What's the difference?

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

Can anyone tell me the difference between these two? The bag is black in one and red on the other. It seems like there should be an obvious difference in the ingredients. What am I missing?

Harrison's Organic Premium Pellets - Harrison's Bird Foods

Harrison's Organic Premium Pellets are formulated to meet the maintenance nutritional requirements for small to medium pet birds. Birds may eat a much as they want. Replace uneaten food daily. Fresh organic fruits and vegetables may be provided at 20% of the total diet. Do not supplement...

www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com

Harrisons HOPP Organic Premium Pellets, 5lb | birdsafestore.com

www.birdsafestore.com

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I looked at Harrisons website and googled harrisons HOPP and there may be more than one packaging but it's one product.
What's interesting is that regular Harrisons pellets are about twice the price of HOPP. HOPP is a new product so maybe it's an introductory price and will increase later on.
The "benefit" of HOPP seems to be corn, soy, and peanut free. However they are a wheat, barley, pea, sesame, flaxseed based pellet with alfalfa. Don't eat if youre avoiding gluten! Personally, I like the ingredients in the original Harrisons better. Plus, HOPP doesn't come in as many grades as regular harrisons.
Harrisons has really expended its bird pellet, treat and supplement line of products and one could spend a small fortune adding these new products to your parrot's diet.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

Ollie's never had pellets but his diet is so limited...it's taking him so long to accept just a few veggies, and he picks his two favorite seeds out of the Dr. Harvey's seed mix. I have been tempted to try him on pellets but always held off because the main ingredients were soy and corn. I don't even know if he would eat it, but I am always trying to think of different ways to get nutrients into him.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

What would be wrong with Ollie eating soy and corn?
You probably have an expensive uphill battle getting Ollie to eat any pellets instead of his favorite seeds. Have you tried feeding him chop? Bird Street Bistro makes excellent chop bases. I use Hearty Vegetable and add more vegetables.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

Yes I make him chop but he won't go near fresh food in the dish. He knows the sound of the seed tin and runs right up to his dish when I put the seeds in. In the beginning I got him to eat peas out of his dish, but he's decided only to think about eating them if I'm holding them between my fingers. He currently eats green beans if they are hung up, and handheld cooked carrots from my fingers. I try, but it is hard to hold chop between my fingers. Yesterday he nibbled beef gelatin from my fingers which was something at least. He's a quirky little fellow. It's not that he can't have soy or corn, but for such a high price I didn't want to just pay for fillers. He gets corn every day and doesn't eat it.

 

[rheashard2]

Have you tried crushing a small bit of seed and sprinkle on small amounts of fine cut veggies? I found this to work. My #1 success has been eating chop with obvious relish with bird as witness.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Have you tried putting a piece of raw corn on the cob on top of hid cage or wherever he hangs out? My birds love it.
When you get him a friend, if the friend eats more things so will Ollie.
But I wouldn't worry too much about his diet. I had a seed only budgie live 13 years. As long as Ollie gets flying time daily he'll stay fit and trim. Cage bound budgies tend to get fat and unhealthy just like people do when they get no exercise.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

Have you tried crushing a small bit of seed and sprinkle on small amounts of fine cut veggies? I found this to work. My #1 success has been eating chop with obvious relish with bird as witness.

He picks out the seeds and shakes off the veggies. And then he squawks and dive bombs me like he's starving to death. I am thinking DonnaBudgie is right. A companion bird who eats well may be my best bet. At least Ollie is eating green beans now, which are super high in some vitamins. And he is free to fly as much as he wants all day, mostly every day. His weight is stable at 43 grams.
I've never tried crushing the seeds though....

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Ollie's pretty heavy for a regular budgie but he could just be dense and muscular or he could be part English. My smaller budgies weigh about 35 grams but my English weigh as much as 65 grams.

Have you tried sprouts? I bought a starter kit from The Sprout People and I sprout my budgie seeds. Most birds love sprouted seeds. I'll bet Ollie would eat them because they're his familiar seed just sprouted.
Don't try to sprout budgie mix that has any pellets in it. The pellets will foul the sprouts. Just Sprout white millet and canary grass seeds until the rootlets appear. I like the kit because it has a two section plastic sprouter that makes it easy to rinse and drain them.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

I have the seeds for sprouts I just need to get back into the routine. I tried alfalfa sprouts and they were nice because I can eat what he doesn't eat. When he was examined in February the vet said he had some fatty deposits from his previous diet, but that they were starting to dissolve. That may be contributing to his weight. Between his February vet visit and the emergency visit in June though his weight didn't change. Maybe I'll try sprouting millet. He's nuts about millet.