How much do you feed your birds?

[GreenCheek44]

Im getting concerned that my GCC is eating too much. In his cage he has a mix of 70% Harrisons pellets and 30% mixed seeds. On his stand outside his cage he had Nutri-Berrie Pellet clusters. He constantly is just sitting there munching away in his cage and on when on his stand he will hop between he water bowl and food bowl back and forth. Hes only 10 weeks old so is he just a hungry growing bird? Or should i start regulating what he eats? In planning on starting a chop mix for breakfast.

 

[Littleredbeak]

That sounds like a lot! What is the quantity he is eating. I have constant food for my birds- - normally they have all day and night access to TOPs pellets. I only give portions of Harrison pellets, sprouted seeds, fruits and veggies. Nutri berry pellets I give sparingly.

 

[wrench13]

SO you want to get a kitchen scale that measures in grams and a t-stand with a small suction cup on the end, and start weighing your conure ona daily basis, or every few days. It will alow you to better judge his food intake. Also, keep a journal of your birds weight will give an early warning if he is getting sick or ill.

My small amazon gets 1 walnut, one nutraberry and a half a handful of pellets in his cage for breakfast and that stays there all day. For lunch he gets a small amount of fruit or fresh veggies, and for dinner he gets a baggie of chop and 1 nutra berry crushed up and sprinkled on it. His nominate weight range is 280 - 320 and Salty is usually around 315 -320. I weigh him a few times a week. When he was hurt recently his weight went down to 310 and we know that was a signal.

 

[Laurasea]

excellent advice above
All so start teaching foraging , you start easy and advance, bird tricks you tube even has a video on how to do. They enjoy keeps them busy.
BTW my birds have food available abd nibble all day long abd are healthy weight

 

[Jen5200]

It’s hard to tell if they are eating enough or too much without keeping track of their weight - definitely recommend the scale as suggested above. With a scale you’ll find that you figure out what they’re normal weight patterns are and you’ll work out routines that support that. It’s great that you are thinking about it early!

Just as examples - my conures usually have pellets in their cage always, I find that they eat a tablespoon or two of pellets each per day. Mine each get a small spoonful of chop morning and dinner (and I take away leftovers after a few hours). Mine have things like Zupreem pure fun or seed mixes on their play stands so that they can get a few seeds and dried fruit while they are out and about. I tend to give things like nutriberries, oven baked bites, and other “loved” items as treats - not every day, but regularly. I find that mine, like Laura’s, like to forage and work a bit for their food. I have a selection of food puzzles that I rotate in and out of their cages. Mine seem to enjoy moving around and getting food/water from different locations in their cages.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Agreeing with the thoughts above.
A scale + reading about species norms + veterinary consult + time-and-experience-with-your-bird = a great start!
A few days ago, during a vet visit, I pulled out my raggedy old notebook containing (among other things) 30-something years of weight charts on the ol' Rb...!!!
By the way, his staple has been Harrison's for almost his whole life, so I like your pellet choice.