soaking parrot seeds mix. Does it make any sense at all?

sebas77

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Hi,

since I still give the best parrot seed mix I can find (no peanuts, no sunflowers, veggies and fruit) I am starting to wonder if it would make sense to soak it for a few hours before to serve. Dry fruits would become nicer and seeds may benefit from it, in theory.

Thoughts?
 
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sebas77

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which is why I am asking if hydrating them again makes sense, right?
 

Laurasea

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No soaking
Sets you up for bacteria, mold, yeast
Birds in nature choose only the best, tgey avoid wet mush seeds.
 
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sebas77

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Thanks Laura, so you are against the idea to soak seeds in general? I have a book that actually advises for it.
 

chris-md

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Some people can be risk averse and that’s ok. But the honest truth is that soaking does activate the germination process, sprouting essentially. And that makes the seed significantly more healthy in terms of nutrient availability and diversity.

Many of us do soak/sprout. So long as you don’t hold on to the soaked mixture for more than a couple days, you’re perfectly fine.
 
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sebas77

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thanks Chris, this is what I have read from the book.

However I have never read of anyone soaking a parrot seed mix. What do you think specifically about this idea? If there is nothing wrong with it, hydrating back the dried fruit sounds like a good deal to me as well.
 

Littleredbeak

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To my understanding only fresh seeds can be sprouted so I would think not all seeds can be germinated? I soak the organic walnuts I give my birds. I also spray vinegar and rinse throughly before and after I soak anything.

The dried fruit you use does it have added sugar? What others have mentioned above is this may cause bacteria contamination because of added sugar. Why not use fresh fruits and veggies?
 
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sebas77

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what do you mean with fresh though? Like beans are very dry and can be sprouted. Soaking however is not like sprouting, it would be few hours soaking, sprouting takes much longer.

The dried fruit is without sugar, it's dried fruit for parrots.
 

Laurasea

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Sprouting is different than just soaking a parrot mix feed for a few hours.

Sprouting is good , release and active enzymes and nutrition. But you do have to be very careful about molds and fungi and stuff.

People who sprouts usually get seeds just for that. I'll let people who do Sprouting talk about it.

Florida is probably were mold originated, so I font sprout. But I do agree sprouts are good
 
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sebas77

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yes let's talk about soaking and not sprouting. I agree that it's possible that only some seeds (like beans, cheack peas and peas) benefit from soaking, that's why I am asking.
 
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sebas77

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from my book:

"soaking and/or sprouting legumes, seeds and nuts not only infuses them with moisture, but also increases their digestibility and nutrient availability"

the book also have a table of soaking and sprouting times and seeds can be soaked to up to 8 hours (depending on the seed)
 
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chris-md

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Aphrodite - red throated conure (RIP)
Sprouting is different than just soaking a parrot mix feed for a few hours.

Sprouter and trained plant biologist here. This is not true, biologically and process-wise.

Soaking is what stimulates the sprouting/germination, its the first step in the overall process. (biologically, the hormone gibberellin is activated to break down the endosperm, which is the source of nutrients for the growing root and cotyledons until photosynthesis can take hold). Everyone who is into sprouting will soak their seeds/legumes for a "few hours", whatever may be appropriate for what you're sprouting.

It's at this point after the soaking is done where most of the "sprouting nutrients", if you will, become bio-available. If you want, you can let the soaked seeds continue to sprout the roots, but its not necessary and doing so does not further enhance nutrition.

So yes, when soaking "for a few hours" you are actually sprouting. You just aren't going all the way to letting them grow the roots people see.
 
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sebas77

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well Chris from you words I don't see any downside from soaking a seed/nuts/fruit parrot mix, but only benefits?

Major difference is that I won't keep the seeds in the bowl for more than a couple of hours.
 

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