The Stray CAG Update

[TheKismetGrey]

He's moved in and being called Gumbeaux.

He began wolf-whistling to me when I left the room and we would call back and forth to each other as I moved through the house. I'm his flock, and that's fine

I decided to add a little "adventure" to my life and taught him the theme song to Indiana Jones. If he does end up back at his original home, they're going to want my head on a stick for all the random things he's picking up around me!

 

However, for the time being, it is really fun to get dressed every morning to a very ROBUST version of that song!

 

He is talking while I'm obviously awake now, but not actually interacting with me while he's talking/singing. No biggie, all in due time; I just wish I could understand his quiet little mumbles! The only phrase I have been able to pick up is a very loud "Does he talk?!" which just puts me in stitches every time I hear it.

 

The only problem I am running into is the dreaded conversion to pellets.

The ONLY way I have managed to get ANY bit of pellet into him is to grind them into a powder and offer it in baby food (organic with the lowest sodium and iron content I can find). We have moved from mostly baby food to a very thick oatmeal consistency BF/Pellet powder mix.

 

This is alright, yes?

I am planning on phasing out the mixture after adding in larger chunks of pellets.

 

Oh, and thank you for all the previous posts that I have been reading! You're collective wisdom is astounding!

[birdhouse]

Patience; acclimating has to be at his pace. You're obviously doing a good job with Gumbeaux because he's talking & interacting with you. Ideally, you want a great diet for this guy. But please remember that this bird has been thru a lot. I think you said he was sick when he arrived, as well. Good intentioned though your attempts are, they can be another stressor at this point.

 

Have you tried different types of pellets? They can be a bugger about switching. You would think that a bird who has been on the loose & hungry would eat anything. But a parrot will starve if denied what it thinks is acceptable food.

 

Also, have you tried different types of fresh & cooked foods? There isn't a reason for a bird to have any pellets if he's given a good diet. You said Gumbeaux was obviously loved, so it could be that's what he's used to. A balanced diet would include seed, so that might be all he recognizes in what you're offering.

 

He's been thru a lot in a comparably short time. The main concern is getting him stable emotionally & physically. So, the first priority is that he's getting enough to eat, then what.

 

btw you're sounding a little like a new grey owner vs a foster parront...? (just sayin !)

[Jayd]

What Birdhouse says is true...Volkman and Royal both make a excellent sunflower less seed blend, Give all the fresh veggies you can ,black-eyed peas and brown rice make a complete protein... Crushed pellets help with nutrition, but not with converting to them, as birdhouse said, try different kinds, and if he only eats 3 or 4, grey't. Have you tryed "home made corn bread"[birdie bread], Here' a post on "Abundent Feeding"...Give him the food your giving him, then take it out, put seeds/pellets in 2 separate bowls in his cage, keep them full till the next morning when you take them out, in the afternoon put all kinds of veggies in his cage, leave them there till dinner, feed him dinner, and during the day and evening give him a nut, lets work him off the baby food, it's processed, great for baby's and a little is ok for birds.....http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?189769-Abundent-Feeding!&highlight=abundant+feeding

[TheKismetGrey]

btw you're sounding a little like a new grey owner vs a foster parront...? (just sayin !)

 

I know, and that's fine

[TheKismetGrey]

I don't know why I clicked post, I wasn't done

 

 

I found the secret; Zupreem.

I went out to get some extra toys for rotation today and grabbed a small bag, on the "why not" thought. The minute I pulled it out of the shopping bag, he popped over to his dish and started pinning his eyes. Gobbled it up without a moment's hesitation.

Since I now have a decent base, I will no longer worry so much. I still plan on getting him onto something else, but I can relax that I am not missing an important nutrient.

 

I have been offering him EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN (that won't kill him). For the first week or so, he ate WONDERFULLY, but now he's starting to be a grey again (I think he was just DYING (literally) for a few decent meals and trying to get his system back in order after that ordeal)

 

I know it can take time, I was trying to be patient I was just more worried that I wasn't going to get it all right nutritionally. I feel very confident once I know I have a balanced meal in place, and the rest of the goodies can be just that; the good-tasting-good-for-him-goodies. I will mind a lot less if he turns his beak up at his "fresh offerings" dish now!

 

I also realized that I posted this in the wrong place, an admin can move if they want.

 

 

Once again, Gumbeaux and I

 

THANK YOU!!!!

[Jayd]

No, wrong, a Grey needs "FRESH OFFERINGS MORE THAN PELLETS!".....Zupreem Natural is one of the safest pellets.

Here's some posts you might want to read!

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?112983-Nutrition-Diet

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?137487-Top-10-Common-Foods-that-Can-Poison-Your-Bird

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?175904-FECES-DROPPINGS-POOPS-%28all-the-same%29/page2

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?190462-We-Feed-Our-Fid-s!!!-Update

Edited October 1, 2010 by Jayd

[TheKismetGrey]

I understand that, Jayd.

I've never seen a pellet tree in the wild

I am not the type of person who fills a bowl with pellets and calls it a day. I do, however, believe in keeping them available as a supplement to a balanced diet as the bird sees necessary. I consider it a back-up plan in the event that he doesn't particularly what what I have offered one day.

To put it this way, he has 3 food bowls in his cage right now, 2 have fresh goodies, one has harrison's, roudybush and zupreem mixture (not much of it either) and there are a few little foraging gems hidden around the cage as well.

 

As the OP of the first link you posted states "Pellets provide a lot of vitamins, minerals and proteins that your grey may not get otherwise if your bird is a picky eater or doesn't like veggies." That sums up my standpoint too, they are NOT a substitute for a varied and balanced diet of naturally occurring products, nor should they be the bulk of any nutritional plan.

 

I have just been looking for that prepared diet that he would actually EAT so that I could be sure he's getting what he needs.

 

I am sorry if I sounded like I was just going to feed a bowl of prepared diet and offer a baby carrot as a treat. I can assure you that is definitely not my style of care!

[KimKim]

If my grey doesnt try/eat something, he will at least put it in his beak for a lick if I eat some first. That is how I got him to eat Harrisons pellets (they dont taste that great to me though, hahaha).

[TheKismetGrey]

HA! I hear that, KimKim!! We had a Harrison's tasting party at work one day (I picked the bag up on the way into the hospital). A few techs and some of the doctors all tried it, I didn't think it was that bad, actually.

Sadly, this bird is not that open-minded. I tried that same trick last week and he just looked at me like "Are you insane? Those are TERRIBLE?!"

[Jayd]

HA! I hear that, KimKim!! We had a Harrison's tasting party at work one day (I picked the bag up on the way into the hospital). A few techs and some of the doctors all tried it, I didn't think it was that bad, actually.

Sadly, this bird is not that open-minded. I tried that same trick last week and he just looked at me like "Are you insane? Those are TERRIBLE?!"

This I feel is the best companion food on the market, http://www.totallyorganics.com/ All there food is human safe, and this treat doe's taste good

TOP Tesoro Treats

Compare this to any other bird food you wish...

[danmcq]

Your doing great Kismet!

 

I offer pellets as a side and occasionally through out the day my grey will eat 3 or 4. On veggies, legumes, fruits etc. I have seen that there are days he will pig out on yam's and leave everything else. Then other days he will consumes legumes and carrots and on and on. Some days he gets raw, others he gets cooked. I know it may seem strange, but they seem to prefer a wildly varied diet just as us humans. Well, for that matter so does my little peach front conure.

 

In regards seeds and nuts, they are available to both of them as well through out the day. Sunflower seeds have their good points, as does other seeds and nuts. The key is a variety and moderation.

Edited October 1, 2010 by danmcq