Why Does My Parakeet Eat All the Time?

A parakeet is a small- to medium-sized bird from the family of parrots. These birds are distinguished by their colorful feathers and social behaviors. The diet of these birds typically consists of a mixture of seeds and water. Parakeets don't eat much at one type, but do eat frequently. Overeating in a parakeet can be a result of a variety of different health reasons that can be genetic to parasitic.

  1. Diabetes

    • One of the main causes of overeating in a parakeet is diabetes. Avian diabetes is a disease in which the bird's body cannot produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that controls the blood sugar level in the bird's body. When this happens, the bird is not able to store the carbohydrates it ingests for long term energy. As a result, the bird will overeat. The main cause of diabetes in parakeets is the overconsumption of glycogen in the diet. Diabetes in parakeets is also a co-condition that can occur simultaneously along with another health issue. Sometimes that other health issue causes diabetes in the bird. Treating the other health condition and giving the bird insulin injections can help the bird maintain a consistent eating habit.

    Metabolism

    • It is in a parakeet's nature to consume quickly and digest quickly. Humans tend to have a slower metabolism and food is digested within hours. Parakeets can ingest their food within 30 minutes to an hour and a half. Some parakeets can have a faster metabolism than others. As a result, these parakeets will keep on eating and eating to get a sufficient nutrient supply. These birds will also appear to be faster and more hyper than the others. Although a fast metabolism is common among parakeets, having an extremely high metabolism will put added stress on the bird and make it feel that it is not getting enough food. As a result it will overeat. Taking the bird to a veterinarian can help decrease its stress.

    Worms

    • Parakeets are prone to getting parasites. Parasitic worms are the main type of worms that affect these birds. When a bird is infected, the parasitic worm will travel within the bird's body and use the bird's stomach as its habitat. Here the worm will suck any nutrients the bird ingests. Parasitic worms tend to favor foods rich in B-vitamins. As a result, the parakeet will start eating more quantities of food, more than it used to, to counteract the nutrient deficiency it is experiencing as a result of the worm infection. Worms also cause dehydration in the birds and as a result, the bird will also drink more water than before and consume more leafy green foods and seeds.

    Lack of Food

    • Parakeets are suppose to be feed often. They must have a sufficient supply of food and water at all times. When a parakeet is given food after an extended period of time, it will overeat. The bird will then keep overeating as it will think that food supply is scarce.