This is the time of year I think my parrots like the best but my local produce merchant maybe the least! When I go through the checkout line with a dozen or more bags, each containing just a few fresh items, I usually get a raised eyebrow. One word, said with a smile, gets either an understanding, amused, or sympathetic response: "Parrots."
But since our produce stands in northern Michigan are only open seasonally, and since I don't trust imported "fresh" (yeah right!) produce in the winter, I really load up in the summer and the birds love it!
It's interesting that my pickiest eater when I got him, will now devour anything I offer him by hand. At first, I had to hide seeds in mashed veggies so he'd have to get a taste of the veggies when he dug out the seeds; gradually I added chunks of veggies in with the seeds, and within a few weeks he was a confirmed veggie (and sprout, of course!) addict! But they all will eat them, to one degree or another, even though some will only eat them in their chopped "salad" (sprouts, veggies, and greens run through the processor to make a slaw).
Anyway - pea pods are a HUGE favorite here! As is squash - nearly any kind of squash including pumpkin. Corn of course (but I feed it in limited amounts), and peas - anything they can "shell". Red bell peppers - bring 'em on! In fact, the seed balls from any peppers are a HUGE favorite of the little lovebirds especially! I'm not a fruit eater so we don't do much with that usually, but berry stains on birdie faces are pretty common in the summertime - lol.
A walk around the produce stand provides lots of goodies that add tons of interest and nutrition to the birds' diets this time of year!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Something They ALL Love!
Most of my flock were rehomed birds, and many had been on man-made or processed diets, or diets that were otherwise inadequate and/or inappropriate. Once I devised my super-slaw, I never again had a bird that refused healthy food.
I start with Simple Sprouts, germinating them for 18 hours (or so), then draining and rinsing them, and leaving them to continue growing for another 6 hours (or so). Another good rinse, and they go into an electric food chopper. To this I add a handful of frozen mixed veggies, some greens, some herbs twice a week or so, and sometimes even a couple of cornflakes just for fun.
After chopping the mixture to the consistency of regular cole slaw, I can mix in some extras that they don't usually get, like some sesame seeds or a half-tsp or so of flax meal or some red pepper flakes...whatever. Then I feed most of the super-slaw to most of the birds - all except my pionus hens. For them I chop more veggies and greens and into the super-slaw, to reduce the protein content to a more appropriate level for them. In addition, I have a little lovebird hen that tends to get into breeding behaviors now and again, during which she also gets the "diluted" super-slaw.
Remember that this makes up one daily meal; while healthy, I don't use it as a complete diet...although after molts, when the larger birds are regrowing feathers, I will often give them a spoonful of Simple Sprouts after the initial 18-hour soak and rinse. They enjoy picking through them and taking what they like, and tossing what they don't like for me to pick up :).
I have also mixed in other foods, and during the summer when we have fresh produce I put larger chunks on top for the larger birds, and in clips for the smaller ones...even in the winter I give them pieces of the imported produce we get here in northern Michigan. But the basic super-slaw is the same.
If you have picky eaters or seed junkies, give it a try! If it's not accepted at first (part of our success is due, no doubt, to the newer birds seeing how excited the rest of the flock gets at slaw time), try mixing your bird's seed mix in with the super slaw just before feeding it. In picking through for their seeds they'll get used to the taste of fresh healthy food! Plus, unless the environment is hot, it should be good in their dishes for a couple of hours at least!
I start with Simple Sprouts, germinating them for 18 hours (or so), then draining and rinsing them, and leaving them to continue growing for another 6 hours (or so). Another good rinse, and they go into an electric food chopper. To this I add a handful of frozen mixed veggies, some greens, some herbs twice a week or so, and sometimes even a couple of cornflakes just for fun.
After chopping the mixture to the consistency of regular cole slaw, I can mix in some extras that they don't usually get, like some sesame seeds or a half-tsp or so of flax meal or some red pepper flakes...whatever. Then I feed most of the super-slaw to most of the birds - all except my pionus hens. For them I chop more veggies and greens and into the super-slaw, to reduce the protein content to a more appropriate level for them. In addition, I have a little lovebird hen that tends to get into breeding behaviors now and again, during which she also gets the "diluted" super-slaw.
Remember that this makes up one daily meal; while healthy, I don't use it as a complete diet...although after molts, when the larger birds are regrowing feathers, I will often give them a spoonful of Simple Sprouts after the initial 18-hour soak and rinse. They enjoy picking through them and taking what they like, and tossing what they don't like for me to pick up :).
I have also mixed in other foods, and during the summer when we have fresh produce I put larger chunks on top for the larger birds, and in clips for the smaller ones...even in the winter I give them pieces of the imported produce we get here in northern Michigan. But the basic super-slaw is the same.
If you have picky eaters or seed junkies, give it a try! If it's not accepted at first (part of our success is due, no doubt, to the newer birds seeing how excited the rest of the flock gets at slaw time), try mixing your bird's seed mix in with the super slaw just before feeding it. In picking through for their seeds they'll get used to the taste of fresh healthy food! Plus, unless the environment is hot, it should be good in their dishes for a couple of hours at least!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Popularity of Birdie Breads
Birdie breads are a popular addition to many birds' diets, and a great way to sneak veggies into the beakies of stubborn eaters. However, many people unwittingly make sodium- and preservative-laden birdie breads even though they have the best of intentions. It's not necessary to use boxed cornbread mixes to make either an easy, an inexpensive, or a nutritious birdie bread. You might be surprised to know that it is just as easy to make a great "from scratch" bread - and just as inexpensively! Here is the basic recipe, and you can modify this basic recipe in any number of ways!
