Special One for medium parrots, 500 g is a seed food from the Ukrainian brand Special One for pet medium-sized parrots. According to the manufacturer, the recipe follows modern feeding standards and the advice of specialists in breeding and keeping medium parrots. It has 25 ingredients: selected grains and seeds, dried fruit, vegetables and berries, nuts and favourite treats — niger seed, mung beans, spelt and sainfoin. The manufacturer says dried fruit, vegetables and sainfoin, hemp and pumpkin seeds provide nutrition without excess calories; berries, flowers and vegetables supply vitamins; and rowan and chamomile support digestion and have a calming effect.
Which parrots count as medium
Medium parrots usually include cockatiels, lovebirds, rosellas, ring-necked parakeets and other birds larger than budgies but smaller than African greys and macaws. They need bigger seeds than budgies, but not the large nuts given to big parrots. A medium-parrot food takes both seed size and these birds' needs into account. On budgie diets, see budgie food and care.
Key specs
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | seed mix |
| For | medium parrots |
| Ingredients | 25 |
| Base | three kinds of millet, hulless oats, sunflower, canary seed |
| Special ingredients | spelt, sainfoin, mung beans, niger seed |
| Fruit, berries, flowers | apple, rowan, barberry, raisins, chamomile |
| Weight | 500 g |
| Brand | Special One, Ukraine |
Pros
- 25 ingredients. A varied diet.
- Spelt and sainfoin. Unusual in seed mixes.
- Mung beans and safflower. Varied sources of protein and fat.
- Berries and chamomile. Rowan, barberry, chamomile flowers.
- Carrot and apple. Dried vegetables and fruit.
- Full ingredient list.
Cons
- No analysis. Protein and fat aren't given.
- No feeding guide.
- Sunflower, peanuts and hemp. Fatty seeds the bird may pick out.
- A detox claim. That's the manufacturer's wording.
Ingredients
Yellow millet, red millet, hulless oats, sunflower seeds, canary seed, black millet, niger seed, spelt, sainfoin, maize, linseed, peanuts, dried apple, grey sunflower seeds, mung beans, safflower, hulled pumpkin seeds, hemp seed, dried carrot, puffed wheat, ground carob, dried rowan, dried barberry, raisins, chamomile flowers.
How to feed it
The site doesn't give a feeding guide. A medium parrot such as a cockatiel usually gets one to two tablespoons of mix a day. Blow the husks off the dish daily and check how much seed is really left. If the bird picks out only sunflower and peanuts, don't top up until it has eaten the rest. Fresh water should always be available.
What to add to the diet
A seed mix is the base, but parrots also need fresh vegetables, greens, a little fruit and a mineral block or cuttlebone for the beak and calcium. Sprouted seeds make a good spring addition. Give treats sparingly — for example Vitakraft crackers.
Switching foods
Parrots are conservative eaters. Introduce a new mix gradually over one to two weeks, mixing it with the familiar food and increasing its share bit by bit. Make sure the bird is eating rather than just scattering the food.
Storage
Store the food somewhere dry and cool in a tightly closed bag or jar to keep moths and beetles out. Check for any mouldy smell before feeding.
Other parrot foods
For budgies, the same brand offers Special One for budgies. Cockatiels can also have Vitakraft Menu for cockatiels. All foods are in the bird food section.
Who it suits
Owners of cockatiels, lovebirds, rosellas and other medium parrots who want a varied seed mix with unusual ingredients — spelt, sainfoin and mung beans — and a full ingredient list.
Verdict
Special One for medium parrots is a 25-ingredient seed mix: three kinds of millet, oats, canary seed, spelt, sainfoin, mung beans, niger, dried berries, fruit and chamomile flowers, with a full ingredient list. The downsides are that the site gives no analysis or feeding guide, and the bird may pick out the fatty seeds first.
FAQ
Which parrots is it for?
Medium ones — cockatiels, lovebirds, rosellas and others.
How many ingredients?
25.
Which unusual ingredients does it contain?
Spelt, sainfoin, mung beans and niger seed.
Does it contain fruit and berries?
Yes: apple, rowan, barberry and raisins.
Is an analysis given?
No.
How much should I feed a day?
The site doesn't say; usually one to two tablespoons.
How much does the pack weigh?
500 g.
