Do they all waste food?

snowflake311

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Jun 7, 2016
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I don't know how much my bird eats he kicks more than half of it out on to the cage floor. It is so annoying and a waste of food.

Some days he makes more of a mess than others.
 

CherylCali

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Jun 22, 2016
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Victoria, Texas
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If by conure you mean 'fruit slinging machine' then yes mine does. Like a blender with the top off.

CherylCali
 
Apr 3, 2013
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MD, USA
I've owned many species, and yes it is very normal. It is normal behavior in the wild, where food is plentiful. Remember we are asking them to adapt to our environments. In the wild their eating habits play a role in the eco-system (spreading seeds for new growth, dropping foods to forest floor for other animals to eat). It is not wasteful in their natural environments.
 

jenphilly

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Only when they are awake. :)
 

wrench13

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A big 10 4 there buddy. I have a huge 3 foot wide stainless bowl under Saltys main feeding bowl. We are amazed at the amount he drops . At least 6 or 7 eights of his food goes into the bowl. At least he is not a flinger. Get used to it.
 

CherylCali

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A big 10 4 there buddy. I have a huge 3 foot wide stainless bowl under Saltys main feeding bowl. We are amazed at the amount he drops . At least 6 or 7 eights of his food goes into the bowl. At least he is not a flinger. Get used to it.
Early is a head shaker, like a wet dog.

CherylCali
 

Dinosrawr

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Aug 15, 2013
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Avery, a GCC born on March 5th, 2013 & Shiko, a blue IRN born on February 25th, 2014
I have a shower curtain up behind my birds' cages because they like to fling their fresh food everywhere. Unfortunately one side of the wall closest to Avery's cage is not covered, and every day I get the enjoyable task of cleaning up her wall art. Better than Lorikeet poops imho!

You can always work on finding out the amount your bird does consume, or at least fling, by weighing the food bowl before and after a day of it being there. Then you can work to keep just that amount in the bowl so there's less to waste. I feed my birds a pretty specific amount, and I find Avery only wastes pellets when she's frustrated that I haven't given her enough variety (I change pellet types, fixings, toppings, etc. very often) with her dry food. Of course if they finish everything, I always give more within reason. I just prefer not to free feed as I find my birds are more wasteful if I do.
 
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snowflake311

snowflake311

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Jun 7, 2016
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Sprinkels, Black capped Conure/
Olaf, male, Budgie/
Sweetpea, female, Budgie/
RIP Kiwi, female, Senegal
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My Senegal did not throw out as much food as this little conure.

It does make sense these guys help plant trees and scatter plants in the jungles.

I free feed and I feel awful if I come home and her blow is empty because HE dumped all his food out. I am going to have to try something different like you said. Find the amount he does eat and put less in the bowl. Thanks.
 
Last edited:

Skittys_Daddy

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Jan 6, 2014
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Lewiston, Maine
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Neotropical Pigeon - "Skittles" (born 3/29/10)
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Budgie - "Sandy"
(1987-1989) R.I.P.
It's both annoying and funny as hell. Skittles will do this ESPECIALLY right after I vaccuum. It's like a game with him. I can't get mad at him, despite how annoying it is cause he looks so cute doing it!

But yes, it is very normal. There are three things that are GUARANTEED if you own a bird. Messes on the floor, noise and pooping.
 
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snowflake311

snowflake311

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RIP Kiwi, female, Senegal
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It's been 5 years since I lost my last parrot. I remember the poop and noise but the waste of food I don't remember. I don't think Kiwi was that bad about throwing food around. Or I just forgot about that.

It is annoying. Good food is not cheap. I think it's time for Sprinkles to get a job to support his wasteful ways. haha.
 

damir

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Aug 13, 2016
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Sun Conure (no name yet :D)
Well, there are days when Abby indeed waste some food, but, usually its not that bad.

What i hate the most is when i see the poop into the Zupreem / Fresh Vegetables or Fruits, but, thats how it is.

Not much different with our 1.5y old baby girl :p
 

Skittys_Daddy

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Jan 6, 2014
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Lewiston, Maine
Parrots
Neotropical Pigeon - "Skittles" (born 3/29/10)
Cockatiel - "Peaches" (1995-2015) R.I.P.
Budgie - "Sammy"
(1989-2000) R.I.P.
Budgie - "Sandy"
(1987-1989) R.I.P.
Harrisons is not cheap, thats for sure and if Skittles did this constantly it would be a real problem. But I found that if I wait til after I put him to bed to vaccuum, he doesn't do it. Its something to do with me vaccuuming up his mess (some food does get discarded onto the floor daily but its not from him throwing it, but it falling out of his mouth).
 

skyweekes

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Aug 10, 2016
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We changed our conures food as he didn't seem to like a lot of it so now we have a different parrot blend which he loves and barely wastes any so we have stuck to that food since🙂🙂
 
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snowflake311

snowflake311

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Jun 7, 2016
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Tahoe
Parrots
Sprinkels, Black capped Conure/
Olaf, male, Budgie/
Sweetpea, female, Budgie/
RIP Kiwi, female, Senegal
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We changed our conures food as he didn't seem to like a lot of it so now we have a different parrot blend which he loves and barely wastes any so we have stuck to that food since🙂🙂

What is this magic food.?
 

damir

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Aug 13, 2016
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Canada
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Sun Conure (no name yet :D)
I would like to know which food that is, as well .. tnx :)

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
 

MoLo

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Aug 8, 2016
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Cleveland Ohio area
Parrots
Kiwi, Black Capped Conure male - hatched 5/6/16
Funny you post this, I was thinking the same thing about my BCC. He seems to be a messy eater and pellets fly everywhere when he bites into them (I can understand since he doesn't have lips). Also he shells peas and seems to toss the shells about all around. I have also noticed that he doesn't hold on to food very good when he is biting off chunks to eat and will lose his grip, which he regrets when it falls through the grate at the bottom of the cage then it's unreachable. I hope he learns if he eats over a bowl then he won't lose his food so much! I'm surprised such a small animal needs so much food!
 

AmyMyBlueFront

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Apr 14, 2015
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Jonesy a Goffins 'Too who had to be rehomed :-(

And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
When I first got Jonesy the 'too...OMG was he a wasteful character! Literally THROWING food across the living room floor! I was filling his bowl 3 or more times a day.

Then I got one of those plexi three-sided enclosed feeders...fixed his wagon but GOOD! Now BB uses it,and no mess whatsoever ;)


Jim
 

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