1c corn meal
1c whole-grain flour
2 eggs*
1/4c oil
3/4c liquid (water or juice or a little of each)
To this basic batter you can add chopped vegetables, greens, nuts, fruits, or any other healthy natural food. Stir it in, and bake at 350F as you would any cake, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
This basic recipe will give you a heavy moist bread. You can slice and freeze the slices individually for future use, or refrigerate for a couple of days. They will spoil or mold fairly easily, since there are no preservatives.
A couple of notes and tips:
Whip the eggs until pale yellow and doubled in volume, then stir in remaining ingredients and beat well until the batter's color pales by several shades; this will produce a little lighter loaf. You can also add 2 tsp of baking powder; I prefer aluminum-free, but it's your choice.
If you use any dried/dehydrated foods, you may need to increase the liquid content, depending on how much dried food you add. Also if you are adding dried ingredients, you may want to grind them in a coffee grinder (that's used only for food and not for coffee) so that they'll be dispersed evenly throughout.
I don't feed many cooked foods, for several reasons: One, birds' digestive systems were designed to eat raw foods, and I've read in several sources (cites not saved, sorry) that cooked foods - grains especially - may cause some issues in birds. Two, heat destroys all phytonutrients and most vitamins that are better served in keeping my flock healthy. However, a small portion of their diet - 10% or less - consists of foods cooked in one way or another, just for the variety.
Happy beaking!
1c corn meal
1c whole-grain flour
2 eggs*
1/4c oil
3/4c liquid (water or juice or a little of each)
To this basic batter you can add chopped vegetables, greens, nuts, fruits, or any other healthy natural food. Stir it in, and bake at 350F as you would any cake, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
This basic recipe will give you a heavy moist bread. You can slice and freeze the slices individually for future use, or refrigerate for a couple of days. They will spoil or mold fairly easily, since there are no preservatives.
A couple of notes and tips:
Whip the eggs until pale yellow and doubled in volume, then stir in remaining ingredients and beat well until the batter's color pales by several shades; this will produce a little lighter loaf. You can also add 2 tsp of baking powder; I prefer aluminum-free, but it's your choice.
If you use any dried/dehydrated foods, you may need to increase the liquid content, depending on how much dried food you add. Also if you are adding dried ingredients, you may want to grind them in a coffee grinder (that's used only for food and not for coffee) so that they'll be dispersed evenly throughout.
I don't feed many cooked foods, for several reasons: One, birds' digestive systems were designed to eat raw foods, and I've read in several sources (cites not saved, sorry) that cooked foods - grains especially - may cause some issues in birds. Two, heat destroys all phytonutrients and most vitamins that are better served in keeping my flock healthy. However, a small portion of their diet - 10% or less - consists of foods cooked in one way or another, just for the variety.
Happy beaking!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Plants for Birds' Enjoyment and Enrichment
There has been an interesting dialog on rec.pets.birds this month re: plants that captive birds can not only live on (and in!) but even eat. A couple of significant quotes:
from Bev:
"...this is a subject I've been greatly
interested in for some time as I dearly love house plants, but with
the birdies, was afraid for a long time to even try to have any. I
also have a 2 year old cat and a small (knee-high) 17 yr old poodle.
I don't remember everything I used to know about plants when I had an
almost forest in my home many, many years ago (like around 40 years
ago), but have in recent years really missed their beauty and decided
to start over again with them, As a very practical person, I
justified this, with my husband, as a natural way to add humidity to
our very dry house in the winter especially in the room the birds
inhabit the most as we were loosing viable eggs to dehydration,
Being on a limited budget, I researched 'bird safe plants' on the
internet, then set about asking friends and neighbors for starts of
plants they had that fit that category. What I didn't find they had
that they had I asked for on "Craigs List" and on our local Yahoo
Groups "FreeCycle". And eventually, bought a few 'Terrerium' plants
from local green houses.
After the plants were rooted, I potted them in coffee mugs and placed
them on top of the birdies nest boxes - adding humidity closest to
where it was needed the worst and forcing the nest box tops to stay
shut because of the weight (and had less escapeing birds when it was
not conveneint). It worked great! And the birds had a few 'greens'
as the plants got big enough for the birds to reach them through the
bars of the cages.
However, plants grow. And as they grew, they became too big for the
tops of the nest boxes so, the hanging and vining type were placed on
top of the cages and the more upright or bushy plants were placed on
stands near the cages and eventually theses later plants have ended up
in larger planters on the floor.
