My conure doesn't like it's cage? also pallet diet

[Peanutisawesome]

Hi I recently got a conure (3 days ago, the owner said he is more than 2 months old ), he is very sweet and lovely but whenever I try to put him in the cage because I have to go somewhere he can't be, he panics (sometimes bites not too hard but still) and tries to kind of I can say escape? I've done some research and I know they need to settle in but from the previous owner he was in a very small cage with more than 4 birds in it and the owner said that one of them also could be aggressive towards others, so I think he is just scared of cages maybe? and I don't want him to panic that much as he is doing while putting him in and ect. I would be thankful for any advice and also does he need a pallet diet that much? because I can't find any in my country (or at least my area) and online it's really expensive with transport (i feed him seeds, veggies and fruits atm.)

 

[BirdyBee]

Hi I recently got a conure (3 days ago, the owner said he is more than 2 months old ), he is very sweet and lovely but whenever I try to put him in the cage because I have to go somewhere he can't be, he panics (sometimes bites not too hard but still) and tries to kind of I can say escape? I've done some research and I know they need to settle in but from the previous owner he was in a very small cage with more than 4 birds in it and the owner said that one of them also could be aggressive towards others, so I think he is just scared of cages maybe? and I don't want him to panic that much as he is doing while putting him in and ect. I would be thankful for any advice and also does he need a pallet diet that much? because I can't find any in my country (or at least my area) and online it's really expensive with transport (i feed him seeds, veggies and fruits atm.)

Hi! I'm not sure how to help with the cage problem but I could give some tips for your bird's diet. Also, what country do you live in?

Honestly, I don't think pellets are necessary for birds if they're on a balanced diet. What vegetables do you feed him? It's good to have a variety. Fruits are also good for birds but should be fed in smaller quantities because of the high sugar content.

For protein, you can feed boiled eggs or even some nuts. Keep in mind nuts are very fatty so they shouldn't be given in high quantities, but are still a good source of nutrients. You can also cook grains and feed him sprouts(you can easily find a step by step guide for sprouts either online or here on the forum.

Calcium is also important. You can provide this by using a mineral block or cuttlefish bone. If you can't find those, you can crush up the eggshells from the boiled eggs very finely and sprinkle over his food

This is all I can think of but feel free to ask any questions :]

 

[Peanutisawesome]

Hi! I'm not sure how to help with the cage problem but I could give some tips for your bird's diet. Also, what country do you live in?

Honestly, I don't think pellets are necessary for birds if they're on a balanced diet. What vegetables do you feed him? It's good to have a variety. Fruits are also good for birds but should be fed in smaller quantities because of the high sugar content.

For protein, you can feed boiled eggs or even some nuts. Keep in mind nuts are very fatty so they shouldn't be given in high quantities, but are still a good source of nutrients. You can also cook grains and feed him sprouts(you can easily find a step by step guide for sprouts either online or here on the forum.

Calcium is also important. You can provide this by using a mineral block or cuttlefish bone. If you can't find those, you can crush up the eggshells from the boiled eggs very finely and sprinkle over his food

This is all I can think of but feel free to ask any questions :]

thank you so much for answering :3 I live in poland and I feed him pepper broccoli cocumber and from fruits just apples and pears for now

 

[BirdyBee]

thank you so much for answering :3 I live in poland and I feed him pepper broccoli cocumber and from fruits just apples and pears for now

Oh we have another polish member, maybe she could give advice for where to get some bird stuff? @Rozalka

(Also I'm going to info dump a bit but I promise it will be useful)

If possible, you should introduce more types of vegetables. My advice is always 3-4 green vegetables(some of which should be leafy vegetables like spinach or romaine lettuce), 2-3 orange and yellow vegetables(carrot or bell peppers work well), and 1-2 red (beetroot, red bell pepper). Or just 6-7 types of vegetables(mainly green). You can even add something extra such as pumpkin or cauliflower. You can use any vegetables as long as they're bird safe. The reason why I state colours is because different colour vegetables often have different types of nutrients. Types don't matter that much, it's just the nutritional content. If that's too much to get at once, just change the types you feed every week.

