Harrisons

I'm trying to convert sydney from lafebers to harrisons any experience? I also give him a nut/fruit mix which he eats periodically throughout the day. I tried just giving him the harrisons and leaving the mix but now he's only eating the nuts and fruit and begged a little for food today I really want him on harrisons because I heard its the best. I'm gonna try mixing the harrisons with his nut/fruit mix and the lafebers to see if that'll work

What type of bird is Sydney?

I tried for 2 months at least to try to get Rosie to eat Harrison's course before I gave up, she just wasn't eating it. A couple months later I bought the fine size and she immediately LOVED it and it's her favorite pellet. She really loves it.

My vet recommended soaking the pellets to make them soft, breaking them into small pieces(for course), and just trying different ways of feeding them.

I agree, you may need to try different versions to see what your bird likes best. Mango wont eat the fine food, he just ignores it. Also, I would suggest going with the lifetime maintenance food, not the high potency. Ive been trying to get my foster sennie switched over and he was having none of it. I ran out of the high potency that the rescue sent along, and I gave him some of Mango's instead and he eats it up like a champ. I dont know if it tastes different, or if the texture is different, but they both eat the life-time maintenance food without argument now.

When I got Mango he had only had seed mix (walmart special made predominantly of corn and sunflower seeds). He was low on some vitamins and so we tried to get him onto Harrison's. At first he wouldnt eat anything, so I made eating a social activity and let him "steal" things off my plate. I would leave little bits of carrots, peppers, broccoli and Harrison's pellets for him to play with on the edge of my plate. He started eating them, but obviously preferred seed. So I would let him have about 2 tbsp of seed in the morning, and the rest of the afternoon he got Harrison's. He also got lots of veggies and fruits offered all the time and eventually he started eating Harrison's throughout the day and I was able to cut the seed and just give it as treats. We have basically done the same with Jake our foster sennie except he isnt relaxed enough to sit with us while we eat, and he wont eat off our plates (which is fine with me).

I should note that letting him take food of my plate did create a problem, its now his favorite thing and he is pretty upset if we eat without him. He is no longer allowed to eat off our plates as it was difficult to manage him when we were eating things he couldnt have. He does insist on eating with us though, and we are happy to oblige.

I should also note that taking Jakie-bird's seeds away lead to some screaming behaviors that I have not been able to eliminate yet. He demands seeds and treats in the morning. We are ignoring this behavior and rewarding him when he is quiet, but I thought I should be honest about how things turned out as I am not a bird trainer or expert by any means. Good luck, keep us posted!

Copperarabian said:

What type of bird is Sydney?

I tried for 2 months at least to try to get Rosie to eat Harrison's course before I gave up, she just wasn't eating it. A couple months later I bought the fine size and she immediately LOVED it and it's her favorite pellet. She really loves it.

My vet recommended soaking the pellets to make them soft, breaking them into small pieces(for course), and just trying different ways of feeding them.

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He is having no part in the high potency course..I come home and he has completely eaten all the nut/dry fruit mix.. is lafebers a quality pellet because he eats those pretty good ? I'm gonna keep trying but I can tell he's hungry and I even made him some forumal and put it In his bowl last night. I feel bad because he hasn't begged me for food since the first week I took him off syringe feedings

Try the life-time maintenance, and maybe try the fine? I dont know anything about lafebers, but look at the ingredients list and see what you find. If you cant pronounce most of the ingredients, or if the list starts with starchy fatty foods like corn you should be cautious. If he is hungry I would suggest offering a wide variety of foods, including a bit of whatever he is use to. Mango loves carrots, peppers, sugar snap peas, blueberries, pomegranate, broccoli, banana, melon... try bulking with veggies. Maybe try the previous suggestion of soaking in warm water?

I converted my crimson bellied conure to Harrisons fine by adding it to his fruits and veggies at first. He ate it like that then little by little he is now eating it fine. I mix it with roudy-bush crumbles and together and he eats it now without mixing it with the fruit and veggies. He loves them both. I can now give him the fresh fruits and veggies alone. Good luck!

Sucks because I bought a 5 pound bag lol.. oh ya I forgot he's a U2.. he isn't much of a fresh fruit/veggie eater..very picky.. trying to introduce things but he generally doesn't touch anything new. However he loves gerber babie food lol. Ill try getting a small bag of the lifetime maint and see if he takes to that.

