Millet Spray: Lots of Fat?

[Jim Lynch]

I've got a bird that is suffering from fatty liver syndrome. I've got him
off of safflower and sunflower seed mixes and eating a much more nutritious
diet (lots of fruits, vegetables, pasta, etc.) with Super Preen as his
vitamin supplement.

I'd like to leave some millet spray in his cage but I'm leery of doing so
because I'm not sure if it has a lot of fat in it like sunflower and
safflower seed mixes.

Anybody know if millet spray is low fat? I really need to monitor his fat
intake, his beak and nails have overgrown a bit so it's important that he
not get high fat foods.

Thanks in advance.

Jim

[M. L. Simmons]

Hi Jim:

It may be your vitamin supplement that causing the problem and not the seed
at all. Fatty liver is not necessarily caused by "FAT" but can be the
livers response to many things. Excess vit A can cause it for example!!!
I use only natural supplements.....NO CHEMICALS!!!

Dr. Lee
Parrot Conservation Group
Jim Lynch wrote in message <7j862.376$SD1.1...@news.shore.net>...

[Liz Day]

> I've got a bird that is suffering from fatty liver syndrome. I've got him
> off of safflower and sunflower seed mixes and eating a much more nutritious
> diet (lots of fruits, vegetables, pasta, etc.) with Super Preen as his
> vitamin supplement.
>
> I'd like to leave some millet spray in his cage but I'm leery of doing so
> because I'm not sure if it has a lot of fat in it like sunflower and
> safflower seed mixes.

The problem is more complicated than it looks. No, millet does not have
much fat in it. Food for the baby millet plant is stored as starch and
carbohydrates, not as oil like in sunflower.

However, according to what I've read, fatty liver syndrome is NOT caused
just by eating too much fat. It can also be caused by eating a diet that
has way more carbohydrates and way less protein than it should. Thus, I
wouldn't give this bird unrestricted access to millet. What kind of bird
is it? It might eat lots of millet and not have an appetite for the other
foods. Get the (inexpensive) book _Feeding Your Pet Bird_, read on this,
and ask the vet.

LD

[Jim Lynch]

He's a greycheek. He eats lots of other stuff (fruit, vegetables, bread,
pasta, a bit of carrot and rowdy bush mix, etc.) but I'd thought to leave
the millet there as a treat. Sounds like it's not a good idea though, so
I'll probably restrict his access to it.

I've got tha tbook and am in the process of digesting it (no pun intended).
<g>

Jim

[NCurry9914]

Jim,

Sounds like your bird is getting a well balanced diet and to include Millet
every day is absolutely fine! My birds love it and as far the fat content is
concerned, it's minimal if anything at all. Peanuts and sunflower seeds are far
more fattening then millet yet most people make such foods the "staple" of
their birds diet. To be concerned about your birds well being is certainly
admirable and for peace of mind rest assured . Millet is a healthy part of a
birds diet!

Neal

[LSandB]

Well, I've been told by the vet and bird lovers that millet is french
fries for birds.

The Flock
Christine, Richard
& Budgie (1994-1998)
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// (c)1997 The Flock

[Somebody Else]

Millet has a very low fat content. The majority of the calories in millet
are from carbohydrate, with a variable amount (around 11%, I think) from
protein. Yeah, birds can become overweight from this, just as a person can
from a high carbohydrate diet (and many birds go nuts over millet), but the
bigger risks are from sunflowers, peanuts, and other high-fat seed.

Bob