The problems I've had are: 1.) some of the birdies favorite plants to
eat have had to be replaced several times or put in another room to be
given a stem cutting and let regrow. 2.) the Mother-in-laws Tongue
once too big for the cages and put on the lower stand died due to the
cat liking it too well, not only eating it but then using it for a
litter box as well. 3.) my birdies have a 20% seed diet and thrown
or dropped seeds and shells end up in the pots and some, if it is
really fresh seed, sprout and you never know for sure just what you
may end up with. Seed shells can simply be blown out of the planted
pots. 4.) 30% of my birdies diet consists of cooked beans, legumes,
pasta, and grains and when they throw or play with this mixture and it
ends up in the plant pots, if I'm not vigilent and pick it out right
away, it will spoil and I'll have a mold problem. 5.) 20% of the
diet is fresh and frozen fruits and vegies and another 20% is
pellets. When these are tossed into the plants, they will also mold
and are harder to take out as the pellets always and some of the
fruits and vegies turn very mushy and are hard to remove from the
plants and their leaves. 6.) with birds comes bird dust and bird
poop. That means to have healthy plants the leaves must occasionally
be washed to keep the plants healthy.
So, in other words, having plants with birds is more work to keep
everyone and every thing healthy and happy, but in my humble opinion,
very well worth the effort."
from Ted, quoting Diana:
"I provide my birds with Sansevieria (mother in law tongues) plants.
These plants can take almost anything. Had one female cockatiel who
worked to bend down the leaf so it was horizontal. She liked just
sitting on her perch.
"My cockatiel loves Coleus--just lost the last plant--that I buy by
the flat in the summer and pot up for them to enjoy during the winter.
"Dracaena is another "bird safe" plant. As far as I know, orchids are
safe too but too expensive for me to let the birds tear up.
Cryptanthus is another bird safe plant but my birds didn't bother
them.
"I tried growing Tillandsia's but they didn't have a chance. The birds
thought they were the latest play toy and had lots of fun destroying
them.
"I don't know where you are but the local Meijer's store (big chain
out of Grand Rapids, Michigan) carries organically grown herbs in
their produce department. I check them every time I visit. My
cockatiel dearly loves his rosemary plant. He'll pull a leaf off and
chew on it for several minutes--always reminds me of grandpa's cows
chewing their cud. I always check to see if there are any rosemary
available and buy 2 or 3 of them. 1-for the birds and 1 for another
room in the house where it is protected. At $1.99 a plant, it is a
really inexpensive yet healthy bird toy.
"Here's a link to check out additional plants--I just wish they would
use the scientific name so I could be sure we were all talking about
the same plant. Take ANOTHER look at the url--it is NOT
plannedparenthood like I thought when I first found it.
http://www.plannedparrothood.com/plants.html
"If you have a place to grow in the sun, invest in a good sized pot of
hens and chicks (sempervivum species). Plant some in the garden for
lots of growth--plant up a small pot for inside.
"At one point in time, I bought some "Haworthia" plant starts off Ebay
from a nursery that uses no pesticides. Liberty cockatiel took care of
these plants for at least a year. He would walk around his container
of plants tapping each one and then he very patiently mixed the
chicken grit I use for a mulch on my succulents into the soil with his
beak. I call him my "Farmer bird". Unfortunately, while I was in rehab
with a new knee, the plants got mealy bugs and my Dad didn't notice
because he's never grown succulents. He just thought the white spots
were part of the plant.
"My lineolated parakeet (true parakeet--not a budgie) from Central
America likes hiding in my plants more than chewing on them. Of
course, he is a bird of the forest canopy and most likely hids under
leaves when the big birds come around.
"Tip: Check the list out of safe plants and then start some cuttings
that you can be sure have NEVER had pesticides on them. This pesticide
problem is one reason I now tend to stick to coleus and herb plants.
You just never know and the store often doesn't know the conditions
plants were grown in.
"I've tried growing "wheat grass" and my birds promptly rejected it.
Check into "sprouting" seeds. You can often find watercress. I'll grow
a package of these and both birds seem to enjoy the peppery taste.
And then, after I requested permission to share the information: 'You
may share the information, but please, not the email address. They
might want to visit livingwithpetbirds.com to see pictures/videos of
my very spoiled fids.'
"I forgot to mention that I've tried thyme and basil. They both
ignored the thyme. The basil plant was totally destroyed in just a few
minutes. Couldn't really tell how much, if any, they actually ate.
"Suggestion for your budgies: start offering them organically grown
greens. I am able to buy Earthbound brand but I suspect Canada will
have some brand available. They come in plastic "clamshells" and cost
about $3. There are different mixes including spring greens, spring
herbs, baby greens, etc. I feed a small handful everyday and the
container lasts about a week. Have to be sure to check expiration
dates. Don't feed ICEBERG type lettuce--just use the dark green
varieties. May take some time to get your budgies used to it but they
will be healthier."
The standard disclaimer: I make no warranty on the reliability of this information since it isn't my own; I'm providing it simply for informational purposes :). Also please note that usenet is public information, and is quote in numerous places on the 'net; therefore I don't believe I'm doing anything wrong by also quoting it here but if you have some evidence to the contrary, please feel free to let me know!
from Bev:
"...this is a subject I've been greatly
interested in for some time as I dearly love house plants, but with
the birdies, was afraid for a long time to even try to have any. I
also have a 2 year old cat and a small (knee-high) 17 yr old poodle.
