I am a new owner of an adopted pink and grey galah and this is my first question....
She makes a HUGE mess when eating/mucking about with her food. She doesn't really seem to eat, but often just bites and drops it without anything seeming to be kept in her mouth or swallowed. When I have her inside and am hand feeding her treats, I can pick the pieces up (I have a towel across my lap so she won't poo on me) and offer them again and she seems to eat some, but she still seems to drop a lot of her food. Out in her cage she seems to drop huge amounts onto the floor. Huge mess and a lot of waste.
So, I found a thread linking to advice on feeding that said instead of food being supplied ad hoc or all day, she should get actual mealtimes for her fresh food. I gave her veges and fruit tonight and she seemed to eat some but still dropped a couple of bits on the floor before moving away. There's still heaps left and I realize that I've really no idea as to the portion size I should be giving her - I have just been taking her things to eat and if she doesn't eat them taking them away again later. She's got pellets there which she can help herself to all the time - she might not be hungry tonight if she's been stuffing herself with pellets. When she gets used to the idea that she gets meals she might not fill up on pellets if she likes her breakfast/dinner?
What sort of portion size should I be giving her?
Can I put something underneath to catch the dropped food (like a tray or a shelf) and can she still eat if it hasn't been pooed on, or should I get her a bigger bowl so that if she drops it she drops it back in there, or should I feed her down on the floor instead of bowls hung up on the cage or should I just get used to her flinging stuff about and wasting it?
Any tips directed to minimizing mess and waste gratefully received, thanks.
She makes a HUGE mess when eating/mucking about with her food. She doesn't really seem to eat, but often just bites and drops it without anything seeming to be kept in her mouth or swallowed. When I have her inside and am hand feeding her treats, I can pick the pieces up (I have a towel across my lap so she won't poo on me) and offer them again and she seems to eat some, but she still seems to drop a lot of her food. Out in her cage she seems to drop huge amounts onto the floor. Huge mess and a lot of waste.
So, I found a thread linking to advice on feeding that said instead of food being supplied ad hoc or all day, she should get actual mealtimes for her fresh food. I gave her veges and fruit tonight and she seemed to eat some but still dropped a couple of bits on the floor before moving away. There's still heaps left and I realize that I've really no idea as to the portion size I should be giving her - I have just been taking her things to eat and if she doesn't eat them taking them away again later. She's got pellets there which she can help herself to all the time - she might not be hungry tonight if she's been stuffing herself with pellets. When she gets used to the idea that she gets meals she might not fill up on pellets if she likes her breakfast/dinner?
What sort of portion size should I be giving her?
Can I put something underneath to catch the dropped food (like a tray or a shelf) and can she still eat if it hasn't been pooed on, or should I get her a bigger bowl so that if she drops it she drops it back in there, or should I feed her down on the floor instead of bowls hung up on the cage or should I just get used to her flinging stuff about and wasting it?
Any tips directed to minimizing mess and waste gratefully received, thanks.