Is my birds diet missing anything?

Bubba27

New member
Dec 18, 2020
15
18
So I feed Bubba daily, a 40 yr old Greenwing Macaw that I have had since 4 months old

his chop mix shown below

Roudybush pellets

a few assorted nuts - lets say 4 equivalent each, of 4 in the list daily I feed these in the afternoon
Pistachio in shell,
almonds,
walnut pieces
pumpkin seeds
sunflower seeds

Fruit daily: a piece the size of 3 grapes of the 3

Grapes
Apple
Banana
Orange/clemintines
Blueberries

Chop MIX-----chopped in blender
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Zucchini
Brussel sprouts
Yellow squash
Red, Green & Yellow bell peppers
Jalapeno
Carrots
Kale
Cabbage


Eggs cooked & frozen about the size of a half dollar daily

chickpeas,
black eyed peas,
black beans, - 2 cans
lentils,
Red beans

Quinoa
Steel cut Oats
Brown rice or Wild rice
some Chia seeds
Ground flax seeds
Whole wheat pasta

Occasional treats;
chicken leg bone
small piece the size of the end of your thumb or smaller & usually at night 2 times a week
Piece of meat, chicken, fish, pork
small portion of pasta
piece of cheese
bite of pizza
 

wrench13

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Nov 22, 2015
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Yellow Shoulder Amazon, Salty
Hi! That's roughly what Salty's diet is. I feed less of the bean/pea type veggies and more of the hot pepper types (jalapeno, yes, but habenero and ghost and hot chilies too, a lot of those)., because parrots have 1 taste bud for every 100 of ours. WHat is super hot for us is merely tangy to them. One thing I would leave out of the oranges, I've read in several places that they cannot process citrus fruits well. That's it. Heck if he's been on this diet for 40 years, you gotta be doing something right, huh?

When we make a batch of chop I bag 5 days worth in freezer proof sealable baggies, and hammer off a days worth to be zapped in the microwave. I mix that with a few nutraberries all crumbled up (to soak up excess moisture). I usually make up 30 or so baggies at a time.
 

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
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Western, Michigan
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DYH Amazon
Mac's diet base has a bit more protein then Amazons to support their long flight abilities and as a result, the sunflower seeds is far less of a problem for them. The wide cross-section is to be commended as it provides a very healthy foundation.

As my good friend above stated, with 40 years, you have to be doing something right and in all honesty, you are doing really well!
 
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Bubba27

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Dec 18, 2020
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Well to be honest I only started feeding chop 4 years ago. His diet was not anywhere near as good. I only changed because he had some strange colored feathers and I looked into it.
I made the mistake of not chopping veg as small as I should. Giving him not as healthy foods and way to much protien because he ate it / he ignored the veg for options he liked better. MY BAD!!!!!
Now he gets a better diet and the not as healthy stuff isn't available.
 

birdeejt

New member
Jan 30, 2023
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Parrots
3 blue and gold macaws. 28 years old. Incubated and handraised by me.
My 3 blue and gold macaws won't eat chop. They are 28 and have had fresh fruit daily. They aren't into greens except for nightly peas (cooled off from microwave) (no hormones). I made a delicious chop which they refused to eat.
I now sprinkle hemp hearts and chia seeds over their human size chop. They seem to like it as they eat almost everything. Apple, banana, red pepper, corn, oranges (especially like mandarin) turnup fresh or slightly steamed. Not much on greens. I've tried everything, cooked and uncooked and get "NO'
 

SailBoat

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Jul 10, 2015
17,646
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Western, Michigan
Parrots
DYH Amazon
Welcome to the the joy of Parrots!

Try up-close and personal eating a salad with them.
They may just try a bit after all it must be good as it hasn't killed you, yet.

You have likely seen them turn their head regarding other things that should be an easy, well of course they will love this and they don't.

Around here, we refer to it as the Radioactive Effect. Common with new stuff. Your interaction with whatever it is will help. Especially if they see it as something they can take away from you and make it theirs!
 

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