How long to leave the same pellets

[AprilRobin]

How long would you leave the same pellets in a dish, if they are not soiled? Is it okay to top off/add more to some that were not finished last night, or even yesterday afternoon?

I pick up each dish and jiggle it around to make sure the food is actually clean...sometimes I find dirty spots underneath food that looked clean.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

I generally leave the dish in until it's eaten, then I take it out, wash the dish, and replace the food. Usually every other day, especially with Yvons, who likes to feed the dog, LOL.

 

[wrench13]

Salty uses pellets like a snack almost. A few in the AM when i change food and water and 1/2 a walnut. They stay out all day, and he moseys into the cage for a few every now and then. Lunch is around 2-3 , dinner 7:30 or so, but the pellets stay out (and there is always a few left) all night and get changed out in the AM. I know to within 8 pellets how many he will eat on a given day. Rinse repeat.

 

[rheashard2]

Nameliss is a bit like Salty. Pellets are treated as a snack to be nibbled on during the day. Serious pellet eating is before lights out (or if she rejected her chop). I put out about couple days worth. Then wash, dry food dish. High humidity means less pellets pur out. I avoid topping off. Mainly because of humidity and potential health problems. Also topping off makes it difficult to determine how much is eaten/wasted.

 

[nkrbkr]

I don’t personally free feed. I’ve given surplus of chop & pellets per day for several days in a row to determine how much my birds eat each day, so there’s never much leftover. I wash dishes & replace food each day.