Poweder or Liquid Vitamins - Can you recommend one?

WannaBeAParrot · Jun 23, 2013

Hi. I want to add a good daily multi-vitamin to Pritti's daily intake. It's been a bazillion years since he took vitamins. Used to give him the one in the little square brown glass jar. Maybe started with an "N".

I think liqid in the water would be best for getting it in him. He drinks a lot of water because of his kidney problems, so I know it will get in him. He doesn't eat pellets any more and only eats regular grocery foods, plus the birdy bread I've been making him lately.

But I'm open to anything that is high quality multi-vitamin supplement. Thanks.
(Pritti = male, 31 year-old cherry-headed conure, spends nearly all his time out of cage, has good energy level, plays and runs around alot, good appetite.)

crimson · Jun 23, 2013

It might have been Necton?...one of the best quality products out there.
I use liquid vitamins for my finches. I find it easier to dispense in the water rather than on their food.
some may say it changes the taste of the water, but I've been rotating liquids vitamins into my smaller birds water for years without any issues.

BoomBoom · Jun 23, 2013

Hi WBAP,

How's your old man doing?

I use a liquid multivitamin for Boomer (I will post the brand name after I get out of bed). I only use it once in a while, alternating it with his calcium powder and red palm oil. Also, I heard that its best not to put it in water as it would encourage bacterial growth in the water after a while. Since I'm at work, 8 hours would be too long a time for vitamin-fused water not to get changed. If you're at home to do frequent water changes I don't see it being a problem though.

But I don't think the multivitamin I use for Biomer is high quality. I literally grabbed it off the shelf of a chain pet store. I wasn't aware there were better ones. Have you considered bee pollen? I've heard great, great things about it. I'm actually thinking of giving it a try.

Kalidasa · Jun 23, 2013

I tried a powder one, which ended up thrown into the wild bird mix. She hated it, it tasted terrible, and there was nothing I could mix it with to convince her to eat it. Mine eats bee pollen like potato chips, she loves it. Just eat a few granules in front of pritti and offer. Once he tries it he'll probably like it...it's sweet, tangy, and nutty all in one. I also put red palm oil in her sweet potato and squash, eats it like candy.

BoomBoom · Jun 23, 2013

Kali,

What brand of bee pollen do you use? Is it wet/dry? The amount of nutrition listed on some sites is staggering. Is the hype well deserved? I've been thinking of getting some myself.

MissyMe83 · Jun 23, 2013

I think herb salad is a good thorough choice.

Herb Salad by Twin Beaks Aviary 8 oz - SUPPLEMENTS/HEALTH AIDS by MY SAFE BIRD STORE

U2gal · Jun 23, 2013

Vitamins should not be given unless your avian vet prescribes them.

Vitamins are in pellets. If your bird eats pellets, he doesn't need vitamins.

Vitamin toxacosis can happen.

WannaBeAParrot · Jun 23, 2013

My shopping list (THANKS for all your suggestions)

bee pollen
red palm oil

and these for alternating:
liquid vitamin
powder vitamin
herb salad
and calcium if he won't start gnawing on his calcium chews again.

@bb... my old man toddler is doing great. stubborn and cuddly as ever.

@u2gal... he does not eat pellets or any other bird foods anymore - he only eats grocery store foods and the birdy bread from scratch (this is the a-vet's recommendations, as he says pellets are contraindicated in parrots with weakened kidneys)

@crimson... yes, nekton sounds right

Kalidasa · Jun 23, 2013

BoomBoom said:
Kali,

What brand of bee pollen do you use? Is it wet/dry? The amount of nutrition listed on some sites is staggering. Is the hype well deserved? I've been thinking of getting some myself.

I just get the raw bee pollen @healthfood store (organic) it looks like tiny yellowish (mostly) pellets. The bees scrape it off their legs in these perfect little pellets. Brand I usually get is Y.S. Eco Bee Farms. Bee pollen, whole granules. It happened sort of by accident when I spilled some on the counter making a smoothie and she dived off my shoulder onto the counter and gobbled them up. She usually eats a little every day.

BoomBoom · Jun 23, 2013

For the red palm oil, I use Sunshine Factor. I use this in moderation because it is still fat albeit the good kind. I use a generic cuttlebone calcium powder for the times he is not touching his mineral block.

