feel kind of bad for the parrots I'm sitting

[Featheredsamurai]

While my friend is out camping his parrots and guinea pigs are living in the dining room down stairs(I'm being as careful as I can to keep them QT away from my birds, recent neighborhood house break ins made this a last minute change. We only use our central air system in winter and have no AC so the air isn't being circulated through the house)

Anyway, their diet is much worse than the last time I had seen them. About a year ago I clipped their wings and the conures were eating zupreem fruit blend which is better than no pellets. Now they are only eating Fiesta conure and I can see a visible difference in their character. They also have 2 parakeets who eat a seed mix that has very little variety, they mostly seem to eat white millet.

The most painful part is that I am hand feeding the conures Harrison's pellets which they love and gobble up, but I know there owners won't want to order it and pay so much more for their food I'll still tell them, but I don't think it will really change. They love their birds, but they aren't bird people.

Here's some pics of the cuties

I call these the hormonal duo. Cracker is the sun conure and Polly is the peach front. They are very cage aggressive so getting them out is a challenge. I'm working on stick training them while they are with me.

A little ruffled after I clipped her wings

She was really good during the clipping, Polly was much harder. Working at petsmart made me pretty good at clipping with no help haha. Polly is actually a really talented flier, but these guys aren't allowed to come out of their cage when unclipped and their owners(I say owners since they aren't parront material) do not think they are able to do so.

Cracker(sun conure) always seems a little tired. I worry about her well being and the affects her seed diet is having on her.

All four birdies after their clip(except Cracker, that's her pre-clip pic)

I'm embarrassed to say the last time I clipped Polly's wings over a year ago I took off the tips of the coverts. I'll never make that mistake again and I was not as parrot savvy then. I had only known the basics and wasn't active on this forum. And don't worry, I always thoroughly check for blood feathers.

 

[MarciaLove]

they are so cute! Too bad their owners don't feed them better or let them out when flighted Also a Sun Conure always sleepy?? Never heard that before!!

 

[JerseyWendy]

Great job on the wings, Ashley!!!

I'm sorry to hear that the birdies' owners don't do more for their babies. I'm assuming you're getting paid to birdy sit, yes? Could you provide them with a small sample bag of what they "should" be eating? Perhaps even a typed up list of better foods than what they are currently on?

I know this can be a touchy subject, especially since some owners simply think they are doing no harm.

All 4 of them are lovely birds! The parakeets are SO darn cute!!!

Oh, I have an idea: Since you took pictures, why not challenge the owners to put their birds on a healthy diet, and then you'll take comparison pictures 6 months down the road??? Maybe that will entice them??

 

[BillsBirds]

It is very difficult to teach someone who does not want to learn. I have tried many times to educate friends about their birds needs. I often get, "We're not so crazy about birds like you. They're fine." Or something like that. Except when there's a problem. Or when they wonder why their birds are not behaving like mine. Just advise them as best as you can.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

It is very difficult to teach someone who does not want to learn. I have tried many times to educate friends about their birds needs. I often get, "We're not so crazy about birds like you. They're fine." Or something like that. Except when there's a problem. Or when they wonder why their birds are not behaving like mine. Just advise them as best as you can.

I have a friend with two cockatiels who is that exact way! She always says I worry to much about my birds and they don't need everything I give them, But then in contrast I strongly believe she doesn't worry enough.

Great job on the wings, Ashley!!!

I'm sorry to hear that the birdies' owners don't do more for their babies. I'm assuming you're getting paid to birdy sit, yes? Could you provide them with a small sample bag of what they "should" be eating? Perhaps even a typed up list of better foods than what they are currently on?

I know this can be a touchy subject, especially since some owners simply think they are doing no harm.

All 4 of them are lovely birds! The parakeets are SO darn cute!!!

Oh, I have an idea: Since you took pictures, why not challenge the owners to put their birds on a healthy diet, and then you'll take comparison pictures 6 months down the road??? Maybe that will entice them??

They are paying me(yay) which is always a fun benefit. I'm going to send them home with a small bag of Harrison's pepper course that Rosie and Kenji do not care but the conures like.

