Food and Nutrition

Keupi

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Aug 16, 2007
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Connecticut
Parrots
Keupi - a Senegal.
I've thought a lot about it. I also realize that I'm a bit of a fanatic and may be coming off too strong in my fever and feather.

I have a 'special needs' fid and he's a 'special needs' one because I'm the one who poisoned him - not knowingly, of course - but by not knowing enough. I thought I had kept up on things but I didn't. When it was finally figured out, and after I learned about the many different ways I exposed Keupi to zinc, I poisoned my own parrot.

As a result, and by analogy - poisoning victims are never the same. The toxin/poison leaves damage - in humans it can be neurological or organs (eg, the heart). In his case, the damage is to his kidneys, liver, and pancreas. While much of the acute damage has been reversed, he doesn't have the same level of functioning and is prone to infection in those organs.

What's best for him is a diet that most closely resembles a natural diet sans the processing/preservatives. This, for me, was 'easy' because, and again, for me, it was doing more of what I did before. My mom used to breed budgies and, with the exception of a few years when I was in school, I've never not known life without a fid or amongst many animals (though rodents - while cute - I freak :(). Even when seed was a "staple" the 'tude was no one could survive on just the same thing day in/day out - including our flock and fur.

Back to the food and nutrition. I don't have an option with Keupi. I'm lucky because I didn't have to start from scratch, I just had to do more of what I did before. It also took a lot of time and research because I was very worried about hurting my fid further. It was also a bit relaxing to find out that, at least with food, I was doing just fine. The amount of conflicting information is enough to make one want to pull their hair out (or feather-pluck). I've done it, but it's because I had to do it. It reaffirmed some things, confirmed some things, and also discounted other things. If I can save someone else that time and also add some ideas, that's what I really care about.

It also can be a royal pain in the patoodie sometimes. Sometimes when I get home from a long day, I throw a TV dinner in the microwave and then remember I need to craft a meal for him. I've also learned that frozen 'fid-cubes' are handy.

I guess my point is, what I do isn't necessarily what everyone else should do. It may come off that way but that's not what was intended (and the road to hell is paved with good intentions). If my they spark some ideas, raise some conundrums, or save some leg-work, that was my hope.
 

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