For the multivitamin, I use Ecotrition. But after reading about Nekton, I will switch to it after I finish the bottle (which will probably take forever). Nekton has a very good list of vitamins, so thanks for mentioning it!

BoomBoom · Jun 23, 2013

Kali, is this the brand you use? It says crystallized but it looks like jelly to me:

BoomBoom · Jun 23, 2013

Oh I think I found what you were talking about, Kali:

Kalidasa · Jun 23, 2013

BoomBoom said:
Kali, is this the brand you use? It says crystallized but it looks like jelly to me:

It's the right product line, wrong product. That is an image of honey, which they also sell. Look up bee pollen with the same company. But really it can be any company. It doesn't hurt to do a little checking...I avoid the local farmers market for that because this is a suburban area, people use pesticides, and the bees can pick it up. For it to be really organic (as possible) it should say so, because bees travel for a certain amount of miles to forage, so the company should have the sufficient land that is free from pesticides. Which is why I don't buy backyard hive honey. The hives must be on substantial pesticide free land for my peace of mind.

Kalidasa · Jun 23, 2013

BoomBoom said:
For the red palm oil, I use Sunshine Factor. I use this in moderation because it is still fat albeit the good kind. I use a generic cuttlebone calcium powder for the times he is not touching his mineral block.

For the multivitamin, I use Ecotrition. But after reading about Nekton, I will switch to it after I finish the bottle (which will probably take forever). Nekton has a very good list of vitamins, so thanks for mentioning it!

I use sunshine factor also. For the budgies I use ecotrition which they seem to do well on, but I don't use it daily.

BoomBoom · Jun 23, 2013

Kalidasa said:
BoomBoom said:

For it to be really organic (as possible) it should say so, because bees travel for a certain amount of miles to forage, so the company should have the sufficient land that is free from pesticides. Which is why I don't buy backyard hive honey. The hives must be on substantial pesticide free land for my peace of mind.

Click to expand...

I read claim that New Zealand has the best bee pollen products because of how untainted it is over there. Thanks for the tips, I'm buyng the YS bee pollen granule. Sorry for hi-jacking your thread, WBAP lol!

Kalidasa · Jun 23, 2013

BoomBoom said:
Oh I think I found what you were talking about, Kali:

Yup that's the one

U2gal · Jun 23, 2013

WannaBeAParrot said:
My shopping list (THANKS for all your suggestions)

bee pollen
red palm oil

and these for alternating:
liquid vitamin
powder vitamin
herb salad
and calcium if he won't start gnawing on his calcium chews again.

@bb... my old man toddler is doing great. stubborn and cuddly as ever.

@u2gal... he does not eat pellets or any other bird foods anymore - he only eats grocery store foods and the birdy bread from scratch (this is the a-vet's recommendations, as he says pellets are contraindicated in parrots with weakened kidneys)

@crimson... yes, nekton sounds right

Just take care with the vitamins then. Theyre really hard on the kidneys and if he has weakened kidneys you may not want to give too much if at all.

WannaBeAParrot · Jun 23, 2013

@u2 .... yeah i guess they would be hard on the kidneys. hmmm. i'm going to have to rethink it. i'll start with just an 1/8 of dose for a little bit of support. i think i like the herb salad idea the best "IF" he will eat it.

crimson · Jun 23, 2013

everything has a purpose. I give all my birds the herb salad and they love it.
I've been meaning to look into bee pollen as well, thanks for reminding me

I would go with the herb salad, & bee pollen, both are excellent.
What I like about the herb salad is they only eat what they require.

weco · Jun 23, 2013

Vitamin & mineral supplements are one of the controversial areas that companion bird owners must confront in their parronting stewardship.....to give or not to give, that is the question......and.....if you give, how do you know what you are giving is what your bird really needs ...or...if what is in the package is really safe.....in all honesty, you don't, because supplements, at least in the U.S. is an un-regulated industry!

It's too bad there is no searchable data bank in the forums, where we could do research, but then we'd have to wade through possibly questionable data...anyway, I've posted some of the info in the following pics in previous threads, so figured I'd post pics this time.....

Poweder or Liquid Vitamins - Can you recommend one?

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