What do nymphs eat?

Nymphs are psittacine birds native to the Australian continent, which today can be found as pets in homes all over the world. They are granivorous birds which, in its natural state, They feed mainly on seeds and, to a lesser extent, fruits, berries and small invertebrates. However, when these animals are kept in captivity, it is important to adapt their diet to their needs and their level of activity.

In the following sections we explain the most important aspects of the diet of these animals. In addition, we leave you more details of other “Birds that eat seeds” in the following post that we recommend.

The nymphs are granivorous birds whose diet is based on the consumption of seeds, mainly grasses. In their wild state, nymphs occasionally consume other foods, such as berries, fruits or even small invertebrates. However, the consumption of these foods is anecdotal, because as we have said, the bulk of their diet is made up of seeds.

In nature, the nymphs they usually feed on the groundbeing unusual to find them foraging in height.

The diet of the nymphs kept in captivity should be based on the diet that this species has in the wild. We must bear in mind that with the diet we not only have to cover the nutritional needs of these animals, but also encourage their selective behaviors and stimulate them mentally and sensorially.

To do this, the nymphs’ diet must combine different food groups in the right proportion:

• I think
• Fruits and vegetables
• other foods

Below we explain in more detail the foods that make up each of these groups.

I think

It must constitute the 30% by weight of the daily diet, which means between 5-10 grams per nymph per day. is the nutritional basis of the diet of the nymphs or carolinas, since it provides most of the nutrients that these animals need (amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals). A complete feed must be selected and adapted to the specific needs of the animal.

It is important not to confuse feed with seed mixtures, which are included in the “other foods” group since they should not be part of the nymphs’ daily diet.

Fruits and vegetables

It constitutes the 40% by weight of the daily diet, which means between 8-12 grams per nymph per day. Fruits and vegetables are a great source of vitamins and minerals, although their main function in the diet of the nymphs is to provide variety, making the diet richer and more stimulating.

Specifically, the fraction of fruits and vegetables that nymphs can eat must be made up of:

• 35% fruits and vegetables rich in carotenes: such as papaya, carrot, pumpkin, tomato and red pepper)
• 25% fruit and vegetables rich in vitamin C: like orange, green bell pepper and broccoli
• 20% of green leafy vegetables: like spinach, lamb’s lettuce, watercress, arugula, escarole, kale etc.
• 20% of other vegetables: such as peach, apple, celery, fennel, radish, turnip, leek, green beans, etc.

To guarantee the variety of the diet, each day a fruit or vegetable from each of these four groups must be provided.

other foods

They constitute the 30% by weight of the daily diet, which represents around 5 to 10 grams per day (except in the case of the mixture of seeds and bread, which should not be provided in quantities greater than 3-5 grams per day per nymph).

This last group of foods includes a series of more energetic products, which allow to complete and balance the diet:

• Pasta, rice or legumes (always cooked).
• Bread, preferably integral and without salt.
• Seed mixes.
• Germinated.
• Quinoa cooked.
• Boiled egg, preferably in the shell.
• Dairy, such as unsalted fresh cheese or natural yogurt.
• Nuts: If you are wondering what nuts nymphs can eat, the truth is that these animals can eat walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, cashews, peanuts, hazelnuts, and pine nuts.

The ideal is to provide a different food from this group every day. As is evident, in addition to food, nymphs must always have access to a source of food. clean and fresh water. We will talk about the “Forbidden foods for nymphs” in the following AnimalWised post.

As a rule, the nymphs must stay with their parents during the first 20-25 days of life, a period in which the parents themselves are in charge of feeding their chicks. However, sometimes, due to parental death or illness, keepers are forced to hand-raise chicks from hatch.

In these cases, the chicks should be fed with a porridge specially formulated for papillera nymphs, following the following guidelines:

• From day 1 to 4: take every 2 hours, with 1-2 ml/dose, at a temperature of about 35ºC.
• From day 5 to 7: take every 3 hours, with 2-3 ml/dose, at a temperature of about 35ºC.
• From day 8 to 14: 5 doses a day, with 4-6 ml/dose, at a temperature of about 32ºC.
• From day 15 to 20: 4 doses a day, with 7-10 ml/dose, at a temperature of about 32ºC.

From this moment on, both chicks that have been separated from their parents and those that have been hand-reared from birth should be fed as follows:

• From day 20 to 35: 3 doses a day, with 12-15 ml/dose, at a temperature of about 32ºC.
• From day 35 to 45: 2 doses a day, with 15 ml/dose, at a temperature of about 32ºC.
• From day 45 to 60 (weaning): one dose per day, the amount that the chick admits to fill the crop, at a temperature of about 32ºC.

The porridge should have a consistency “custard type” (not too thin, not too thick) and must be administered with a syringe without a needle. The tip of the syringe should be brushed against the chick’s beak to stimulate feeding. When the chick opens its beak, small amounts of porridge should be deposited in its mouth, waiting for it to swallow before administering more. Once the shot is finished, the beak and feathers that have been stained should be cleaned well. The remaining porridge from each feed should be discarded.

when the nymphs reach the first month of lifeit is convenient to start introduce them to the foods that will be part of their future diet, so that they get used to them little by little. Specifically, breeding paste, feed, fruit, vegetables and mixture must be provided. At this point, it is also advisable to introduce the drinkers so that they get used to them.

What does a 2 month old nymph eat?

We already know what a papillera nymph eats, but what does a 2-month-old nymph eat? Well, after 60 days of life the nymphs should be fully weaned, that is, they should stop feeding themselves with porridge. From this moment on, the diet of the nymphs should comply with the points that we have mentioned in the first sections of this article.

We tell you “How to care for a nymph or Carolina cockatoo?” in the next article.

We already know the different foods that should make up the nymphs’ diet, but in how many doses should these foods be provided?

Well, how minimum, the daily ration should be divided into two different doses. For example, you can offer the feed first thing in the morning, and provide the vegetables and the fraction of “other foods” at noon or early in the afternoon.

The ideal is to offer a part of the food using some method or device of environmental enrichment that forces animals to exert themselves physically and mentally to get food. The goal is to hide the food or complicate access to it so that the birds have to spend time getting the food. At home, some toys can be made for this purpose, using rolls of paper, cardboard, ropes, etc.

You may be interested in learning more about “Nymph behavior” in the following AnimalWised post. Do not miss it!

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