Higgins Safflower Gold Conure & Cockatiel Food 3 lb

Safflower Gold exists because of two ingredients it leaves out. Higgins' own description is direct: "the gourmet fortified bird food without sunflower seeds or peanuts."

Those two are the reason most seed mixes disappoint. Sunflower is the one a bird picks out first and the one that puts weight on it. Peanuts bring their own worry for a lot of owners. Take both away, build the mix on safflower instead, and the bird eats the whole bowl rather than mining it.

The fat figure tells the story: 9%, against the mid-teens and higher of a sunflower-led mix.

Who it is for

Conures, cockatiels, lovebirds and parrotlets. Fortified with added vitamins, minerals and amino acids, plus protected probiotics — so unlike a plain seed mix it is not simply a bowl of seed.

Guaranteed analysis

Ingredients

Safflower, white millet, oats, wheat, red milo, ground corn, canary seeds, buckwheat, canola, flaked peas, flaked corn, brown rice, soybean meal, almonds, dates, raisins, flaked carrots, papaya, pineapple, bananas, cashews, coconut, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, pinto beans, sugar, canola oil, dicalcium phosphate, dried egg product, flaxseed, sunflower oil, flaxseed oil, calcium carbonate, alfalfa nutrient concentrate, salt, cranberries, apples, blueberries, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, spinach, watercress, brewer's dried yeast, amino acids, a full vitamin and chelated mineral pack, three probiotic fermentation products, colour added (annatto extract, turmeric, beet juice) and natural citrus, banana and pineapple flavour.

No artificial preservatives or dyes — the colour comes from seeds, spices and vegetables.

Note: it contains sunflower oil in the fortification, but no sunflower seeds. Almonds, cashews and pistachios are present; only peanuts are excluded.

How to feed it

Higgins' direction: "Fill your pet bird's food container with as much food as it will consume in a 24 hour period." For small hookbills that is roughly ¼ to ½ cup per bird. Supplement with fresh fruit and vegetables, and remove uneaten food daily.

Questions we get asked

Why safflower rather than sunflower?
Higgins' stated reason is the exclusion itself. The practical difference is what the bird does with it: safflower is less of a magnet, so the mix gets eaten evenly instead of being picked over, and the fat comes out lower.

My cockatiel is overweight on a sunflower mix.
This is the straightforward swap, and it is the most common reason people buy it. Weigh weekly on a gram scale through the change.

Is it a complete diet?
It is fortified and Higgins sell it as a bird food rather than a supplement, but it is a seed mix. Most avian vets would want a formulated pellet in the picture too — ask yours.

Is it peanut-free for allergy reasons?
It contains no peanuts, but it does contain almonds, cashews and pistachios, and we cannot speak to the manufacturing line. If this matters medically to someone in your household, check with Higgins directly.

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