It's hard to talk to them about this, my friend has some of the sweetest parents and they think they are doing so good. One thing they did listen to me about was the perches. The conures used to only have various pedicure style perches and i told them how that can cause sores on their feet. Now they have a grape wood perch and other natural perches.

they are so cute! Too bad their owners don't feed them better or let them out when flighted Also a Sun Conure always sleepy?? Never heard that before!!

Yeah poor things, it seems so strange to keep them locked in their cage because of that. At the same time I can understand a normal persons fear of having their bird run into a window or fly out a open door.

 

[MarciaLove]

I agree very strange all my birds are flighted and get out every day!

 

[MonicaMc]

Rather than sending them home on pellets, another option is Nutriberries... it would be better than seeds alone! And a list of healthy fresh foods that the birds can eat!


I know the mindset of 'if it's sold for them, it must be good for thing' crap. I've seen the effects first hand of feeding a dog the cheapest dog food from the grocery stores! It came out the other end as pure liquid! I now cringe whenever I see people buy any dog food from a grocery store!


Sorry you can't really do much for the little guys! Been there, done that myself. Worse when they take a suggestion too seriously, and things get worse, not better.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Rather than sending them home on pellets, another option is Nutriberries... it would be better than seeds alone! And a list of healthy fresh foods that the birds can eat!


I know the mindset of 'if it's sold for them, it must be good for thing' crap. I've seen the effects first hand of feeding a dog the cheapest dog food from the grocery stores! It came out the other end as pure liquid! I now cringe whenever I see people buy any dog food from a grocery store!


Sorry you can't really do much for the little guys! Been there, done that myself. Worse when they take a suggestion too seriously, and things get worse, not better.

Nutriberries are a good idea, I recently bought a 3.5g tub since I use them in foraging toys. I'll send a little baggie along with the pellets.

Dog(and cat food) can be so terrible! We were feeding our dogs lamb and rice by Purina one for the longest time, I really thought it was a excellent food I learned otherwise from my coworkers. I am stunned at some of the ingredients used in dog foods, such as anti freeze! I fed them blue buffalo limited ingredients for a good time but after I stopped working I had to downgrade to authority grain free which has decent ingredients and is affordable for now.

 

[henpecked]

Oh your such a good friend to look after their birds. Hey , why don't you move to Florida and be my friend ? My wife ,Josie , would so like a vacation. LOL just joking, she'd never go for that. Good to have friends like you. So many birds need someone who cares.

 

[crimson]

your such a good friend copper!, such lovely birds too, all hand tamed.

if your friend may not be willing to convert to harrisons pellets, maybe try and convince would she be willing to get a bag of frozen veggies and put it in a pot of hot water to thaw and containerize the rest for the next day?

it's better than just seed and they would get some other nutrition as well.....the poor things.

my older cockatiel(10+yrs.) is the same way, kind of tired all the time, but she has been on a seed diet all her life, and could never convert her, ever. trust me I've tried. so everyday, I feed her as much good food as she wants, which helps.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Polly and Cracker, the adorable budgies, and 2 guinea pigs got to go home today. My friends dad was actually really good about what I had to tell him and I'm thinking there is hopefully a change. He said last time I suggested pellets he had tried it but they had flung them everywhere or all that was left was dust(which is often normal). I told him this is normal haha.

I also sent him home with a clicker and target stick, and showed him how to do touch training. He was excited about this and I offered to come over anytime to help him train his parrots which he gladly accepted.

 

[Nocturnal]

I'm not disputing that there are crap ingredients in dog/cat/pet food (I myself prefer a natural raw meat/bones/organs diet for my little carnivores), but I do have to say...

I am stunned at some of the ingredients used in dog foods, such as anti freeze!

I have never even heard of such a thing. I think perhaps you are mistaking propylene glycol for ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is antifreeze and is not added to pet foods (there is no reason to, no matter how irresponsible the pet food companies are.).

On the other hand, propylene glycol is a common additive to many different products and processed foods (stuff like deoderant and toothpaste may contain it as well)--- it basically keeps stuff hydrated by pulling moisture out of the air.

No, it doesn't belong in food. But it's not the toxic anti-freeze you are thinking of.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I'm not disputing that there are crap ingredients in dog/cat/pet food (I myself prefer a natural raw meat/bones/organs diet for my little carnivores), but I do have to say...

I am stunned at some of the ingredients used in dog foods, such as anti freeze!

