Food question (and a success story)

sunshine.within

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Sep 19, 2018
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Hello parronts!

So, I bought Bianca a pound of Harrison’s High Potency coarse food and, what do you know, she doesn’t like it.
Do you think I can try mixing it with some oatmeal tomorrow morning?

Also, I bought her a ton of toys. She likes the stacking cups, the popsicle sticks and the cardboard box they came in (LOL) and has finally become more playful. I can hear her go crazy with the cups from the living room. Yay!


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noodles123

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Jul 11, 2018
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Yeah..been there, done that. Store it in the fridge if you want to keep trying.
 

Scott

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MonicaMc

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If I want to get birds eating pellets, I find it easy to make the pellets into powder, then mix with their seeds with some water to make a thick paste and feed as either "balls" or "cakes". As they forage for the seeds, they are tasting the pellets.
 
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sunshine.within

sunshine.within

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Thank you all for the advice! I should have taken the powdered version I guess... meh.
I’ll try mixing them with her regular food tomorrow and then I’ll make a plan for an actual diet change.


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ChristaNL

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Sunny a female B&G macaw;
Japie (m) & Appie (f), both are congo african grey;
All are rescues- had to leave their previous homes for 'reasons', are still in contact with them :)
Good luck, and do not give up too soon.


I've been trying to get my CAG Japie to eat banana for 3 1/2 years or so (could even be longer, can't remember) though the other 2 practically inhale banana he still eyes them as if I am trying to poison him ... LOL
He is a pellet-and-forget-about-the rest bird by choice and I want him to at least try stuff for variation, stave of boredom, keep his mind engaged etc..
(He will eat lots of other things, but it took him a long time!)
 

ToMang07

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Willow the Umbrella Cockatoo
I had a hard time switching Willow from high-sugar Zupreem to Harrisons... It reminded me of watching an addict detox.

That said.... with patience and understanding that you might have a moody bird for a few days.... keep working at it....she's gonna eat eventually, lol
 
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sunshine.within

sunshine.within

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I had no idea that feeding her something was going to be a challenge. She is fed a mix of seeds and nuts at the moment. Is that a lot worse than pellets?


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ChristaNL

Banned
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May 23, 2018
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Sunny a female B&G macaw;
Japie (m) & Appie (f), both are congo african grey;
All are rescues- had to leave their previous homes for 'reasons', are still in contact with them :)
For a 'too nuts can by too fatty pretty fast (so are some seeds) - it's a challenge ;)
(with every homebound parrot, but 'too's are extra finicky)
but if you can't find a pellet that works, there are wose things your bird could be eating.

Just try to get them to eat a load of veggies daily; lots of interesting trace-elements and no fat.
(Fruit can be too sugary sometimes, but veggies are almost always okay)

Everything is complicated at the beginning, you'll get used to it ;) No worries.

'Pellets' is easy food when you look at it nutritianally: they get the same of everything with every bite (and pellets are boring as <insert bad words> to eat, that why all the other nice, interesting fooditems and extra fouraging options are a must as well).
 

Scott

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Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
Good luck, and do not give up too soon.


I've been trying to get my CAG Japie to eat banana for 3 1/2 years or so (could even be longer, can't remember) though the other 2 practically inhale banana he still eyes them as if I am trying to poison him ... LOL
He is a pellet-and-forget-about-the rest bird by choice and I want him to at least try stuff for variation, stave of boredom, keep his mind engaged etc..
(He will eat lots of other things, but it took him a long time!)

Never give up! My wild-caught female Goffins ignored pear for literally decades. Finally one day she took a bite and now loves them! Of course pear is not a critical food, but you get the idea!
 
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sunshine.within

sunshine.within

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OK so I added some pellets to the oatmeal and she ate one nugget!


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sunshine.within

sunshine.within

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Just out of curiosity, is it ok to feed baby food to parrots?


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MonicaMc

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Thank you all for the advice! I should have taken the powdered version I guess...

I've never purchased a "powder" pellet.... I just use a coffee grinder or food processor! A bag and a rolling pin could also work... just grind up the pellets that you *DO* have into a powder!


As far as baby food goes... you'd want to read the ingredients... you don't really want something with salt and sugar in it.
 
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sunshine.within

sunshine.within

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Thank you all for the advice! I should have taken the powdered version I guess...



I've never purchased a "powder" pellet.... I just use a coffee grinder or food processor! A bag and a rolling pin could also work... just grind up the pellets that you *DO* have into a powder!





As far as baby food goes... you'd want to read the ingredients... you don't really want something with salt and sugar in it.



Right! I’ll see if I find anything acceptable on my next trip to Whole Foods


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sunshine.within

sunshine.within

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Thank you all for the advice! I should have taken the powdered version I guess...



I've never purchased a "powder" pellet.... I just use a coffee grinder or food processor! A bag and a rolling pin could also work... just grind up the pellets that you *DO* have into a powder!





As far as baby food goes... you'd want to read the ingredients... you don't really want something with salt and sugar in it.



And yes, I can totally put the pellets into the food processor. I thought Harrison’s made a “fine” pellet version though, don’t they? Well, for next time :)


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Inger

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Harrison’s makes a fine, which are pretty small, and an extra fine which I assume are powder-like.

I tried to grind some regular sized Harrison’s pellets in the food processor. No joy! They just bounced around and looked about the same.


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sunshine.within

sunshine.within

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Harrison’s makes a fine, which are pretty small, and an extra fine which I assume are powder-like.

I tried to grind some regular sized Harrison’s pellets in the food processor. No joy! They just bounced around and looked about the same.


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LOL ok I’ll try with a towel and the meat tenderizer then :)


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