I don't remember everything I used to know about plants when I had an
almost forest in my home many, many years ago (like around 40 years
ago), but have in recent years really missed their beauty and decided
to start over again with them, As a very practical person, I
justified this, with my husband, as a natural way to add humidity to
our very dry house in the winter especially in the room the birds
inhabit the most as we were loosing viable eggs to dehydration,
Being on a limited budget, I researched 'bird safe plants' on the
internet, then set about asking friends and neighbors for starts of
plants they had that fit that category. What I didn't find they had
that they had I asked for on "Craigs List" and on our local Yahoo
Groups "FreeCycle". And eventually, bought a few 'Terrerium' plants
from local green houses.
After the plants were rooted, I potted them in coffee mugs and placed
them on top of the birdies nest boxes - adding humidity closest to
where it was needed the worst and forcing the nest box tops to stay
shut because of the weight (and had less escapeing birds when it was
not conveneint). It worked great! And the birds had a few 'greens'
as the plants got big enough for the birds to reach them through the
bars of the cages.
However, plants grow. And as they grew, they became too big for the
tops of the nest boxes so, the hanging and vining type were placed on
top of the cages and the more upright or bushy plants were placed on
stands near the cages and eventually theses later plants have ended up
in larger planters on the floor.
The problems I've had are: 1.) some of the birdies favorite plants to
eat have had to be replaced several times or put in another room to be
given a stem cutting and let regrow. 2.) the Mother-in-laws Tongue
once too big for the cages and put on the lower stand died due to the
cat liking it too well, not only eating it but then using it for a
litter box as well. 3.) my birdies have a 20% seed diet and thrown
or dropped seeds and shells end up in the pots and some, if it is
really fresh seed, sprout and you never know for sure just what you
may end up with. Seed shells can simply be blown out of the planted
pots. 4.) 30% of my birdies diet consists of cooked beans, legumes,
pasta, and grains and when they throw or play with this mixture and it
ends up in the plant pots, if I'm not vigilent and pick it out right
away, it will spoil and I'll have a mold problem. 5.) 20% of the
diet is fresh and frozen fruits and vegies and another 20% is
pellets. When these are tossed into the plants, they will also mold
and are harder to take out as the pellets always and some of the
fruits and vegies turn very mushy and are hard to remove from the
plants and their leaves. 6.) with birds comes bird dust and bird
poop. That means to have healthy plants the leaves must occasionally
be washed to keep the plants healthy.
So, in other words, having plants with birds is more work to keep
everyone and every thing healthy and happy, but in my humble opinion,
very well worth the effort."
from Ted, quoting Diana:
"I provide my birds with Sansevieria (mother in law tongues) plants.
These plants can take almost anything. Had one female cockatiel who
worked to bend down the leaf so it was horizontal. She liked just
sitting on her perch.
"My cockatiel loves Coleus--just lost the last plant--that I buy by
the flat in the summer and pot up for them to enjoy during the winter.
"Dracaena is another "bird safe" plant. As far as I know, orchids are
safe too but too expensive for me to let the birds tear up.
Cryptanthus is another bird safe plant but my birds didn't bother
them.
"I tried growing Tillandsia's but they didn't have a chance. The birds
thought they were the latest play toy and had lots of fun destroying
them.
"I don't know where you are but the local Meijer's store (big chain
out of Grand Rapids, Michigan) carries organically grown herbs in
their produce department. I check them every time I visit. My
cockatiel dearly loves his rosemary plant. He'll pull a leaf off and
chew on it for several minutes--always reminds me of grandpa's cows
chewing their cud. I always check to see if there are any rosemary
available and buy 2 or 3 of them. 1-for the birds and 1 for another
room in the house where it is protected. At $1.99 a plant, it is a
really inexpensive yet healthy bird toy.
"Here's a link to check out additional plants--I just wish they would
use the scientific name so I could be sure we were all talking about
the same plant. Take ANOTHER look at the url--it is NOT
plannedparenthood like I thought when I first found it.
http://www.plannedparrothood.com/plants.html
"If you have a place to grow in the sun, invest in a good sized pot of
hens and chicks (sempervivum species). Plant some in the garden for
lots of growth--plant up a small pot for inside.
"At one point in time, I bought some "Haworthia" plant starts off Ebay
from a nursery that uses no pesticides. Liberty cockatiel took care of
these plants for at least a year. He would walk around his container
of plants tapping each one and then he very patiently mixed the
chicken grit I use for a mulch on my succulents into the soil with his
beak. I call him my "Farmer bird". Unfortunately, while I was in rehab
with a new knee, the plants got mealy bugs and my Dad didn't notice
because he's never grown succulents. He just thought the white spots
were part of the plant.
"My lineolated parakeet (true parakeet--not a budgie) from Central
America likes hiding in my plants more than chewing on them. Of
course, he is a bird of the forest canopy and most likely hids under
leaves when the big birds come around.
"Tip: Check the list out of safe plants and then start some cuttings
that you can be sure have NEVER had pesticides on them. This pesticide
problem is one reason I now tend to stick to coleus and herb plants.
You just never know and the store often doesn't know the conditions
plants were grown in.
"I've tried growing "wheat grass" and my birds promptly rejected it.
