Can Budgies Eat Mealworms?

As much as I dislike mealworms, they’re one of the most delicious meals for our parakeet family members. Many rookie budgie owners/parents often ask me what else to give aside from the usual staple diet.

My mind immediately finds the mealworms that we often overlook. Admit it; some of us ignore it because of its gross appearance. So, can budgies eat mealworms? Sure, why not? However, it would help if you understood the proper guideline for it.

Parakeets: Munching on Mealworms

There are two ways you can come to a solution. First, some budgies obsess over mealworms like they’re lost treasure. Second, many budgies show no reaction whatsoever toward this particular meal.

Budgies that Eat Mealworms

You should find out whether your budgies are interested in mealworms. Know that these are not a replacement for regular seeds/vegetables. Mealworms are an excellent source of protein. However, simply relying on protein does not benefit your parakeet pairs.

But how do you know if the budgies are into the mealworms? You can try getting some from the garden and place them before the birds. If they like the taste, you’ve succeeded in learning about another delicious option in the treat-meal-chart. So an occasional worm habit does not affect the digestive system.

It’s also better to consult a vet before trying out the experiment!

Budgies that Don’t Eat Mealworms

Let’s say that the budgies ignore those forlorn mealworms crawling to escape. The question may become more apprehensive, can parakeets eat mealworms, or did I fall for a myth? It’s completely all right if your budgies are a little classy and avoid those moving things. Perhaps they’re content with the usual diet plan (50% pallets, 20% seeds, and 30% veggies/fruits).

If you raise chickens and other birds that consume mealworms, often budgies follow their examples and attempt an adjustment. I’m not asking you to feed the chickens before them, so they learn to eat insects. It’s a mere reflection of how you can make the little budgies curious. On the other hand, don’t force feed what they don’t like to eat.

Can Budgies Eat Dried Mealworms

What is the difference? You may have seen packaged dried mealworms in feed stores. Have you ever avoided those because they’re not alive?

Here’s a brief explanation – when you apply the freezing or heating process to dry mealworms, you call them dried mealworms.

Now, can parakeets eat dried mealworms without facing any risk?

• They’re used as supplementary snacks
• You can find them in feed stores easily
• Dried mealworms are usually mixed with other seed mixes
• You can serve them alone in a feeder too
• They’re enriched in oil and protein
• Dried mealworms might not have beneficial nutritional values in comparison to alive ones

Risk Factors of Parakeets Eating Mealworms

There’s no harm when budgies eat mealworms in small portions. Maintain as minimal quantity as possible and offer them only occasionally.

Nevertheless, below are some risk factors to consider for this diverse meal:

• Garden mealworms may have parasites or bacteria. They can be transferred to a bird’s body, causing illness or even death.
• Unreliable mealworms from feed stores can be the result of sickness in a budgie. So pick the store after checking its rates and food quality.
• Parakeets overeating mealworms can face moisture imbalance. It causes diarrhea.
• Your budgies can become obese since mealworms contain high-fat content. So limit the numbers to a minimum.

FAQs

The Bottom Line

Despite being a budgerigar parent for years, some questions remain a mystery. For instance, can budgies eat mealworms?

I can rave for hours about how my parakeets love to munch on mealworms. But the key point of this guide is to clear the clouded doubt from over your head.

Remember always that no snack can replace the consistency of the nutritional seeds and veggies. All the best!

Related Questions:

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Can Budgies Eat Chia Seeds? [See here]
Can Budgies Eat Eggs? [See here]
Can Budgies Eat Bok Choy? [See here]