Also, reduce the cucumber. It's not unhealthy but it's very watery so it might cause watery poop or overhydration(again, it won't kill him, but if it's the base of what you feed them it might cause issues)

It might seem like a lot of effort to feed so many vegetables, but don't worry. Here's what you do:
Get a food processor(not blender), throw in the vegetables and blend them until they are the desired size. You can chop by hand if preferred, it might just take more time. Then put the mixture into ice cube trays and let them freeze. And whenever you need to feed him, just pop out a cube, let it unthaw, and it's ready to serve :] they should last for about 2-3 months. you CAN microwave it to speed up the process, but it kills a lot of the nutrients, so unthawing it is better.

Anyway, sorry for the info dump, just had to make sure you knew everything.

tl;dr: provide variety(at least 6-7 vegetables). You can chop them up, freeze them in ice cube trays, and feed when needed. Cucumber is healthy but don't feed too much because of high water content

 

[Free as a bird]

Hi I recently got a conure (3 days ago, the owner said he is more than 2 months old ), he is very sweet and lovely but whenever I try to put him in the cage because I have to go somewhere he can't be, he panics (sometimes bites not too hard but still) and tries to kind of I can say escape? I've done some research and I know they need to settle in but from the previous owner he was in a very small cage with more than 4 birds in it and the owner said that one of them also could be aggressive towards others, so I think he is just scared of cages maybe? and I don't want him to panic that much as he is doing while putting him in and ect. I would be thankful for any advice and also does he need a pallet diet that much? because I can't find any in my country (or at least my area) and online it's really expensive with transport (i feed him seeds, veggies and fruits atm.)

Despite the mainstrean narrative pellets are overrated. Their made from seeds including the husk which parrots dont digest well. Thats why they dehusk seeds before eating them. And it's mixed with soy, corn, chemicals and other crap.

Natural food is better than processed food.

 

[Rozalka]

I agree, pellets aren't a must - for many years I wasn't buying any pellets - I bought them just once time and I chose something cheaper (here's a link for my small thread about them: https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/are-these-pellets-fine.99285/ ) and my thoughts on them are still mixed - because I think there may be a reason why they are cheaper

However I'm not the best person to talk about diet -first Fela had deficiency and now Jaś seems to have deficiency... I just don't know how to "force" them eating more different food, they're picky eaters

 

[Peanutisawesome]

Oh we have another polish member, maybe she could give advice for where to get some bird stuff? @Rozalka

(Also I'm going to info dump a bit but I promise it will be useful)

If possible, you should introduce more types of vegetables. My advice is always 3-4 green vegetables(some of which should be leafy vegetables like spinach or romaine lettuce), 2-3 orange and yellow vegetables(carrot or bell peppers work well), and 1-2 red (beetroot, red bell pepper). Or just 6-7 types of vegetables(mainly green). You can even add something extra such as pumpkin or cauliflower. You can use any vegetables as long as they're bird safe. The reason why I state colours is because different colour vegetables often have different types of nutrients. Types don't matter that much, it's just the nutritional content. If that's too much to get at once, just change the types you feed every week.

Also, reduce the cucumber. It's not unhealthy but it's very watery so it might cause watery poop or overhydration(again, it won't kill him, but if it's the base of what you feed them it might cause issues)

It might seem like a lot of effort to feed so many vegetables, but don't worry. Here's what you do:
Get a food processor(not blender), throw in the vegetables and blend them until they are the desired size. You can chop by hand if preferred, it might just take more time. Then put the mixture into ice cube trays and let them freeze. And whenever you need to feed him, just pop out a cube, let it unthaw, and it's ready to serve :] they should last for about 2-3 months. you CAN microwave it to speed up the process, but it kills a lot of the nutrients, so unthawing it is better.