Check into "sprouting" seeds. You can often find watercress. I'll grow
a package of these and both birds seem to enjoy the peppery taste.
And then, after I requested permission to share the information: 'You
may share the information, but please, not the email address. They
might want to visit livingwithpetbirds.com to see pictures/videos of
my very spoiled fids.'
"I forgot to mention that I've tried thyme and basil. They both
ignored the thyme. The basil plant was totally destroyed in just a few
minutes. Couldn't really tell how much, if any, they actually ate.
"Suggestion for your budgies: start offering them organically grown
greens. I am able to buy Earthbound brand but I suspect Canada will
have some brand available. They come in plastic "clamshells" and cost
about $3. There are different mixes including spring greens, spring
herbs, baby greens, etc. I feed a small handful everyday and the
container lasts about a week. Have to be sure to check expiration
dates. Don't feed ICEBERG type lettuce--just use the dark green
varieties. May take some time to get your budgies used to it but they
will be healthier."
The standard disclaimer: I make no warranty on the reliability of this information since it isn't my own; I'm providing it simply for informational purposes :). Also please note that usenet is public information, and is quote in numerous places on the 'net; therefore I don't believe I'm doing anything wrong by also quoting it here but if you have some evidence to the contrary, please feel free to let me know!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
I have a Seed Junkie - HELP!
One of the questions I'm most often asked is how to get a seed junkie to accept other healthy foods. There are a lot of ways to get a wider range of nutrients into their little feathered bodies :) but one way that has nearly always worked for me is sprouting. Actually when I saw sprouting, I mean germinating, but sprouting is easier to say. I'll explain further, below.
If you have a bird that already likes dormant seeds, then the chances are pretty good that he'll also like them germinated. Take a spoonful of your bird's favorite seed/grain mix, rinse it in a little strainer, and put it in a dish of water to soak for about 24 hours, rinsing and refreshing the water a couple of times during that period. After that time, you can either mix the now-germinated seeds and grains in with the dry ones he's used to, or pat them dry on a paper towel and feed them instead. If he won't eat them instead, then mix them with his existing seed mix in increasing amounts until he's used to them.
BUT!!! If your seed/grain mix contains anything other than seeds and grains, you can do this. They must be pure seeds and grains; anything else soaking with them will spoil and contaminate the new live foods with bacteria.
I have more to write on the subject of sprouting, but that will be for another article. It's a whole topic itself :).
Other things you can try to entice your seed junkie to learn to accept other foods:
Share. When you're eating your own healthy food, if your bird shows an interest, offer him some. He may not like any of it at first, but he may surprise you, too! Eventually he'll try something he likes.
Make it fun. Offer foods as something to explore and play with. Open up a squash and put it in the cage. Hang bits of fruits and veggies from a skewer where a toy normally hangs. Rinse off some curly kale and hide little grains of millet in the folds. Be creative, and make it enticing.
Hide the familiar food under or behind or in the new food. When I got my African Gray (2nd hand, as most of my birds are), he refused vegetables. So I'd run fresh veggies and sprouts through my food processor to create a "slaw", then mix it with his seed mix. He'd have to poke through to get to his beloved seeds, and it wasn't a week before he loved the slaw and didn't care if there were seeds in it or not! You can scoop out a cantaloupe and put the favored food in the "bowl", as well...use your imagination, make it an enrichment activity at the same time as you're introducing new tastes. (Just remember, when your bird's seeds have been in contact with fresh foods, bacteria will grow on them so they'll have to be replaced frequently.)
Be patient. No matter what you're trying to do, just keep at it, don't get frustrated, don't starve your bird into dietary submission, just be patient. Birds don't die from living on seeds and grains for a while, he made it this far, the situation isn't urgent. (And if it is, he should be under the care of an avian vet!)
My first product came to be because of a seed junkie cockatiel. He was 8 years old when his owner died and I agreed to take him, and as hardened a seed junkie as they come! He would eat sunflower seeds, millet sprays (millet is very healthy grain, not a seed, and most birds love it!), and honey treat sticks. And no matter what I tried, nothing could change his habits.
Then when he was about 20 years old (yeah, 20 - on a diet of seeds and grains - so much for the "seed diets kill birds" myth), I tried something new with him...and at first glance he not only ate it, but he GOBBLED IT! And then looked for more! I was pretty surprised, and sent some of this to my friends and people online who had seed junkie birds, and they all had the same experience! And that turned out to be my first product, which is still a top seller and has been used to help thousands of birds learn that there are other food options besides seeds.
But, that too is a tale for another time. If you have a seed junkie, give these suggestions a try. If they still don't work, write to me...we'll see what we can do to help your seed junkie expand his dietary repertoire :).
If you have a bird that already likes dormant seeds, then the chances are pretty good that he'll also like them germinated. Take a spoonful of your bird's favorite seed/grain mix, rinse it in a little strainer, and put it in a dish of water to soak for about 24 hours, rinsing and refreshing the water a couple of times during that period. After that time, you can either mix the now-germinated seeds and grains in with the dry ones he's used to, or pat them dry on a paper towel and feed them instead. If he won't eat them instead, then mix them with his existing seed mix in increasing amounts until he's used to them.
