{"product_id":"volkman-avian-science-super","title":"Volkman Avian Science Super Bird Seed 4 lb","description":"\u003cp\u003eMost bird seed on a supermarket shelf is one mix in twelve different bags. Volkman's Avian Science Super range is the opposite: \u003cstrong\u003etwelve genuinely different blends\u003c\/strong\u003e, each built on a base seed that suits the bird it is for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSmall birds get a \u003cstrong\u003emillet base\u003c\/strong\u003e. Medium and large hookbills get \u003cstrong\u003esafflower\u003c\/strong\u003e. Canaries get canary grass seed; finches get a millet, canary and nyjer mix. Then the dried fruit, vegetables and nuts change on top of that. A macaw blend has in-shell almonds and dates in it. A parakeet blend does not, because a budgie cannot open an almond.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eVolkman Pet Products has been milling in California's Central Valley since \u003cstrong\u003e1863\u003c\/strong\u003e and is still family owned. Bags are CO₂-flushed for freshness and date-coded; stored sealed, cool and dark, the shelf life is 18 months from packing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhich blend for your bird\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eBlend\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eBase\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFor\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eParakeet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMillet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBudgies and small parakeets\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCockatiel — No Sunflower\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMillet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCockatiels on a sunflower-free diet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCockatiel — With Sunflower\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMillet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCockatiels\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLovebird \u0026amp; Conure\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMillet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLovebirds, conures, small to medium hookbills\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eParrotlet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSafflower\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eParrotlets and small hookbills\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCanary\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCanary grass seed\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCanaries — includes eggfood and vitamin-coated oat chips\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFinch\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMillet, canary, nyjer\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFinches — includes eggfood and vitamin-coated oat chips\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHookbill\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSafflower\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLarger hookbills, \u003cstrong\u003esunflower-free\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eParrot\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSafflower\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMedium to large parrots\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAfrican Grey \u0026amp; Amazon\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSafflower\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGreys, Amazons and similar — the only blend with cuttlebone, cinnamon sticks and star anise in it\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEclectus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSafflower\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEclectus parrots\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMacaw\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSafflower\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMacaws and large hookbills — in-shell peanuts and almonds, dates, kiwi\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy a \"No Sunflower\" cockatiel mix\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunflower seed is the crisps of the bird world. It is high in fat, birds love it, and given the choice they will eat it and leave everything else — which is how a cockatiel ends up overweight on a mix that was balanced in the bag. The No Sunflower blend removes the temptation entirely: millet, safflower, oat groats, canary grass seed, corn, buckwheat, wheat, flax, with dried papaya, carrot, coconut, peppers and spinach flakes. No sunflower, no nuts. Fat drops from 10.5% to 9.5%, and more importantly the bird eats the whole mix instead of picking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eHookbill\u003c\/strong\u003e blend is the same idea for a larger bird.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eGuaranteed analysis\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eBlend\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eProtein min\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFat min\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFibre max\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eMoisture max\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eParakeet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e13.50%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e7.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCockatiel No Sunflower\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e12.75%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9.50%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCockatiel With Sunflower\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e12.75%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10.50%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9.50%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLovebird \u0026amp; Conure\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e14.30%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e16.55%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9.80%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFinch\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15.25%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9.75%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8.50%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHookbill\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e12.50%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e17.60%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEclectus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e13.90%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e19.40%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e11.