I have never even heard of such a thing. I think perhaps you are mistaking propylene glycol for ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is antifreeze and is not added to pet foods (there is no reason to, no matter how irresponsible the pet food companies are.).

On the other hand, propylene glycol is a common additive to many different products and processed foods (stuff like deoderant and toothpaste may contain it as well)--- it basically keeps stuff hydrated by pulling moisture out of the air.

No, it doesn't belong in food. But it's not the toxic anti-freeze you are thinking of.

In this article they say that propylene glycol one of the key ingredients in antifreeze? but that it is much less toxic compared to it's infamous cousin ethylene glycol.

One day I would love to be able to feed my dog more natural foods, I do not supplement her diet nearly enough. What are some simple foods you would recommend that you feed your own dogs?

 

[mtdoramike]

Order them a batch out of pocket for the first time and give it to the owners and show them how much their birds love it.

 

[JerseyWendy]

What are some simple foods you would recommend that you feed your own dogs?

RAW chicken pieces. My dogs go ballistic when they get those. :54:

For treats I offer RAW carrots. They are non fattening, and their breath is always good.

 

[Annageckos]

One day I would love to be able to feed my dog more natural foods, I do not supplement her diet nearly enough. What are some simple foods you would recommend that you feed your own dogs?

I know you were asking the other poster, but I wanted to chime in. I feed my dogs cat and ferrets raw only and have for almost 10 years now. I try to feed as naturally as I can for everyone. Raw feeding for dogs is very easy and cheaper then the better quality grain free kibbles. I feed a base of chicken, thought if red meat was cheaper I would do more of that. But chicken is good, either leg quarters or for larger meals a half chicken. I will buy whatever is on sale and freeze one meal per bag. They also get turkey, duck, game hens, all kinds of beef, pork, lamb, goat, rabbit, veal. They have also had deer, ground hog, cotton tail rabbit and squirrel too.

Feel free to PM me if you want to.

 

[goalerjones]

would be nice to do ^^^^however, for the rest of us that live in the real world, budget dictates the types of foods we can provide our dogs.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

It is so hard when you have a deeper, more knowledgeable way to care for someone's pet than they do. Not that the owner does not care, but that they don't seem to really 'get it'.

But you know, they probably do really respect your opinion, knowing that you take excellent care, so even if you can get a tiny change in the birds' lives, it's a step in the right direction. Harrisons is a little pricey but i don't find it to be that much more than Zupreem. Or even roudybush is a good quality pellet that is totally affordable. I would probably play a little sneaky and next time i ordered pellets, say "hey we can get a quantity discount...do you want to order with me??"

And for dog treats--baby carrots are IT! My dogs are crazy about them and i don't have to worry about what weird diseases are causing kidney failure this week. EEK. My dogs eat salmon food typically, because one of mine is extremely sensitive and has IBS and allergies--it works for him and keeps him healthy, so all three eat it. Fromm is a favorite but in a pinch we do ProPlan sensitive formula. Admittedly they aren't the cheapest but are reasonable. And i can't complain....they are so tiny that they eat under half cup each per day.

 

[Nocturnal]

Yeah, basically what Annageckos said--- raw meat, bones and organs. No veggies, grains or anything else -- dogs literally aren't designed to digest those things and it puts strain on their internal organs to deal with processing them (think about cows having 4 stomachs just to eat grass), they CAN eat non-meat items, but only as a survival mechinism. You'll find properly fed dogs do much better in life overall and live longer. A dog's digestive system is very short and raw meat goes through them in about 4 hours, giving no time for diseases to incubate in their systems, so it's safe unless you have a very sick/immune compromised dog (all this pretty much goes for cats too).

 

[Abigal7]

I like the Nutriberries idea. That said it should be explained to them that birds even if kept as pets are wild animals designed to eat a variety of foods. Giving them only sunflower seeds is like feeding a human nothing but fast food. They may say their birds hate that stuff but those conures life expectancy will be shorten if they do not eat better. Can they cook for them? Maybe even share some fruits and veggies with them? I know birds can add up but they do not have to buy a bunch of stuff at once. The cost can be managed by looking for discounts, making own toys, switching toys around etc. My dog has a sensitive stomach and dry skin. My mom told me to get a good salmon dog food. I feed my dog pro plan right now.