Anyway, sorry for the info dump, just had to make sure you knew everything.

tl;dr: provide variety(at least 6-7 vegetables). You can chop them up, freeze them in ice cube trays, and feed when needed. Cucumber is healthy but don't feed too much because of high water content

Thank you so much I will definitely give him some new vegetables (also dont give much cocumbers ) and I will try to make ice cubes for him

 

[Peanutisawesome]

I agree, pellets aren't a must - for many years I wasn't buying any pellets - I bought them just once time and I chose something cheaper (here's a link for my small thread about them: https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/are-these-pellets-fine.99285/ ) and my thoughts on them are still mixed - because I think there may be a reason why they are cheaper

However I'm not the best person to talk about diet -first Fela had deficiency and now Jaś seems to have deficiency... I just don't know how to "force" them eating more different food, they're picky eaters

thank you for the advice:]

 

[GambotheGreyt]

I agree, pellets aren't a must - for many years I wasn't buying any pellets - I bought them just once time and I chose something cheaper (here's a link for my small thread about them: https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/are-these-pellets-fine.99285/ ) and my thoughts on them are still mixed - because I think there may be a reason why they are cheaper

However I'm not the best person to talk about diet -first Fela had deficiency and now Jaś seems to have deficiency... I just don't know how to "force" them eating more different food, they're picky eaters

For me, you have touched on exactly why pellets are a desirable choice.

Even with seed mixes, in my experience, a bird will choose ONE type of seed... hence an incomplete diet.

Fruits, veggies, nuts, etc... same issue.. the bird likes ONLY green grapes.

So now we have a bird that eats sunflower seeds, grapes, and lets throw in some almonds for conversation sake, and well yes, it is all natural, but is it a complete diet? Noooooo! It also is not what is available "in nature" to our species of parrots.

So, this is why it is so important to me to provide a high quality pellet. Additionally, if I have a bird sitter, it is much more convenient to throw some pellets in the bowl rather than cook some pasta, sprout some seeds, dice in the desired by the bird size fruit, and so on.

How many of our birds get outdoor direct exposure to sunshine (vit D)? This is an essential vitamin which aids in the overall health and processing of other nutrients. There aren't many food sources of Vitamin D... hence the supplemental source in pellets.

I think that while some are pushing "don't eat pellets!", i think that it needs to be understood that we all choose what is best in our own experiences, knowledge, and situations. And unlike people feeding seed (generally), I would say that most parronts are feeding pellets IN ADDDITION TO other nutritional sources.

I do think it is dangerous to be on a campaign against good nutrition, in whatever form is chosen by the caretaker. Support your own choices without dissing others (food choices). @rosalika this is NOT aimed at you!

 

[Peanutisawesome]

For me, you have touched on exactly why pellets are a desirable choice.

Even with seed mixes, in my experience, a bird will choose ONE type of seed... hence an incomplete diet.

Fruits, veggies, nuts, etc... same issue.. the bird likes ONLY green grapes.

So now we have a bird that eats sunflower seeds, grapes, and lets throw in some almonds for conversation sake, and well yes, it is all natural, but is it a complete diet? Noooooo! It also is not what is available "in nature" to our species of parrots.

So, this is why it is so important to me to provide a high quality pellet. Additionally, if I have a bird sitter, it is much more convenient to throw some pellets in the bowl rather than cook some pasta, sprout some seeds, dice in the desired by the bird size fruit, and so on.

How many of our birds get outdoor direct exposure to sunshine (vit D)? This is an essential vitamin which aids in the overall health and processing of other nutrients. There aren't many food sources of Vitamin D... hence the supplemental source in pellets.

I think that while some are pushing "don't eat pellets!", i think that it needs to be understood that we all choose what is best in our own experiences, knowledge, and situations. And unlike people feeding seed (generally), I would say that most parronts are feeding pellets IN ADDDITION TO other nutritional sources.

I do think it is dangerous to be on a campaign against good nutrition, in whatever form is chosen by the caretaker. Support your own choices without dissing others (food choices). @rosalika this is NOT aimed at you!

