Enjoy spending time while you are working, with your family or even just getting away from your daily routine on your own by making some home-made treats for your bird visitors. Here a several recipes to try.

Breakfast Cereal for Birds

1 tablespoon peanut butter
Water (couple tbsps)
1/4 cup chopped fruit (kind is optional)
1/4 cup instant oatmeal

Pour the oatmeal into a small, microwave-safe bowl and then add a little water until the water covers the oatmeal. Microwave the bowl’s contents on high setting for about 1 minute. Then carefully remove the bowl from the microwave, stir the oatmeal until the water is absorbed and the oatmeal is soft, cooked all the way through.

Next mix in the peanut butter, stirring until the peanut butter melts
and is well mixed into the oatmeal.

And last, mix in the fruit. Allow the mixture to sit and cool off well. When it is cool to touch, and not steaming, stir again and serve it to your pet bird. Keep leftover portions sealed in the refrigerator until ready for use.

Birdie’s Shish Kabobs

10 sliced summer squash
5 zucchini slices
5 grapes
1 potato sliced
1 carrot sliced
Long pretzel rod, celery stick or carrot for skewer

Place all the ingredients on a skewer that does not have sharp ends. Serve.

Summer Bird Song Suet

3 cups cornmeal
1 cup flower
3 tablespoons baking powder
2/3 cup oil
3 1/2 soy milk
1 cup nuts
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper

Mix the flour, cornmeal and baking soda together. Then whisk in the soy milk and oil, stirring in the cayenne and nuts last. Pour mix into an oiled 13x9x2" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Allow mixture to cool. Cut into 6 suet feeder sized pieces. Store as needed in freezer bags or containers.

Bird Bread

1 sweet potato
1 slice bread

Boil the sweet potato and then mash it in a bowl. Tear the bread into pieces and mix the pieces in with the mashed potatoes.

Basic Bird Pinecone Snack

1 pinecone
peanut butter or fat (like Crisco)
bird seed
trash bag tie or ribbon for hanging

Spread peanut butter or fat all over the pinecone. Then roll the pine cone in seeds so that the seeds cover the entire cone. Finally secure a tie to one end and hang it either in your bird cage or outside for your birds to enjoy.

So have some fun! Share these snack recipes with your favorite feathered friends.

About the Author:

Renske Buursma, pet store owner with lots of helpful articles and a free newsletter about pet care at http://yourhealthypetsonline.com