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMacaw\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e14.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15.00%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on the four blends missing from that table.\u003c\/strong\u003e Volkman's website currently shows the Canary, Parrot, Parrotlet and African Grey blends carrying an identical analysis — 14.5% protein, 22% fat — which does not square with their ingredient lists. A canary mix built on canary grass seed and canola is not 22% fat. It looks like a copy-and-paste slip on their site rather than a real figure, so rather than reprint numbers we think are wrong, we have left those four out and asked Volkman to confirm. The panel printed on the bag you receive is the authoritative one, and we will publish the corrected figures here as soon as we have them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIngredients\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eParrot\u003c\/strong\u003e (representative of the safflower-based hookbill blends): safflower seed, corn, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, wheat, in-shell peanuts, buckwheat, banana, barley, mixed feed nuts, papaya, dehydrated carrot, dehydrated peas, oat groats, coconut, peppers, dried apple, safflower oil, orange oil, sugar, citric acid, vegetable and fruit juice for colour, banana flavour, coconut oil, calcium, sulfur dioxide and sodium metabisulfite as preservatives, FD\u0026amp;C Red No. 40, Blue No. 1, Yellow No. 5 and No. 6, vegetable oil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCockatiel No Sunflower\u003c\/strong\u003e: millet, safflower seed, oat groats, canary grass seed, corn, buckwheat, wheat, flax seed, dried papaya, dehydrated carrot, dried coconut, dehydrated peppers, dried spinach flakes, orange oil, sugar, citric acid, vegetable and fruit juice for colouring, FD\u0026amp;C colours, sodium metabisulfite.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWorth knowing:\u003c\/strong\u003e most blends in this range contain FD\u0026amp;C food colouring. Some owners do not mind; some feel strongly about it. If you would rather avoid artificial colour, the \u003cstrong\u003eParrotlet\u003c\/strong\u003e blend here is coloured with vegetable and fruit juice only — and our Volkman Soak \u0026amp; Simmer, Gourmet Eggfood and the wild bird mixes contain no colours at all. We would rather tell you that than let you find out from the back of the bag.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFeeding\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVolkman's published direction for the range is simply: feed free choice, with plenty of fresh clean water available at all times. Store cool and dry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur own practical note: a seed diet works best alongside fresh vegetables, and a bird on seed alone will usually be short of vitamin A and calcium over time. Ask your avian vet whether your bird should be on a formulated pellet as part of the diet — the answer for a lot of birds is yes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get asked\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvian Science or Featherglow?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvian Science is the species-specific \u003cem\u003eseed\u003c\/em\u003e line — twelve blends, no vitamin pellet in most of them. Featherglow is Volkman's fortified tier, with vitaminised pellets blended through the seed, and it also covers cooked foods, treats and eggfood. If you want the mix matched precisely to your species, Avian Science. If you want the fortification, Featherglow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMy bird just eats the sunflower.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEvery bird does, given the option. Buy the No Sunflower or Hookbill blend and the problem disappears.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow long does 4 lb last?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRoughly two months for one cockatiel, two to three weeks for a macaw.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow do I know the bag is fresh?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVolkman date-code every bag with a five-digit Julian code — two digits of year, then the day of the year. Shelf life is 18 months from that date, sealed and cool.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Volkman","offers":[{"title":"Parakeet","offer_id":50523763212507,"sku":"VM22704","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cockatiel — No Sunflower","offer_id":50523763245275,"sku":"VM21304","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cockatiel — With Sunflower","offer_id":50523763278043,"sku":"VM21504","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Lovebird \u0026 Conure","offer_id":50523763310811,"sku":"VM22304","price":18.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Parrotlet","offer_id":50523763343579,"sku":"VM23104","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Canary","offer_id":50523763376347,"sku":"VM21104","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Finch","offer_id":50523763409115,"sku":"VM21904","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hookbill (sunflower-free)","offer_id":50523763441883,"sku":"VM22104","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Parrot","offer_id":50523763474651,"sku":"VM22904","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"African Grey \u0026 Amazon","offer_id":50523763507419,"sku":"VM20804","price":28.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Eclectus","offer_id":50523763540187,"sku":"VM21704","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Macaw","offer_id":50523763572955,"sku":"VM22504","price":36.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0058\/6733\/9846\/files\/Avian-Science-Parakeet-4-lbs-front-with-pad.webp?v=1790507041","url":"https:\/\/farooze.com\/products\/volkman-avian-science-super","provider":"FAROOZE","version":"1.0","type":"link"}