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Fledgling
 
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Last Login: 8/26/2009 5:08:03 AM
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| Monica, Your home-made mix sounds delicious, and I will check out some more fresh ingredients the next time we go food shopping. Some fresh foods I have fed her are snap peas, carrots, corn, and some thawed out veggie mixes. I have tried a lot of fruit (mostly because we eat that too), but it is never as big of a hit. Do you use any store bought mixes? It is not always practical for us to make fresh mixes, and if you can make any recommendations, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!
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Big Talker
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Last Login: 10/31/2009 8:58:56 AM
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| It's only when you free-feed seeds that you have the problem of fatty liver and, in reality, anything that has a high content of protein or vitamin A will do it so pellets are just as dangerous. My birds don't get seeds during the day, they get gloop (cooked grains, rices and pulses mixed with veggies) along with raw produce for all day eating and a small, measured amount of ABBA Small Psittacine mixed with a bit of ABBA Canary 1700 for dinner. There is a whole grain mix that is now been sold in the supermarket and it's the easiest thing to make it into bird gloop. It's called Kashi Seven Grain Pilaf (wheat, oats, brown rice, sesame seed, triticale, rye and, I think, the seventh one is teff) and all you need to do is put it in a plastic bowl, add enough hot water to cover it and a bit more and nuke it in the microwave for 15 minutes at high. Take it out, dump it in a colander in the sink, add flax seed (this is important because it's the only vegetable source of omega 3), some uncooked whole grain pasta (also available in the supermarket but make sure it's the one that it's all whole grain and not only 51% or whatever), canned corn, peas, diced carrots, green beans, wax beans, small red or pinto beans, sweet potatoes (chopped not mashed) and frozen broccoli and VOILA! perfectly nutritious bird gloop! I use organic grains that I order online but this is a very good substitute (I know because I use it when I ran out of my organic grains) and, as long as you drain all the liquid (very thoroughly so you have to shake that colander real good until the veggies are good and dry) from the canned veggies and use the ones with no salt, it's actually pretty good (the canned sweet potatoes come in syrup so you would have to drain and rinse them thoroughly). You can make a big batch and freeze it split into smaller portions so you can take one baggie out of the freezer the night before, leave it outside and, in the morning, it's ready to be used. I add the pasta and different flavors to it before I serve it so the pasta is still a bit hard (they like it better that way) and they don't get bored always eating the same thing but even that is fairly easy to do, just add chili powder and extra beans one day; dry apple chips, raisins, honey and a bit of cinammon the next (the 'apple pie' recipe), then chopped sun-dried tomatoes, olives, peppers and oregano the third (the 'pizza' flavor); unsweetened coarsely grated coconut, dry pineapple bits and a little bit of all orange fruit preserves (the pina colada recipe), etc. etc. I have all kinds of different 'recipes', some sweet where I add dried fruits (like apple chips, pineapple bits, raisins, currants, dried cranberries, mango, papaya, etc) some spicy (chopped sun-dried tomatoes, peppers, a bit of garlic, olives, oregano, basil, thyme, paprika, black and white pepper, chopped greens like kale or collards, etc). Just make sure that what needs to be organic is indeed organic (any of the twelve dirtiest crops in America) and that the dried fruits and veggies don't have preservatives. Take the seeds and/or pellets away from them the night before and, in the morning, put some gloop on a white disposable paper plate at the bottom of the cage with a little bit of seeds sprinkle on it and don't worry if they don't eat it all day long, in the evening, just give them a small portion of seeds and/or pellets, enough to fill them up but not enough that they would not be hungry the following morning. They will start by eating the seeds and, as they try the grains in the gloop, they will like the flavor and, before you know it, they will be eating the whole thing, veggies and fruits included. I run a rescue so all my birds came to me as adults and most of them as seed junkies and all of them eat gloop now.
