Deficiency in calcium and vitamin D3 can prevent birds laying and cause soft shell or rickets. This provides the ideal mix for birds whether growing or breeding, or simply being kept as pets. Bird keepers with larger collections can continue to mix their own using the Nutrobal and ACE-High. We have found that putting an amount into the palm of a clean hand or on a knife point and blowing it at food, scatters it well and increases palatability by spreading it well. Some aviculturists like to use Avimix in a pepper pot, this also works well.
Careless use leaves some food with a lot, and some with a little, which allows animals to avoid it.
Vitamins A and E are both involved in helping the body resist infection. Vitamin A is essential for maintenance of healthy mucous membranes such as the mouth, lungs and gut. Vitamin E has been shown to boost the immune mechanism in some species. Vitamin C is used up very quickly by the body when it is under stress and so must be replaced. Certain groups, particularly psittacines and Australian finches have been shown to have a high requirement for vitamin A which is often not met from the diet.