BUT!!! If your seed/grain mix contains anything other than seeds and grains, you can do this. They must be pure seeds and grains; anything else soaking with them will spoil and contaminate the new live foods with bacteria.
I have more to write on the subject of sprouting, but that will be for another article. It's a whole topic itself :).
Other things you can try to entice your seed junkie to learn to accept other foods:
Share. When you're eating your own healthy food, if your bird shows an interest, offer him some. He may not like any of it at first, but he may surprise you, too! Eventually he'll try something he likes.
Make it fun. Offer foods as something to explore and play with. Open up a squash and put it in the cage. Hang bits of fruits and veggies from a skewer where a toy normally hangs. Rinse off some curly kale and hide little grains of millet in the folds. Be creative, and make it enticing.
Hide the familiar food under or behind or in the new food. When I got my African Gray (2nd hand, as most of my birds are), he refused vegetables. So I'd run fresh veggies and sprouts through my food processor to create a "slaw", then mix it with his seed mix. He'd have to poke through to get to his beloved seeds, and it wasn't a week before he loved the slaw and didn't care if there were seeds in it or not! You can scoop out a cantaloupe and put the favored food in the "bowl", as well...use your imagination, make it an enrichment activity at the same time as you're introducing new tastes. (Just remember, when your bird's seeds have been in contact with fresh foods, bacteria will grow on them so they'll have to be replaced frequently.)
Be patient. No matter what you're trying to do, just keep at it, don't get frustrated, don't starve your bird into dietary submission, just be patient. Birds don't die from living on seeds and grains for a while, he made it this far, the situation isn't urgent. (And if it is, he should be under the care of an avian vet!)
My first product came to be because of a seed junkie cockatiel. He was 8 years old when his owner died and I agreed to take him, and as hardened a seed junkie as they come! He would eat sunflower seeds, millet sprays (millet is very healthy grain, not a seed, and most birds love it!), and honey treat sticks. And no matter what I tried, nothing could change his habits.
Then when he was about 20 years old (yeah, 20 - on a diet of seeds and grains - so much for the "seed diets kill birds" myth), I tried something new with him...and at first glance he not only ate it, but he GOBBLED IT! And then looked for more! I was pretty surprised, and sent some of this to my friends and people online who had seed junkie birds, and they all had the same experience! And that turned out to be my first product, which is still a top seller and has been used to help thousands of birds learn that there are other food options besides seeds.
But, that too is a tale for another time. If you have a seed junkie, give these suggestions a try. If they still don't work, write to me...we'll see what we can do to help your seed junkie expand his dietary repertoire :).
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Backing Off On Protein
I have a pionus hen who has started laying eggs. Now, I know that the pionus requirement for protein is very low - in the single digits - so I typically mix more veggies and greens in the pi girls' afternoon salad, and give a higher ratio of sprouts to veggies/greens to the rest of the flock. Yet, my girl is still laying. This is her 2nd laying cycle in about 90 days, the first time yielded 3 eggies, each of which I had to discard as they were dropped from her perch onto the grate, and broken. She waited nearly 3 months before starting again. This cycle, she has laid 2 eggies, the 2nd one today. Again, I need to discard it because it is broken. She has no hidey-nesty spot in her cage but I guess when you've gotta lay, you've gotta lay...still, no more sprouts for her for a while, we'll stick with the veggies, especially all of those important vitamin A veggies to keep her cloaca supple and well-lubricated, and help prevent egg-binding.
While I'm on that subject: Egg-laying is a natural function of the female bird's body. So why do so many captive birds bind? I've even heard people go so far as to say they won't have a hen because of the chance of that happening. I don't go that far because (a) most hens don't lay without the necessities being in place first, and (b) of those hens that do lay - a natural process, remember - most don't bind.
I'd rather my pi-girl not lay. But since she is, I will meet her nutritional needs as best as I can to provide the mineral and carotene support for her body. And hope that she will stop.
Just for the record, even while she's laying eggs, she's still a sweetheart of a bird who has remained cuddly and precious, seeking out time with me (I'm careful not to do the cuddling part these days though!) and as gentle as can be, never even a hard nip. But lots of pi-talk. Lots and lots of her special love-language that means she's feeling particularly mushy.
God bless her sweet little birdie heart...
While I'm on that subject: Egg-laying is a natural function of the female bird's body. So why do so many captive birds bind? I've even heard people go so far as to say they won't have a hen because of the chance of that happening. I don't go that far because (a) most hens don't lay without the necessities being in place first, and (b) of those hens that do lay - a natural process, remember - most don't bind.
I'd rather my pi-girl not lay. But since she is, I will meet her nutritional needs as best as I can to provide the mineral and carotene support for her body. And hope that she will stop.
Just for the record, even while she's laying eggs, she's still a sweetheart of a bird who has remained cuddly and precious, seeking out time with me (I'm careful not to do the cuddling part these days though!) and as gentle as can be, never even a hard nip. But lots of pi-talk. Lots and lots of her special love-language that means she's feeling particularly mushy.
God bless her sweet little birdie heart...