Bea & Birds
beatriz@newyorkbirds.net
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Feather Fanatic
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| Ten, twenty or so years ago, the most popular diet was seeds. Nothing else. So of course we saw *A LOT* of birds in poor health at vets offices. Although there are *TONS* of people who still only feed "just seeds," pellets have been around for at least 20 years. When birds were switched to a pelleted diet, of course we saw improved health! However, for the most part, there has been no long term studies of parrots on a 100% pelleted diet. After all, the little guys can easily live 15-30 years, the medium guys 20-50 years, and the big guys, 60+ years. At least a few, if not all, of the pellet manufacturers do recommend *some* fruits and veggies, however not more than 10% of the diet so that it does not "off balance" their food. There's already been some reports of renal disease (aka kidney dysfunction) in budgies and cockatiels, and I bet in parrotlets as well. Small Parrot Diseases
Renal Disease Cockatiels and budgies should probably not receive a 100% pelleted diet. I have seen too many cockatiels and budgies that have been on a pelleted diet for years develop renal disease. However, pellet manufactures have assured us that they have rectified the problems related to renal disease in these birds. But, as before, birds on pellets are essentially on long-term nutritional studies. For this reason, I recommend not feeding more than 50% pellets, some seed, and a good portion of the diet should be table foods, fruits, veggies, pasta, whole wheat bread, and other nutritious items.
With that said, I do have a bird, my cherry headed conure, who has renal disease (although as one avian vet says, it has not been proven because of high uric acid levels). Currently, she's not getting any seeds, and her diet is a pellet and fresh foods mix. As much fresh foods as she'll eat. But these are prescription pellets that have 7.5% protein (Roudybush Kidney Care) vs 11-18% protein for the majority of other pellet brands out there. The seed mix has 12% protein. If it were possible, I'd put her on a fresh food based diet, however she still needs seeds or pellets... and the pellets have less protein in them thus that's what I'm giving. If I do give any seeds, they are sprouted seeds. Short and simple though, parrots were designed to eat seeds and fresh foods. It's kind of ridiculous to remove a natural part of their diet from them... but then we often do that with cats and dogs who's ancestors ate a primarily meat diet.... and we feed them "kibble." If fed pellets, I do recommend TOPs, Foundation Formula, Roubybush, or if it's available, Organic Origins. I don't know what the best pellet is out there, but these are my "preferred" brands. Out of those, I've only tried TOP's, and my guys weren't crazy about them. Except for my cherry head, my guys do have access to Zupreem Natural. I'd say it's an "OKAY" brand, but not the best. It's just something that all my guys will eat. Along with that is the fresh foods... some are better eaters than others. Bird Safe Fresh Foods & Toxic Food Lists + Sprouts As for Pre-Made mixes, here's some... although my little guys do love Pair-A-Dice Blends... (I don't think it can be ordered over the internet but I got a few bags from a vendor at a bird expo - I could probably get contact info though!) Ones I recommend have starts next to them. BTW, a couple of the links are dead, but you can easily look up the information on the names.
Beak Appetit*
Goldenfeast*
Volkman's Soak & Simmer Bean Mixture
Volkman's 15 Minute Soak & Simmer
Volkman's Fancy Soak & Simmer
Gini's Birdiebread*
Momma Birds Birdy Bread*
Crazy Corn*
Harrison's Original Bird Bread Mix
Kitchen Creations Pasta Bean
Kitchen Creations Pasta Zesty Vegetable
Homestyle Easy Meals
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Fledgling
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/26/2009 5:08:03 AM
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| Monica & Bea, Thank you so much both of you for all of this information. I printed out this stuff and will use it the next time we go food shopping. I really appreciate the time and thought you both put in to this. Monica, I looked at your link for the do's and don'ts of foods. I noticed peanuts on the avoid list, but then under that you meantion shelled peanuts are ok. We have fed her a few shelled peanuts and some cashews (all unsalted), but it is always as a treat. The cashiews are def. the bigger hit, but since you said to avoid peanuts, can you please clarify as to why to avoid them unless they are shelled? Is it the salt they usually add to peanut jars? Thanks again both of you!
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Feather Fanatic
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