A very tasty and healthy addition of the daily diet of pet birds are native grasses.
My budgies love them and gorge themselves with native grasses every time I offer them.
If you are allergic to native grasses, you should better not pick them. Even if you
don't have problems, please let visitors know as they might be allergic to grass pollen.
The obligatory thorough rinsing of the grasses won't help much against the pollen.
If you are not allergic to pollen, you should take a walk and pick some grass for your birds. It is advisable to carry a pocket-knife and a string with you while harvesting grass. Grass bunches can be kept in a vase for three to four days if you change the water each day and loosen the string. Otherwise, there will be mould between the panicles within one or two days. Half ripe grasses can be frozen for the winter season. Ripe grasses can be stored in a dry, cool place protected against dust.
There is no need to be afraid of poisoning your budgies with native grasses. If the
grasses are not chemically treated, you can offer them to your birds each day during
the season. Please never pick native grasses near main roads, railways or agricultural
areas because the grasses may contain pesticides and other dangerous chemicals!
Very often one can find lots of small insects on the grass panicles. Aphids and greenflies, for example, are not poisonous for budgies. Don't worry if your birds eat them. In their native Australia wild budgies also eat small insects from time to time.
For feeding, I "weave" the grasses into the upper parts of my budgie's cages or I fix them with clothes-pins. I also take away the plastic part of the cage. My birds can comfortably perch on the cage top and eat the plants. In order to be able to eliminate the remainders of their snack, you should place the upper part of the cage on a washable surface.
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