Hi and thank you for the opinion:] I will definitely think of this and decided if give the pallets or not

 

[Greenhouseparrots]

Pellets are a really tricky subject I think. I fed mine pellets (harrisons and pretty bird) along with a small amount of seeds and plenty of chop for the almost four years I've had them. My conure has had behavioural issues that entire time until I took the pellets out of her diet. Now she's a different bird and all I did was remove the pellets and give her seeds and chop. She's stopped screaming all the time, stopped trying to attack me constantly, started playing with her toys and just generally seems happier.

My budgies seems to be happier and healthier without pellets as well. One of them has always looked a bit scruffy but the molt he's just had has made him look healthier than I've ever seen him and the scruffiness is gone. They all eat chop, go outside in an aviary once a week and I have an avian lamp so they're covered for all of their vitamins. I also add a vitamin powder to their food, and they have access to cuttlefish and calcium blocks if they need extra vitamins.

I haven't noticed a difference with my other conure or the cockatiels so it's not just that pellets are bad. For me though, living with a screaming, unhappy conure is worth cutting out the pellets and making sure I'm feeding a healthy diet without them even if it's more work.

 

[GambotheGreyt]

Pellets are a really tricky subject I think. I fed mine pellets (harrisons and pretty bird) along with a small amount of seeds and plenty of chop for the almost four years I've had them. My conure has had behavioural issues that entire time until I took the pellets out of her diet. Now she's a different bird and all I did was remove the pellets and give her seeds and chop. She's stopped screaming all the time, stopped trying to attack me constantly, started playing with her toys and just generally seems happier.

My budgies seems to be happier and healthier without pellets as well. One of them has always looked a bit scruffy but the molt he's just had has made him look healthier than I've ever seen him and the scruffiness is gone. They all eat chop, go outside in an aviary once a week and I have an avian lamp so they're covered for all of their vitamins. I also add a vitamin powder to their food, and they have access to cuttlefish and calcium blocks if they need extra vitamins.

I haven't noticed a difference with my other conure or the cockatiels so it's not just that pellets are bad. For me though, living with a screaming, unhappy conure is worth cutting out the pellets and making sure I'm feeding a healthy diet without them even if it's more work.

My personal question would be if the food dyes used in the pretty bird and the sugar was the primary factor in the behavior issues.

 

[Greenhouseparrots]

My personal question would be if the food dyes used in the pretty bird and the sugar was the primary factor in the behavior issues.

So she was on harrisons for two years before I got pretty bird. I then had her on exclusively pretty bird for a few months before then having her on both. I've had her on a very small percentage of pellets all the way up to a large percentage of pellets and throughout it all she hasn't changed her behavioural issues. She would scream constantly all day long, in the cage and out of the cage. She wouldn't play with toys more than for a literal second. She would try and attack me constantly. I've had her on varying quantities of chop, seed and pellets. It was when I cut seeds entirely and increased pellets in an attempt to finally control her hormones that her behaviour got 10 times worse and I started suspecting the pellets.

I cut pellets out of her diet and now she's fine. The screaming has basically completely stopped unless she's really unhappy about something which is now once or twice a week, not all day long. She's been playing with her toys and she's been attacking me less and interacting with me calmly a lot more than before (which was never unless I had a treat she wanted). Now I don't need a treat to engage peacefully with her.

I don't know what she was reacting to but it wasn't the sugar or dyes in pretty bird since she was on harrisons and had the same problems beforehand. Harrisons don't have any sugar or dyes.

I would prefer her to have pellets to be honest but they're clearly not good for her. I know there's some other types of parrots that shouldn't have pellets (electus and I think lorikeets) so I don't think it's necessary to include pellets in their diet so long as you make sure they're eating properly and getting enough vitamins and minerals.

 

[GambotheGreyt]

So she was on harrisons for two years before I got pretty bird. I then had her on exclusively pretty bird for a few months before then having her on both. I've had her on a very small percentage of pellets all the way up to a large percentage of pellets and throughout it all she hasn't changed her behavioural issues. She would scream constantly all day long, in the cage and out of the cage. She wouldn't play with toys more than for a literal second. She would try and attack me constantly. I've had her on varying quantities of chop, seed and pellets. It was when I cut seeds entirely and increased pellets in an attempt to finally control her hormones that her behaviour got 10 times worse and I started suspecting the pellets.

