Since many nibble sticks and snacks contain honey and some other undesirable ingredients (e.g. bakery by-products), I would like to collect recipes here on how to make budgie snacks yourself.
Snacks with psyllium husk
Since this recipe does not use starch (flour or potatoes) for binding, but psyllium husks, it should also be possible to prepare snacks for macrorhabdiosis patients.
Basic recipe
Ingredients:
For my measurements I have special measuring spoons used, as they are also used, for example, in baking.
- 2-3 TSP. Primus base (Claus) or other grain mixture
- 1/2 TSP. ground psyllium husks
- 4 tsp water
Preparation:
- Add psyllium husks to the water and stir
- This approx. 15 min. sources let
- Add grain mixture and herbs, if desired, and mix well
- Shape snacks and place on wire rack with baking paper
- Cook at 120°C (convection oven) for approx. 30min. dry
By using psyllium husks, the budgie snacks do not have to be baked, but only dried. A lower temperature (90°C) would also be possible for this, as long as the time (45min.) is adjusted accordingly.
Moult – Snack
The moult snack also contains various herbs that contain important nutrients for feather formation:
- Silica
- sulfurous amino acids
- Minerals & Vitamins
Ingredients (single herbs):
- 2 TBSP Primus base (Claus) or other grain mixture
- 1/2 TBSP Field horsetail
- 1/2 TBSP Ribwort
- 1/2 TBSP Chickweed
- 1/2 TBSP Ground psyllium husks
- 2 TBSP Water
Ingredients (herbal mixture):
- 2 TBSP Primus base (Claus) or other grain mixture
- 1 TBSP Feather & Claws – Fit (Grain booth)
- 1/2 TBSP Ground psyllium husks
- 2 TBSP Water
Megabacteriosis – Snack
Since budgies with megabacteriosis must not be fed foods containing sugar or starch, ground psyllium husks are a suitable binding agent for this very purpose.
The grain mixture also contains herbs that have an expectorant, antibacterial and germicidal effect and should relieve the discomfort:
- Thyme
- Fennel
- Oregano
- Basil
Ingredients:
- 3 TBSP Budgies Sensitive (Mixerama)
- 1/2 TBSP Gound psyllium husks
- 2 TBSP Water
Autumn nibbles
Why not make good use of walnut shells to make budgie snacks. Here is a suitable recipe.
Ingredients:
- 2-3 TBSP Primus base (Claus) or other grain mixture
- about 3-4 Walnuts
- 1/2 TBSP Ground psyllium husks
- 4 TBSP Water
Preparation:
- Carefully open the walnuts so that the shell halves remain whole and remove the nut kernels
- Add psyllium husks to the water and stir
- This approx. 15 min. sources let
- Add the grain mixture and mix well
- Fill the mixture into walnut halves
- Cook at 90°C (convection oven) for approx. 45-60min. dry
Potato based snacks
It may sound strange at first glance to use potatoes as a binder, but anyone who has ever tried to scrape dried potato scraps off a plate will understand.
The idea for the recipe base comes from Wencke and is posted on her budgie blog can be found.
Basic recipe
Ingredients:
- small boiled potato(without salt!)
- 2-3 tbsp grain food
- possibly suitable herbs (e.g. basil)
Preparation:
- Mash the peeled and still lukewarm potato with a fork until you have a mashed potato-like mass. (add a splash of water if necessary)
- Mix in grains little by little and knead with a fork
- Shape the mass into small balls or sticks
- Let snacks dry
Wild herbs snack
Since my budgies are really into ribwort and dandelion, I decided to make my first attempt at a snack with wild herbs.
Ingredients:
- small boiled potato(without salt!)
- 3-4 tablespoons of grain food (e.g.“budgie – vegetables“)
- Wild herbs (e.g. ribwort, dandelion and wild carrot)
Preparation:
- Cut wild herbs small
- Mash the peeled, still lukewarm potato together with the wild herbs with a fork until you have a mashed potato-like mass (add a little water if necessary).
- gradually mix in the grain feed until you reach the desired consistency
- form the mass into small balls (or something else)
- place on wire rack (with baking paper) and bake for approx. 30 min. let dry at 120°C (circulating air)
Of course, you could also let the snack balls air dry. However, drying at 100°C has the advantage that they are “sterilised” at the same time and should therefore have a longer shelf life.
The snacks that are not eaten immediately can be frozen, for example, and then taken out and defrosted as needed the night before.