aviary seeds

[thumpity]

There is an aviary store near me that sells different seeds. I am assuming that these seeds, such as red/white millet, safflower, oat groats, wheat, and so on are the same ones found in gerbil foods? I want to make sure they are safe for gerbils as I am going to make my own food and the prices at this store are much better.
Thanks!
Kaye

[christine]

Yes they are and they are perfectly safe, at least the foods I feed my gerbils have all that, though I don't remember safflower. What I would do is see what your old food had then buy the seeds that the food had.

[caz]

I add 'fancy canary seed' to my mix
It is predominately millet with about 2-3 other seeds (don't know what they are ) mixed in, but my girls love it! ;D
Caroline

[christine]

Should you add alfalfa to it because the other foods that are for gerbils have "dehydrated alfalfa pellets"

[caitlindawn]

I mix my own food as well, and I do generally add alfafa and timothy hay to their diets. A lot of times I'll just crunch up alfafa cubes and mix it in. If you're buying alfafa or other hay, I recommend freezing it, just because there's been times when theres bugs like mites living in the hay. Not fun, I know from experience

[AndreaS15]

I mix all my rodents diets myself, I buy large bags or Bird seed as a base. Just stay away from ones with alot of artificial favore/colours and extra vitamins specially made for birds.
I used to add only Safflower instead of sunflowers, but it's cheaper for me to buy bags with a bit of sunflowers then it is to seperetly buy safflower. I like Safflower b/c it is less fatty.

[thumpity]

Well, I have made a small batch for my breeding pairs.
I cannot believe how good it smells! I bought a larger bag of bird seed (no chemicals, etc.) from the aviary, added their nut and fruit blend, and lentils and split peas.
The nutrition works out to 15% protein and 7% fat. I would have to do some modifying for my older gerbils and non breeding gerbils.
It has , not in any particular order:
sunflower seeds
peanuts
safflower
pumpkin seeds
dried raisin
dried cranberries
millet
wheat
milo
oat groats

They'll still get their other treats and I also give them flax seed (every now and then), and of course their cuttlebones.
I have two tanks that are going to try the new food for a month. If they do well with it, I will be so happy, it is seriously cheaper (for a full batch it would be $18 for 60lbs), and looks so much better for them, no colored biscuit things or corn fillers.

Kaye