Seed mixes for cage birds
This is the seed mix aisle for cage birds — blends built for budgies, canaries, cockatiels and similar species, rather than a single seed type or a pelleted complete diet. A good mix is meant to cover a bird's needs across several seed types, which only works if the bird actually eats the whole mix rather than sorting through it for favourites.
Why a balanced mix matters
Different seeds offer different nutrients, so a mix built around several types is designed to give a bird a broader diet than any single seed could on its own. Sunflower seed is a common example of something birds love but shouldn't live on almost exclusively, since it's high in fat relative to other nutrients.
Species matters too — a mix built for budgies isn't necessarily right for a canary or cockatiel, since beak size and dietary needs vary between species, so check the mix is intended for your bird rather than assuming any cage bird seed suits any cage bird.
Dealing with selective feeding
Many birds will pick out the seeds they like best from a mix and leave the rest at the bottom of the bowl, which defeats the purpose of a balanced blend. Refilling on top of what's left, rather than emptying and replacing the whole bowl, makes this worse, since the least-liked seeds just accumulate.
Emptying and properly refreshing the bowl regularly, rather than topping up, helps make sure your bird is offered the full mix each time rather than working through an increasingly picked-over bowl.
Keeping seed fresh
Store seed in a cool, dry, sealed container rather than leaving the bag open, since seed can go stale, attract pests or develop mould in damp conditions faster than most owners expect. Check for a musty smell or visible mould before feeding, and don't use seed that's been stored a long time or got damp.
Grit and cuttlefish bone are worth having alongside a seed mix for most species, supporting digestion and beak condition respectively — they're a separate purchase from the seed itself but a common pairing with it.
In this section
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Peckish Complete Seed
A husk-free garden bird seed mix with Peckish's own added vitamin pellet
From£3.00
Peckish Winter Warmer Extra Energy Seed Mix
A 1KG winter seed mix with 9 ingredients and 20% oil for extra energy
£3.99
Peckish Complete Seed and Nut No Mess Wild Bird Seed Mix
A no-mess seed and nut mix for the garden, built from 12 ingredients for up to 16 bird species
£20.99
Peckish Sunflower Hearts
Sunflower hearts for wild birds, a husk-free, high-energy straight for feeder or table
£5.39
Peckish Extra Goodness Energy Balls
A 6-plus-6-free pack of energy balls with peanuts, sunflower seed and beef tallow
£3.99
Peckish Complete Ready to Use Bird Feeder
A pre-filled, refillable wild bird feeder, ready to hang straight out of the packaging
£5.99
Peckish Robin Seed Mix
A 1KG insect-added seed mix from Peckish, marketed specifically at robins
£3.75
Peckish No Grow Seed Mix
A weed-free wild bird seed mix, husk-free and treated so it won't sprout in the garden below
From£5.49
Peckish Suet & Peanut Feeder
A perforated stainless steel feeder that takes either suet pellets or peanuts
£12.99
Peckish Extra Goodness Crumble Mix
A 1KG crumble-texture treat mix for garden birds, with added vitamins
£4.99
Peckish Winter Warmer High Energy Wild Bird Seed Mix
A high-energy winter seed mix for garden birds, feeder or table
£24.99
Common questions
- Can budgies eat the same seed mix as canaries?
- Not always — different species have different beak sizes and nutritional needs, so a mix built for one isn't guaranteed to suit another. Check the packaging specifies your bird's species, or ask before assuming any cage bird seed works for any cage bird.
- Why does my bird only eat some of the seed mix and leave the rest?
- This is selective feeding, where a bird picks out its favourite seeds, often sunflower seed, and ignores the less appealing ones. Emptying and refreshing the bowl regularly rather than topping it up helps make sure the full mix is offered each time.
- Is sunflower seed bad for cage birds?
- Not in moderation, but it's high in fat relative to other seeds, and a bird that eats mostly sunflower seed from a mix isn't getting the broader nutrition the mix is meant to provide. It's one reason selective feeding is worth managing rather than ignoring.
- How should I store bird seed?
- Keep it in a cool, dry, sealed container rather than an open bag, and check for a musty smell or visible mould before feeding. Damp or old seed can develop mould that isn't always obvious just from looking at it.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.