Feeding Your Pet Mynah
by Kathy Butterfield
Pellets Keep mynah pellets available at all times. Provide a low iron brand of mynah/softbill food, preferably 150 ppms of iron or less. Mynahs need a low-iron diet, not iron-free. The ppms of iron will vary in products depending on manufacturer. Mynah pellets should provide all the nutritional needs for your mynah so you do not need to add vitamins. Some Available Low Iron Commerical Softbill Foods
Water Keep clean safe drinking water available at all times. Also a water dish large enough for your mynah to splash in but not too deep. He will want to get into his water to bathe and splash in a couple of times a day. Avoid using water containing iron. Your mynah water will need changing two or more times a day. Some mynahs will drink from a bird water bottle, so you could can also have clean drinking water provided that way at all times. The following is from the Medical Protocols of the US Bali Mynah Species Survival Plan: Some foods decrease iron absorption. Tea contains high levels of tannins, which bind to iron and other heavy metals. Other important nutrients will bind to tannins as well, therefore it is important that the tea is given properly in order for your bird not to lose too much of other nutrients along with the iron. This is not scientifically confirmed but has appeared to prevent or assist in reversing the process of hemochromatosis (iron storage disease) in certain species (TMN). Instructions for adding tea to drinking water: The type of tea to use is Commercial black or pekoe teas. Herbal tea will not work because it does not have tannins. Place enough tea into the birds water source to add a tint of brown to the water. Continue to do this for 1 month. Then discontinue for 1 month. Continue to alternate. Fruit Offer ripened fruit to your mynah such as apples or pears. You can peel and halve the fruit and remove any seeds or pits and your bird will tear into it and make a big mess while eating it, but if your mynah is housed indoors and you are trying to keep the area as unsticky and with the least mess as possible, you may want to peel and dice up the fruit into small bite size pieces for your mynah and serve it a food dish. Grapes, blueberries, strawberries, and (pitted) cherries should be avoided or given in limited amounts or only as an occasional treat. Due to the high acidic content, it is suggested that oranges and pineapple only be given to species that are not susceptible to Hemochromatosis. Softbills are very susceptible to Hemochromatosis. Fruits with high acidic content may enhance iron absorption in the liver. It is not necessary for pet mynahs to have live foods. If you insist on giving your bird meal worms and insects, don't over do it. Too many can contribute to iron storage disease. Mynahs are not seed eaters and do not have a crop. Avoid giving alcohol, apple seeds, rhubarb, caffeine, chocolate, sugar, fat, or salt, red meat of any kind, anything "high" in iron, and vitamin supplements containing iron or vitamin C. Also, avocado skin and the meat near the skin is poisonous to birds so it is best to avoid avocado. 
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