squeeze in order for air bubbles to escape out of the end of your syringe.
- Hold your bird firmly and securely in your hand.
- Gently insert the syringe into the bird's mouth, between its beak and tongue, and squeeze slow, small amounts of the mixture into its mouth.
- If you see that your bird is swallowing, continue to feed them until they are full or no longer want any more food. If not, remove the syringe gently and wait a few minutes before trying again.
- It's important to be gentle when feeding your parakeet as it might be very scared and could hurt your bird if you're too rough.