Found an ingredient list..doesn't seem all that healthy to me

Ground corn, wheat, oat groats, soybean meal, cane molasses, dried whole egg, corn gluten meal, dicalcium phosphate, ground limestone, iodized salt, dl-methionine (an essential amino acid), l-lysine (an essential amino acid), choline chloride, zinc oxide, manganese oxide, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, ethoxyquin (a preservative), ascorbic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, biotin.

fishstick600 said:

Found an ingredient list..doesn't seem all that healthy to me

Ground corn, wheat, oat groats, soybean meal, cane molasses, dried whole egg, corn gluten meal, dicalcium phosphate, ground limestone, iodized salt, dl-methionine (an essential amino acid), l-lysine (an essential amino acid), choline chloride, zinc oxide, manganese oxide, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, ethoxyquin (a preservative), ascorbic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, biotin.

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Were did you find that? it's not right. That looks like the ingredients to Lafeabers macaw & cockatoo...

From their website

HIGH POTENCY COARSE (HPC)

Ingredients: *Ground Shelled Sunflower Seeds, *Ground Hulless Barley, *Ground Soybeans, *Ground Shelled Peanuts, *Ground Green Peas, *Ground Lentils, *Ground Yellow Corn, *Ground Rice, *Ground Toasted Oat Groats, *Psyllium, *Ground Sun-Dried Alfalfa, Calcium Carbonate, *Spirulina, Montmorillonite Clay, *Ground Dried Sea Kelp, Vitamin E Supplement, Sea Salt, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, d-Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Sodium Selenite.
*CERTIFIED ORGANIC INGREDIENT

Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein (min.) 18%,crude fat (min.) 15%, crude fiber (max.) 6.5%, moisture (max.) 10%

ADULT LIFETIME COARSE (ALC)

Ingredients: *Ground Yellow Corn, *Ground Hulless Barley, *Ground Soybeans, *Ground Shelled Peanuts, *Ground Shelled Sunflower Seeds, *Ground Lentils, *Ground Green Peas, *Ground Rice, *Ground Toasted Oat Groats, *Ground Sun-Dried Alfalfa, Calcium Carbonate, *Psyllium, Montmorillonite Clay, *Spirulina, *Ground Dried Sea Kelp, Vitamin E Supplement, Sea Salt, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, d-Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Sodium Selenite.
*CERTIFIED ORGANIC INGREDIENT

Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein (min.) 15%, crude fat (min.) 5.5%, crude fiber (max.) 6.5%, moisture (max.) 10%..

Ya that list is for lafebers not Harrison's. I weened sydney on lafebers they are the only decent pellet carried at my local pet stores.

fishstick600 said:

Found an ingredient list..doesn't seem all that healthy to me

Ground corn, wheat, oat groats, soybean meal, cane molasses, dried whole egg, corn gluten meal, dicalcium phosphate, ground limestone, iodized salt, dl-methionine (an essential amino acid), l-lysine (an essential amino acid), choline chloride, zinc oxide, manganese oxide, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, ethoxyquin (a preservative), ascorbic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, biotin.

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google either of these and you will find this info.

ethoxyquin the preservative got banned in human foods due to it being carcinogenic along with BHA and BHT.

Menadione (e.g. menadione sodium bisulfate, menadione sodium bisulfite or menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfite)
has never been researched or specifically approved for long term use, such as in pet food.
has been banned from use in food and supplements for human use in many European countries due to serious side effects,
including permanent damage and deaths
FDA has banned synthetic vitamin K from over-the-counter supplements because of its high toxicity
vitamins K1 and K2 are metabolized through the lymphatic system, utilizing pancreatic enzymes and bile acids and
regulated by the liver. Vitamin K3 is absorbed directly and bypasses the natural pathways and regulators.

Well that's awesome. .I'm going to try to switch him to TOPs

If you use tops you have to make sure they get daily unfiltered sunlight or might get a Vit D deficiency, aswell as b12 from things like boiled eggs.
B12 is stored in the liver so just has to be replenished.
It is obligatory for vitamin D3 to be available for proper absorption of calcium and phosphorus on a daily basis.

Hmm what can I give him that has d3? This is becoming complicated lol

fishstick600 said:

Hmm what can I give him that has d3? This is becoming complicated lol

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Use a Calcium and d3 sprinkle on supplement powder.
Sprinkle it on cooked grain and rice mixes, fresh foods, and sprouted seeds.
Would be worth contacting Tops and asking them If they already add calcium carbonate to there pellet and if so how much (post it on this thread if you do please).
You don't want calcium exceeding 1% of the diet and no lower than 0.5%
0.6% seems to be favored.
Not sure if you can get low calcium D3 supplements.
The quantity of D3 needed is tiny. It is toxic at small doses so defiantly not recommending using anything other than a d3 supplement advertised for birds