Could You Just Feed Chop and Skip the Pellets? What are the Risks or Concerns?

LoveOfallAnimals

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Jul 17, 2022
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441
Texas
Parrots
Eclectus - Female - Tequila
Red-Lored Amazon - Male - Tito
Albino Indian Ringneck - Female - Tia
My eclectus has refused to eat any pellets the last three days. She just wants chop. Should I be concerned? Or is a good chop consisting of fresh vegetables, grains, pasta, and legumes a better choice?
 

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chris-md

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Feb 6, 2010
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Maryland - USA
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Parker - male Eclectus

Aphrodite - red throated conure (RIP)
Yes. Most serious eclectus owners donā€™t feed pellets. The key is diversity, feeding as wide an array of foods as possible to ensure you donā€™t miss out on any micronutrients.
 
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LoveOfallAnimals

LoveOfallAnimals

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2022
212
441
Texas
Parrots
Eclectus - Female - Tequila
Red-Lored Amazon - Male - Tito
Albino Indian Ringneck - Female - Tia
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Yes. Most serious eclectus owners donā€™t feed pellets. The key is diversity, feeding as wide an array of foods as possible to ensure you donā€™t miss out on any micronutrients.
So out of all of the different parrot chop recipes and cookbooks for parrots is there one that you would recommend?
 

Owlet

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Oct 27, 2016
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Colorado
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Lincoln (Eclectus), Apollo (Cockatiel), Aster (GCC)
So out of all of the different parrot chop recipes and cookbooks for parrots is there one that you would recommend?
I know birdtrick's bad rep but their parrot cook books are actually really nice. I use their seasonal feeding system for my ekkie. Though I do alter it a bit. Less beans, no pasta, and try to get some more vitamin A in where I can. When I do use pasta I try to stick to veggie pasta or lentil pasta.
 

Owlet

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Oct 27, 2016
2,750
1,886
Colorado
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Lincoln (Eclectus), Apollo (Cockatiel), Aster (GCC)
If I could I would feed all chop and no pellets, i would, but it doesn't work out for me unfortunately :c I think it's better for ekkies specifically to be off pellets. I use them more as a filler and try to make sure he's getting all his nutrition from his morning chop.
 

chris-md

Well-known member
Feb 6, 2010
4,349
2,119
Maryland - USA
Parrots
Parker - male Eclectus

Aphrodite - red throated conure (RIP)
So out of all of the different parrot chop recipes and cookbooks for parrots is there one that you would recommend?

Not really. When youā€™ve been making chop long enough you donā€™t think in terms of ā€œrecipesā€. Just grab a bunch of fruits, veggies, and grains that you know are parrot safe and mix them together. Thatā€™s about it.

You might start with:
Kale
Lentils
Chickpeas
Brown rice
Assorted bell peppers (including the seeds)
Corn
Peas
Green beans
Carrots
Rotini pasta
Flax seed
Rolled oats
Red cabbage
Fennel/anise

You have a lot of different colors in there, a lot of different parts of the plant (leaves, stems, roots, fruit, seed), etc. good diversity. And this doesnā€™t include an actual fruit you might top dress with at serving time, like kiwi/papaya/apple.
 
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LoveOfallAnimals

LoveOfallAnimals

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2022
212
441
Texas
Parrots
Eclectus - Female - Tequila
Red-Lored Amazon - Male - Tito
Albino Indian Ringneck - Female - Tia
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
Not really. When youā€™ve been making chop long enough you donā€™t think in terms of ā€œrecipesā€. Just grab a bunch of fruits, veggies, and grains that you know are parrot safe and mix them together. Thatā€™s about it.

You might start with:
Kale
Lentils
Chickpeas
Brown rice
Assorted bell peppers (including the seeds)
Corn
Peas
Green beans
Carrots
Rotini pasta
Flax seed
Rolled oats
Red cabbage
Fennel/anise

You have a lot of different colors in there, a lot of different parts of the plant (leaves, stems, roots, fruit, seed), etc. good diversity. And this doesnā€™t include an actual fruit you might top dress with at serving time, like kiwi/papaya/apple.
Thank you
 

HeatherG

Well-known member
Apr 25, 2020
3,893
6,966
I had an older Barronā€™s paperback book titled ā€œfeeding your pet birdā€ (by Petra something) which really broke down the nutrients and values of different vegetables, fruits, grain. I may still have this book. If I were feeding without pellets I would definitely be using that book or one more up to date.
 

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