Should I Feed My Bird Worms or Insects?

The birds that we are used to seeing outside often dive to the earth to retrieve a juicy worm or insect as part of their daily feeding habits. As bird owners, it's easy to wonder if our own pet birds need worms or insects as part of their diets in captivity.

The truth is that as long as your feathered friend is eating a varied, balanced diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables and a high quality pellet mix, there is no need to supplement his diet with creepy crawlies of any sort.

Protein is actually quite scarce in the wild, and in actuality, most wild birds don't eat as many insects as they do seeds, berries, and other vegetation. Wild hookbills eat even less -- in their native habitats, the environment provides plenty of fruits and veggies for them to feast on at their convenience.

Birds whose diets are supplemented with exotic bird pellets should have adequate protein without having to feed insects as a supplement.

If for some reason you want to offer your pet a worm or insect, please refrain from feeding him any worms or bugs that you find outside. They could have come into contact with pesticides or other substances that could poison your pet. Instead, go buy a few mealworms or crickets from your local pet shop. Most pet stores keep farm raised insects like these in stock for feeding reptiles, and since they are raised for food, they are free of any toxins.