Introduction

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A seed junkie is a caged bird that eats only seeds and nuts,

steadfastly refusing all other foods offered.  Unfortunately,

such an exclusive diet guarantees ill health and a greatly

shortened life expectancy for these pet birds.  Why do caged

birds become so easily hooked on seeds (primarily sunflower and

safflower) and nuts (peanuts most notably) when these foods are

rarely part of their diet in the wild?  The answer has two

parts.



The first part concerns the wide availability, popularity and

relative feeding convenience (including lack of perishability) of

seed/nut mixtures, most often called parrot mixes.  The second

part concerns the relatively high fat content of these food

items.  For years, there has been speculation that sunflower

seeds contain some addictive property.  Recent research at the

University of California at Davis has revealed that the

relatively high fat (oil) content of these foods produces an

energy rush or high similar to the sugar rushes from consuming

junk foods containing lots of sugar.



Parrots, given the opportunity, preferentially eat these

high-fat foods.  When deprived of them, they exhibit profound

depression and a craving for the seeds.  This almost addictive

quality of seeds certainly contributes to the huge number of seed

junkies currently being kept as pet birds.