Question about pellets

[lotosha]

How much pellets do you give to your AG?
Do you give it everyday?
My pair of CAG's love their pellets and I'm not sure if I have to limit them?
Of coarse they also have vegies, fruits, sprouts ect.

 

[GaryBV]

Well I never have limited my bird's pellets, I have always just let them eat as much as they want. However, I do think it might matter depending on what kind and type of pellet it is. There are brands that break them down into 'high energy' or 'maintenance' or 'low fat' etc. If was a high energy pellet for instance, I probably would limit the amount. Although to be honest I'm THRILLED when they eat pellets at all

 

[lotosha]

Thanks for answering me. Mine eat Nutribird p15 and they love it. How do I know if those are high or low energy?

 

[GaryBV]

Well lotosha, that's interesting, I had never heard of that brand of pellet before, but I did a search on it and Nutribird p15 is listed as a 'maintenance' food which means it's good for daily feeding. I noticed that the pellets are colored, which I myself stay away from mostly because of dyes and it can change the color of their droppings - something I use as one measure of good health, but if your bird likes it, and he's doing well on it, it's all good. I wouldn't worry about limiting the amount of pellets your CAG is eating unless you think he is becoming overweight. Generally the culprit in overweight birds though is sunflower seeds or peanuts. Seems every bird in the world LOVES sunflower seeds lol.

 

[lotosha]

Wow, thanks very much for checking that for me. I think I'll try the same brand but without color. If they love it, I'll go for it.

 

[NoBirdBrains]

The Congo African Grey to whom we are companions has been eating Harrison's Hi-Potency Coarse pellets exclusively for most of his life and has eating access 24/7. The vet has never mentioned overweight until this year, although over the years the weights have averaged around 555 g., he is now at 562 g. He (the bird) will also eat fruits, veggies and such on a skewer and unshelled nuts from the hand. He previously would eat sliced bananas, et cetera out of the hand but no longer -- only if they're on a skewer.

The transition to Harrison's was totally uneventful and rapid, mixing the Harrison's into his previous seed-pellet diet. He immediately went to the Harrison's and we have never looked back. He eats like we do -- ORGANIC, NO ARTIFICIAL COLOR, NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR and NO ARTIFICIAL PREVERVATIVES, no nitrates or nitrites) and WITHOUT ARTIFICIALLY CREATED TRANS-FATS -- when he wants to! He has annual full checkups at an "exotics only" vet, with blood-work as well, and has no apparent health problems.

We are heartfelt endorsers of Harrison's foods!!!

Carry On!
Gary
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[Featheredsamurai]

I've heard of Nutribird 15, but never bought it before. I don't like the ingredients lol

I also feed Harrison's, Kenji has been eating that brand since his last parronts bought him as a weaned baby in 1993. He's very healthy, not overweight(529 grams), has never plucked, and never had any major illnesses. Harrison's is a fantastic pellet and I high recommend it.

I free feed pellets all day, and supplement other foods such as fresh veggies and prepared foods.

 

[lotosha]

Thanks guys for that input, unfortunately we don't have Harisson brand, so we'll steak to Nutribirds.

 

[Katiejayne]

I was shocked on joining this forum as here in England, breeders, pet shops and vets all recommend seeds. In fact although I brought and read many books before getting my grey I didn't even really know about pellets and from reading on here how much better pellets are I am shocked as you can't even buy them here other than on the Internet and they are really expensive. Why is England so behind on this important information?!

 

[riaria]

Katiejayne, pellets are really big in the UK; most parrot people I know feed them (and those who don't have made a conscious decision not to), and most avian vets recommend them, too

 

[riaria]

(And pellets are, basically, seeds, grains and nuts that are ground up and supplemented with vitamins and stuff - so it's very much possible to feed a good diet and still use seeds, but you need to feed more than seeds and be careful that they get the right nutrients. But, pellets shouldn't be fed solely, either)

 

[riaria]

Scarlett's Parrot Essentials sell several different brands of pellets, at good prices. The easiest way to get pellets in the UK is online, but that means they're cheaper, too. Most pet shops don't have them, or at least not any good ones, though to be fair pet shops rarely have ANYTHING good for parrots. Some vets sell pellets as well, though generally more expensive than online shops.

 

[SoCalWendy]

Both my birds get Harrison's. No problems so far. They also get Nurtiberries also fresh fruits, veggies and pasta.

 

[Shayner]

Im going to be feeding my young female that im getting at the end of january Harrison's high potency coarse food iv heard nothing but good things about Harrison's!

 

[Katiejayne]

Where r u I'm in Devon? and cannot get them anywhere? and the breeders around here and my avian vet say seeds. But I'm glad the whole of England isn't getting the wrong message lol

 

[Shayner]

You probablly have to order them from a large wholesaler near you, or from an avian vet office near you. If theres none near you that sell it, there are many wholesalers in Canada and the US thats will ship it to you like My Safe Bird Store | Discounted Bird Products | BIRD FREE ENVIRONMENT| Free Shipping Available
Or Bird Supplies
Those are 2 pretty good ones. They should ship it to you!

 

[riaria]

Katiejayne, I'm in Hampshire, so not all that far from you! I do pretty much all my online parroty shopping at Scarlett's - best service, best prices.
Have a look at http://www.scarlettsparrotessentials.co.uk/pellet_complete_diets
There are loads of online shops that do pellets, though. I know my vet clinic started selling Harrison's, I haven't checked how much they are but I'm sure it's more expensive than ordering online.

Our Grey loves Harrison's lifetime fine, and her and our Meyer's love the coarse as well (for some reason, even though the Meyer's is one fourth the size of the Grey, she doesn't like to eat small pellets...). Our cockatoo will nibble the Harrison's coarse, mainly refuses the Harrison's fine, but likes Hagen's tropican (all three like that one, but the Grey gets an upset tummy on it so she doesn't get it anymore). The girls loved Animalzone, but they've stopped selling in the UK. The Meyer's likes the new Ama-Zone fruit bites or whatever they're called, but the other two aren't that keen. we've tried TOPS as well but it was mainly the Grey that deigned to eat that. But yeah, I like having a variety of pellets, partly because it makes it more interesting for them, and partly because I like giving a variety. Of course, they all get fresh veggies and stuff, as well as soaked and sprouted seeds, grains, chickpeas, and aduki and mung beans.

Oh, and all three were easy to convert to pellets Though they do love their soaked and sprouted seeds etc!