Why the red pellets?

PickleMeDickles · Dec 24, 2016

So, for my pellets I use Higgins InTune. They do have coloring but I have tried different pellets for years and this is the only pellet based food they will eat. They also get seeds (too many, but we have come to an agreement). Anyhow, when I give them their fresh pellets everyday (the GCC and the Suns) they pick out the red ones first! Since these comprise about 15% of the pellets I am losing a fortune. Every morning I throw the previous days food out to the wild birds, who must be the healthiest birds in Moreno Valley. Once in a while, I'll see them munch on the other colors. Do any of your birds do this? I feel like such a sucker.
-Jen (and the gang)

Oh, and Merry Christmas to you and all your fids and other children, human and not.

Kentuckienne · Dec 24, 2016

Taste the pellets - they are safe - and see if the red ones are sweeter or have a different flavor. If not, maybe it's just that the color makes them stand out. I wonder, if you picked out all the red pellets beforehand, and just give them the other ones, will they eat them? Gus liked the Zupreem pellets more than Harrison's - some stubborn human insisted on giving him other ones instead of thanking his lucky stars. I at least managed to substitute Zupreem Naturals, which are brown, not artificial color, and not sweet.

PickleMeDickles · Dec 24, 2016

Kentuckienne said:
Taste the pellets - they are safe - and see if the red ones are sweeter or have a different flavor. If not, maybe it's just that the color makes them stand out. I wonder, if you picked out all the red pellets beforehand, and just give them the other ones, will they eat them? Gus liked the Zupreem pellets more than Harrison's - some stubborn human insisted on giving him other ones instead of thanking his lucky stars. I at least managed to substitute Zupreem Naturals, which are brown, not artificial color, and not sweet.

What good ideas! I did taste the red ones and they are sweeter than the others. I think I may feed them only the non-red pellets for a couple of weeks to get them in the habit of eating the other colors! Thank you so much. I would have never thought of that myself.

Shoegoo · Dec 24, 2016

I use Zupreem and the yellow banana shaped go first, then the red ones and finally the green. But the green are always the last to go. I suggest you put out smaller amounts. I mix in some Tropimix.

Even the wild birds are slow to eat the green pellets. I think the rats get their share. So keep that in mind.

wrench13 · Dec 24, 2016

Dilute food coloring and make them all red? LOL @ the healthy wild birds.

AmyMyBlueFront · Dec 24, 2016

PickleMeDickles said:
So, for my pellets I use Higgins InTune. They do have coloring but I have tried different pellets for years and this is the only pellet based food they will eat. They also get seeds (too many, but we have come to an agreement). Anyhow, when I give them their fresh pellets everyday (the GCC and the Suns) they pick out the red ones first! Since these comprise about 15% of the pellets I am losing a fortune. Every morning I throw the previous days food out to the wild birds, who must be the healthiest birds in Moreno Valley. Once in a while, I'll see them munch on the other colors. Do any of your birds do this? I feel like such a sucker.
-Jen (and the gang)

Oh, and Merry Christmas to you and all your fids and other children, human and not.

Wow...that is very interesting,i never thought about that. I feed BB Zupreem "fruity blend" pellets and Zupreem "smart select" seed (along with other "good stuff" and never paid attention on what he really chows down on..I'm going to have to keep an eye on it now..Thanks for the info!

And a VERY Merry Christmas to you,your family,and your flock!!

Jim

TexasWade · Dec 24, 2016

Nacho Quaker also prefers the red Higginses and the banana Zupremes! But I only give him maybe a dozen or less zupreme fruit blend daily covered with either roudybush maintenance or higgins In Tune, which I alternate weekly. He also gets a bit of fresh veggie before he gets his pellets. Also his pellets get a sprinkle of powdered birdy vitamins so if he does rummage through his food a bit, I don't think it's a problem. Pretty sure he's getting some decent nutrition one way or another =)

Loko · Dec 24, 2016

TexasWade said:
Nacho Quaker also prefers the red Higginses and the banana Zupremes! But I only give him maybe a dozen or less zupreme fruit blend daily covered with either roudybush maintenance or higgins In Tune, which I alternate weekly. He also gets a bit of fresh veggie before he gets his pellets. Also his pellets get a sprinkle of powdered birdy vitamins so if he does rummage through his food a bit, I don't think it's a problem. Pretty sure he's getting some decent nutrition one way or another =)

Be careful with vitamin supplements. Most pellets already have vitamins and most vitamins arent really regulated, and you can easily OD the bird on vitamins, especially fat solible vitamins that arent expelled in urine. I would only ever use vitamins if told to do so by an Avian Vet.

Falconbiscuit · Dec 25, 2016

I have the exact same problem!! Ruby's favourite are the red ones (I feed her Vetafarm nutriblend pellets). The red are raspberry flavoured, but funnily enough she doesn't like raspberries!!

Ruby ALWAYS leaves the yellow ones behind. The yellow are flavoured apple, which is weird as she loves apple. I crush the yellow ones up and add them to chop along with the crumbs she leaves. I worry she doesn't eat enough of the pellets, she doesn't notice them even when its just yellow in there, either that, or she loves chop too much

Good luck, and Merry Christmas!!

GaleriaGila · Dec 25, 2016

Poooooooooooor ol' Rickeybird... gets Harrison's, which is all brown. He loves them, though. They taste good. In a pinch, I'd eat 'em with milk, like cereal.

Another thing. I have always been TOLD that parrots have such poor taste and smell that hot peppers really excite and stimulate them. And they're very healthy (lots of good green and great nutrents)! So I give the Rickeybird lots! The only downside... when he eats a pepper, then preens, then wants to cudddle, it's a very incendiary experience. I wonder if they can taste sugary/sweet tastes. Note to self... research this!

plumsmum2005 · Dec 26, 2016

http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-food-recipes-diet/28242-ingredients-pellets.html

If the pellet you are feeding contains artificial colours, salt or sugar maybe it might be worth switching? WDYT?

Tangie · Dec 26, 2016

I have the same problem. Kiko loves red pellets. For him, it isn't because of a taste, because they taste relatively tasteless to me. Maybe it is something other than the taste they associate with color?

In the end, try to convert them to better pellets, but if that is all that they will ever eat, then it's better than nothing! I am learning this with Kiko, as he has gone days/weeks without eating pellets as I constantly try to convert him. Maybe, so he will eat pellets, I should convert him back to Zupreem!

plumsmum2005 · Dec 26, 2016

Tangie said:
I have the same problem. Kiko loves red pellets. For him, it isn't because of a taste, because they taste relatively tasteless to me. Maybe it is something other than the taste they associate with color?

In the end, try to convert them to better pellets, but if that is all that they will ever eat, then it's better than nothing! I am learning this with Kiko, as he has gone days/weeks without eating pellets as I constantly try to convert him. Maybe, so he will eat pellets, I should convert him back to Zupreem!

What if you mix some of both together but not in equal parts ie more better pellets, slowly withdrawing the coloured ones?

What else does Kiko eat? Does Kiko grind them up to dust before eating? If so just grind the better ones up and add some more dust ha ha.

Why the red pellets?

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