[Debbied1026]

everyone knows birds love worms... Right?
has anyone ever tried giving their tiels worms? i know birds arent fish but i used to have several tanks full of fish and they would completely tear up those blood worms not that im going to give mine any blood worms but live worms could be an option for me. it has rained here this morning and i know where the worms are hiding out in my backyard. but i just wondered if anyone has tried it before. of course i will wash it off first before giving it to them.

 

[Aly]

My betta LOVES dried worms and I'm sure he would love live ones but knowing him he's try and eat it all one time and die so...Back to tiels now, no I wouldn't give them any worms from outside, dead or alive. You never know what illness the worm could have, what garbage they crawled in...etc. Also, I think it would be a little too hard for tiels to digest worms like regular birds do. I'm having issues with worms here myself-they seem to have invaded the hallway of my building (I'm on the first floor). I constantly have to remove them from the front door and off my shoes!!!!

 

[Bea]

I think that's a tough call. Tiels DO eat small insects in the wild, they get protein from them. But i don't know what varieties would be good, and then you don't know where the worms have been, etc. I think with things like fresh egg, legumes, and pellets available as protein sources, worms would be safer to stay away from...

 

[Laura]

Curiousity was getting the better of me so I was doing a search and there is really not a whole lot of info on cockatiels eating worms, getting worms yes....lol there was only one site i found that said Commercially raised insects such as mealworms, wax worms and crickets can be offered to most birds as treats or a small part of their diet but I don't know how accurate that is but it was on a cockatiel site, I agree with the others I would avoid them to be on the safe side.

 

[Debbied1026]

Curiousity was getting the better of me so I was doing a search and there is really not a whole lot of info on cockatiels eating worms, getting worms yes....lol there was only one site i found that said Commercially raised insects such as mealworms, wax worms and crickets can be offered to most birds as treats or a small part of their diet but I don't know how accurate that is but it was on a cockatiel site, I agree with the others I would avoid them to be on the safe side.

While i was waiting for replies after i made the post i did a search to.
Yes they can get worms, Yes they can eat meal worms, But NO they cant have live right out of the ground worms.
Worms can transfer many intestine parasites, actually can cause them to go into seizures. so while my birds are happily chirping and playing behind me, I do feel a lot better knowing I saved a worms life to lol

 

[Bea]

So i suppose you would want to know of a very clean stock of meal worms if you planned to feed them to tiels.

 

[birdboykaufman]

We used to have lizards and scorpions and those types of animals, you can get meal worms from almost any pet store. Its really easy to grow your own.

 

[Debbied1026]

So i suppose you would want to know of a very clean stock of meal worms if you planned to feed them to tiels.

no actually i think im staying im going to stay away from all worms. i checked the other threads and read the other foods mentioned that they can eat. I love my little feathered friends, so from here on out if i personally cant or wont eat it they wont get it either. (besides cockatiel food) Im not that hungry yet to try seeds lol

 

[Laura]

I love how you put that...lol your right its probably best to stay away from them I was thinking to Ollie is always kissing and nibbling on my face and lips I can't imagine giving him worms or bugs and then having him do that...LOL not a pretty thought on my end

 

[birdboykaufman]

I read that meal worms and crickets can be nutritious for humans... Just kidding!!!

 

[Laura]

I read that meal worms and crickets can be nutritious for humans... Just kidding!!!

ewwww yuck....LOL but your probably right...hehe

 

[Bea]

Im not that hungry yet to try seeds lol

They're not actually all that bad....

 

[Aly]

I try all my babies food...seed, the dried fruits and nuts in the seed, pellets...which are not that bad.....I even tried their mineral block...lol-Hey-they eat my food why shouldnt I atleast taste theirs..lol

 

[DeBree420]

i feed my baby Cinnamaroll meal worms, they arnt actually worms but the larval form of a beetle!... i buy mine from pet shops and they are raised on oats! totally healthy for birds...
when i give them to cinnamaroll, i put them in a round flat container with a rim she can sit on, only 1-3 times a week and only about 15-20 (depending on size) you keep them in the fridge and they stay dormant, when you get them out they start crawling round and round Cinn loves this! she 'mauls' the worms and eats a fair bit (the budgies watch with interest) and when she is done, she cleans her beak on a 'branch' perch (with bumpy bark) and the budgies all fly down and clean up...
all the budgies and Cinn also have a neverending supply of seed (which they dont eat much of) and vege and millet sprays and wholegrain bread and fruit on a regular basis
oh... and sometimes they get treat sticks and egg and biscuit mix and such...

 

[Laura]

very interesting I never even really thought about giving meal worms

 

[Aly]

A little protein is good for them. Mine eat some fish every two weeks or so. I think they would like it more often but that's the only time I give it to them.

 

[kyliesmom07]

I have my own meal worm farm because I have several critters that eat them ( Hedgehogs, sugar gliders and whites tree frogs) so we have thousands of them at a time they are raised in clean bedding a mixture of baby cereal and oatmeal they arn't gutloaded which is one thing to watch out for most animals excluding lizards shouldn't have the gutloaded ones . Maybe I will try some with my baby...

 

[Aly]

I saw these cans of worms at the petstore today and they claimed to be for reptiles AND birds...anyone know more on this? I ussually don't take the word of manufacturers.

 

[kyliesmom07]

Is it the already dead ones in a can?? I remember reading something about them not being healthy for anything but reptiles because of all the preservitives and I would avoid anything but the straight mealies either live or freeze dried. Make sure they are not superworms that look like mealies because they bite the animals and humans also if you feed them make sure they are dead as they have been linked to tearing up animals stomach. Oh and make sure they are not dusted or gut loaded mealies. That is vitamin inreachment for reptiles and is only healthy for them.

 

[Aly]

Is it the already dead ones in a can?? I remember reading something about them not being healthy for anything but reptiles because of all the preservitives and I would avoid anything but the straight mealies either live or freeze dried. Make sure they are not superworms that look like mealies because they bite the animals and humans also if you feed them make sure they are dead as they have been linked to tearing up animals stomach. Oh and make sure they are not dusted or gut loaded mealies. That is vitamin inreachment for reptiles and is only healthy for them.

That's what I thought. I try not to eat anything canned myself so I didn't think they should have any either. I think I'll stay away from the worm idea all together..lol