Tagetes Powder : a natural way of intensifying colour in bird feathers. We are pleased to stock this Wisbroek product from the Netherlands which represents extremely good value.
Tagetes is an orange-yellow powder from the Tagetes erecta, the Marigold flower. The extract contains useful pigments consisting of isomers of zeaxanthin (3%), isomers of lutein and lutein esters (17%). This composition is very suitable as a natural colouring agent for our birds.
Our captive birds often quickly lose their brilliant colours, often due to a shortage of natural colouring ingredients that they routinely ingest in nature. By adding 0.1 to 1% tagetes to the diet of your birds, these will colour much better and will not be inferior to their peers in nature. In practice, our product has been proven for a wide range of bird species. After several years, these birds remained at least as beautiful in colour as their natural counterparts.
Tagetes is vital for keepers of Zosterops and White-Eyes in order to preserve the yellow shades. Equally useful for Saffron Finches, Bee-eaters, Pekin Robins, Green Cardinals, White-Ear Bulbuls – basically for any bird with yellow/orange/red feathering. Tagetes is very popular with the keepers of Goldfinches as it produces beautiful deep red masks and does not affect the yellow of the wings.
In addition to intensifying colour, Tagetes has other beneficial effects for your birds. It aids digestion and has a positive effect on the kidneys. Tagetes has a calming effect on the nervous system, is good against annelids, fights infections of the stomach and intestines, and is insecticidal. It also prevents urinary tract and respiratory problems, fights fungi and kills harmful bacteria.
Dosage: 1 to 10 grams per kg of food, depending on the need for colouring in the rest or moulting time. Due to the slightly fatty consistency, Tagetes is not soluble in water. Also great for feeding to mealworms so that it ends up in your birds via the livefood they consume.