I cut pellets out of her diet and now she's fine. The screaming has basically completely stopped unless she's really unhappy about something which is now once or twice a week, not all day long. She's been playing with her toys and she's been attacking me less and interacting with me calmly a lot more than before (which was never unless I had a treat she wanted). Now I don't need a treat to engage peacefully with her.

I don't know what she was reacting to but it wasn't the sugar or dyes in pretty bird since she was on harrisons and had the same problems beforehand. Harrisons don't have any sugar or dyes.

I would prefer her to have pellets to be honest but they're clearly not good for her. I know there's some other types of parrots that shouldn't have pellets (electus and I think lorikeets) so I don't think it's necessary to include pellets in their diet so long as you make sure they're eating properly and getting enough vitamins and minerals.

I appreciate you sharing the extent of your experience. The information is better than just a wholesale "pellets are bad".

One thought that likely isn't valid in your situation is that your partot(s) were not eating enough and instead were holding out for seeds. Why maybe this idea? From my current experience. My CAG is 7 months old and was force weaned onto sunflower seeds with the occasional apple and carrot. I've been trying to convert him onto Harrisons now for about 3 weeks. I thought that he switched the light on and thought that they were awesome. Realistically what I see is that he is crunching the nuggets into pieces and sometimes into dust, but I can't see how much is being consumed. Based on his poop, very little, although it "looks like" he is eating them well. But he gers hangry (hungry/angry) and is more destructive, chews more, bites more, etc. It's not directly the pellets, it's just that he wants his sunflower seeds and is hungry without them. I am now using them as a training reward.

I should get TOPS pellets in a month, so I will try those for him too.

Thanks again for writing out your experience.

 

[Jexnell]

I had my Sun Conure for three years. He did not eat one pellet food the whole time. Always available in his bowl was Higgins safflower gold. In the morning he got vegetables and some fruits. And during the day he had his share of what ever I ate.
Always very active, playfully bird. Flying around my apartment. Also would fly to me to see what I was doing. Never upset or angry, always happy, playful. Never once did lunge at me or even try to bite. He would prune, sleep, or beg for the scritches.

 

[Greenhouseparrots]

I appreciate you sharing the extent of your experience. The information is better than just a wholesale "pellets are bad".

One thought that likely isn't valid in your situation is that your partot(s) were not eating enough and instead were holding out for seeds. Why maybe this idea? From my current experience. My CAG is 7 months old and was force weaned onto sunflower seeds with the occasional apple and carrot. I've been trying to convert him onto Harrisons now for about 3 weeks. I thought that he switched the light on and thought that they were awesome. Realistically what I see is that he is crunching the nuggets into pieces and sometimes into dust, but I can't see how much is being consumed. Based on his poop, very little, although it "looks like" he is eating them well. But he gers hangry (hungry/angry) and is more destructive, chews more, bites more, etc. It's not directly the pellets, it's just that he wants his sunflower seeds and is hungry without them. I am now using them as a training reward.

I should get TOPS pellets in a month, so I will try those for him too.

Thanks again for writing out your experience.

Mine would actually eat more pellets than seeds. I did have some issues with the budgies refusing to eat enough pellets, though they did eat them. They would just eat the bare minimum and they became very tired and lethargic on a mostly pellets diet. Now they're on just seeds and chop they're very active and their feathers are a lot brighter and vibrant.

The conures would just sit at the bowl and eat pellets almost constantly. I got them to forage for them as well as having some in a bowl and they would just eat a lot of the time. I limited the amount they got somewhat to prevent spoilage but I always gave them a bit more than they actually ate so they wouldn't ever be hungry.

I really want them to eat pellets as it makes life so much easier and it should be healthier for them to have at least some so you know they're getting balanced nutrition. Unfortunately my conure has made it very clear that pellets aren't good for her, so I don't mind putting in the extra work to make sure she's healthy without pellets.