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Feeding Philosophy, In a Nutshell
My feeding philosophy is this: fresh is better than cooked; live is better than "dead"; natural food is better than synthetic/artificial/manufactured. While I adjust the foods for protein levels throughout the year (to avoid breeding behaviors or egg laying, and to enhance feather regrowth after molts) as well as per species, the basics are the same.
To define my terms as used above:
Live food - germinated or sprouted seeds, grains, and legumes, where the nutrients are bioavailable and combined with the phytonutrients, perfectly balanced, for maximum nutritional impact.
Dormant food - Seeds, grains, and legumes that have not been germinated; these do have nutritive value (some more than others).
Cooked food - Cooking affects nutrition. There is no need to cook (alter natural nutritive values) food for parrots although as a portion of a well-balanced diet most do enjoy birdie breads and mashes.
Dead food - Foods by which the natural nutrition has been lost in processing; large manufacturers attempt to make up the deficits by the addition of synthetic/artificial "nutrients", and/or colorings and flavorings. Dead foods contain no phytos.
To define my terms as used above:
Live food - germinated or sprouted seeds, grains, and legumes, where the nutrients are bioavailable and combined with the phytonutrients, perfectly balanced, for maximum nutritional impact.
Dormant food - Seeds, grains, and legumes that have not been germinated; these do have nutritive value (some more than others).
Cooked food - Cooking affects nutrition. There is no need to cook (alter natural nutritive values) food for parrots although as a portion of a well-balanced diet most do enjoy birdie breads and mashes.
Dead food - Foods by which the natural nutrition has been lost in processing; large manufacturers attempt to make up the deficits by the addition of synthetic/artificial "nutrients", and/or colorings and flavorings. Dead foods contain no phytos.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
OK, FP, so what do you feed your birds?
Golly, I'm glad you asked! :)
As you probably gathered, I'm not a fan of pellets or other fake foods. Nor am I a fan of a lot of cooked foods. Looking at the way parrots were designed you can see that they have a beak perfect for cracking things like nuts and seeds and grain hulls. And, I've read from more than one source that their digestive systems weren't made for cooked foods either, so eventually they can cause problems. Besides, who wants to cook out all the great nutrients? The nutrients that aren't impacted negatively by cooking are minimal.
So. My birds get a cage mix (one of my products) that contains mostly natural and very little previously-cooked foods - but some seeds and grains and germinated seed/grain/legumes and fruits and vegetables and greens and nuts...of course they don't all eat the same thing so the ingredients vary. But the food is made by me so I know it's fresh, it uses good-quality ingredients, and it contains variety.
Mornings they get a birdie bread or other cooked breakfast. I of course make birdie bread mixes, so that's what I feed. Afternoons are sprouts and/or veggies and/or whatever I mix with them. Most days sprouts and veggies, although the pionus hens are heavy on the veggies and light on the sprouts. Some days I mix in some rice or couscous or a scrambled egg, cooled. But their fresh foods are the main meal of the day.
Then of course, there is always, "I'd like a little of what you're eating, please." Ok, I lied - they rarely say please. They just take what they want :).
Our parrots are part of our lives, and live in the living room with us. I've had them in a bird room before but it just didn't seem right having our other pets right where we could interact but not the birds. So when we moved a couple of years ago, we bought a home that had space in the living room for our birds, and that has a door that separates the living space from the bedrooms. During the day we can put our 4 dogs and our cat in the back half of the house, and the birds can fly (yes, they fly, and my dogs and cat also run) around and play and exercise and spend time with us. When they're in cages, we still are continually interacting, with talking/conversations, scritches, food-sharing, and the offering of gifts such as popsicle sticks and blocks and other fun stuff.
If I'm ever able to enlarge our living area, I plan to widen the living room by the construction an addition with windows all around, a tile floor, and its own ventilation system. That way the birds will always still be with us, but will have an area that will enhance their own lives as well...and that will be easier to clean!
But back to feeding. I'd say overall they get maybe 90% of their daily intake from uncooked and/or fresh foods, and 100% of their daily nutrients from real food. They've been thriving on this diet for so many years I can't see any reason to change it.
As you probably gathered, I'm not a fan of pellets or other fake foods. Nor am I a fan of a lot of cooked foods. Looking at the way parrots were designed you can see that they have a beak perfect for cracking things like nuts and seeds and grain hulls. And, I've read from more than one source that their digestive systems weren't made for cooked foods either, so eventually they can cause problems. Besides, who wants to cook out all the great nutrients? The nutrients that aren't impacted negatively by cooking are minimal.
So. My birds get a cage mix (one of my products) that contains mostly natural and very little previously-cooked foods - but some seeds and grains and germinated seed/grain/legumes and fruits and vegetables and greens and nuts...of course they don't all eat the same thing so the ingredients vary. But the food is made by me so I know it's fresh, it uses good-quality ingredients, and it contains variety.
Mornings they get a birdie bread or other cooked breakfast. I of course make birdie bread mixes, so that's what I feed. Afternoons are sprouts and/or veggies and/or whatever I mix with them. Most days sprouts and veggies, although the pionus hens are heavy on the veggies and light on the sprouts. Some days I mix in some rice or couscous or a scrambled egg, cooled. But their fresh foods are the main meal of the day.
Then of course, there is always, "I'd like a little of what you're eating, please." Ok, I lied - they rarely say please. They just take what they want :).
Our parrots are part of our lives, and live in the living room with us. I've had them in a bird room before but it just didn't seem right having our other pets right where we could interact but not the birds. So when we moved a couple of years ago, we bought a home that had space in the living room for our birds, and that has a door that separates the living space from the bedrooms. During the day we can put our 4 dogs and our cat in the back half of the house, and the birds can fly (yes, they fly, and my dogs and cat also run) around and play and exercise and spend time with us. When they're in cages, we still are continually interacting, with talking/conversations, scritches, food-sharing, and the offering of gifts such as popsicle sticks and blocks and other fun stuff.
If I'm ever able to enlarge our living area, I plan to widen the living room by the construction an addition with windows all around, a tile floor, and its own ventilation system. That way the birds will always still be with us, but will have an area that will enhance their own lives as well...and that will be easier to clean!
But back to feeding. I'd say overall they get maybe 90% of their daily intake from uncooked and/or fresh foods, and 100% of their daily nutrients from real food. They've been thriving on this diet for so many years I can't see any reason to change it.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Why Does It Seem So Complicated???
Who am I, and what makes me think I'm qualified to write on such a subject? Well, I'm just a parrot owner of multiple birds, and I'm probably no more or less qualified than any other parrot owner. We all do the best we know how for our birds; we all (I would hope!) have done the research and not simply taken any opinion (from vet to usenet) and based our birds' well-being on it; we have all examined the various options and feed our birds according to what makes the most sense. Maybe we don't all make our living doing something that we not only LOVE to do, but that benefits our own birds as well and many thousands of others as I do, but certainly any of us could do what I've done, with the right experience, motivation, and circumstances!
My flock's diet consists of 90% my own products. I recently lost my first parrot, a cockatiel, at the age of 28. The remainder of my flock consists of some lovebirds, some cockatiels, a conure, a couple of pionus, a couple of poicephalus, and an african grey. I'm sure I'll write more about them later. For now, suffice it to say that my flock eats a natural diet, no chemicals, no nutrient-wanna-be's with names I can't pronounce, and no colored kibble. They get real food.
Feeding parrots isn't rocket science, although there are those who claim special knowledge and would like us to think that we can't possibly know what is best for our own birds. Most of them have an interest of once sort or another - financial gain, usually. Or, for all their degrees, they simply don't know any better because they've been "educated" by peers who have such an interest. But we don't need a degree to feed our parrots (and other companion pets!); we just need a thirst for knowledge, and the common sense to weigh all of the opinions* out there and the confidence to make our own choices.
Do I have a financial interest in how people feed their parrots? Sure, I do! Am I going to tell you how to feed your own birds? Nope. I'm not even going to try and sell you my products. I may mention them now and again, eventually, but I always have been and always will be out there with my thoughts and ideas: (1) I put forth opinions; if I offer facts, I will also offer cites; if I offer the opinions of others, I will identify them as such. (2) I won't use this blog as a platform to sell my own products - I have plenty of vendors selling them who already promote them. (3) It's all about the birds, not making myself seem to more important or knowledgable than I am, or anybody else for that matter.
The plan: To share what I've read and what I've learned and my own thoughts and opinions on them...and to share my own experiences, successes and failures, and hindsight thoughts on those as well. So that you can add it to everything else you've read and heard, and make the most informed choice you can when you are feeding your own birds.
*There are those who confuse opinion with fact, especially if the opinion is their own.
My flock's diet consists of 90% my own products. I recently lost my first parrot, a cockatiel, at the age of 28. The remainder of my flock consists of some lovebirds, some cockatiels, a conure, a couple of pionus, a couple of poicephalus, and an african grey. I'm sure I'll write more about them later. For now, suffice it to say that my flock eats a natural diet, no chemicals, no nutrient-wanna-be's with names I can't pronounce, and no colored kibble. They get real food.
Feeding parrots isn't rocket science, although there are those who claim special knowledge and would like us to think that we can't possibly know what is best for our own birds. Most of them have an interest of once sort or another - financial gain, usually. Or, for all their degrees, they simply don't know any better because they've been "educated" by peers who have such an interest. But we don't need a degree to feed our parrots (and other companion pets!); we just need a thirst for knowledge, and the common sense to weigh all of the opinions* out there and the confidence to make our own choices.
Do I have a financial interest in how people feed their parrots? Sure, I do! Am I going to tell you how to feed your own birds? Nope. I'm not even going to try and sell you my products. I may mention them now and again, eventually, but I always have been and always will be out there with my thoughts and ideas: (1) I put forth opinions; if I offer facts, I will also offer cites; if I offer the opinions of others, I will identify them as such. (2) I won't use this blog as a platform to sell my own products - I have plenty of vendors selling them who already promote them. (3) It's all about the birds, not making myself seem to more important or knowledgable than I am, or anybody else for that matter.
The plan: To share what I've read and what I've learned and my own thoughts and opinions on them...and to share my own experiences, successes and failures, and hindsight thoughts on those as well. So that you can add it to everything else you've read and heard, and make the most informed choice you can when you are feeding your own birds.
*There are those who confuse opinion with fact, especially if the opinion is their own.
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