Mash AND Pellets?

[Zoom]

I made up a batch of breakfast mash for my birds a couple days ago. There are tons of healthy things in there - various beans, grains, veggies and fruits. Simon Grey loves it, especially if I warm it up and hold the bowl for him, which I do.

 

Oboe (the lovebird) and Kazoo (the Amazon) haven't taken to it yet, but I think they will. I'm still giving them all an afternoon meal of nuts, seeds, and chopped fresh veggies and fruits.

 

If they're having mash in the morning and then their afternoon meal of various things, do they also need pellets? Or does the mash take the place of the pellets?

 

(Simon's a great little eater. I'm impressed. He eats everything I offer him, and with great enthusiasm.)

[judygram]

I would provide pellets in their cage at all times so if they get hungry they can snack on them, I put pellets in Josey's cage in a separate bowl and she goes to it from time to time during the day and eats them, since they are dry they can last all day or night unlike fresh foods.

[Zoom]

Thanks Judy. Kazoo has now decided he likes the mash too, which is remarkable since for the first 13 years of his life, all he ever ate was pellets and peanuts. I started giving him fresh foods when he moved in here five months ago, and it took him at least a month before he'd even try it. He's still a bit of a fussy eater, but he's getting better all the time.

 

He also had no idea how to forage. There was a complicated foraging toy in his cage, but he ignored it. Recently I read somewhere on this board that you have to start out really simple. I put a peanut in a coffee filter, folded it and gave it to him. He seemed to think that if he could no longer see the peanut, it no longer existed. I had to go even simpler with him - ie, not even fold the paper. He's now getting pretty good at finding the peanut, and he seems to understand that it still exists when it's out of sight. (I realize he probably sounds mentally challenged, but he's actually quite a smart bird I think. He just never had the experience of foraging before. Or playing. I'm teaching him how to play, too.)

[judygram]

As funny as it sounds sometimes they have to be taught how to play and maybe forage too but it won't take him long to figure it out. Does he have a big bell to bang around as those are a favorite of greys?

[Thomas J.]

As for the complicated foraging toy, one of the first ones I bought for my girl was the treasure chest one. After I bought it I started thinking to myself " boy that was dumb, this bird is never going to figure out how to open this thing" since it has two metal pegs that have to be turned just the right amount and then slid through the opening in order for it to open. Well when it comes to peanuts my girl will do whatever it takes to get it. The first time took her about a minute to open it, after that it was in the seconds usually under 15seconds. Too bad it doesn't work if I put some veggies in there. Except for kale, she's not much into any other veggies or anything else that's good for her. I guess after the peanuts would be the chicken bones that she would fight to the death for.

Edited April 6, 2011 by Thomas J.

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Kazoo's an Amazon, though. My baby Grey is much more food-oriented.

[Jayd]

I would provide pellets in their cage at all times so if they get hungry they can snack on them, I put pellets in Josey's cage in a separate bowl and she goes to it from time to time during the day and eats them, since they are dry they can last all day or night unlike fresh foods.

 

Judy always gives good advice.......

[KimKim]

I too always keep pellets in Babalu's cage, but he hardly ever touches them. On our schedule now, he gets his mash when I get home from work, then I clean the bowl and add TOP's seed mix and a boca nut mix along with TOP pellets and just tomatoes hot veggies (still does not touch the pellets). And when he goes to bed I give him an almond in the shell. Not sure why, but he does not seem to eat all day. I did get a new foraging toy that I know he has been trying to get at with no luck. Its just a coconut with small holes cut out. Maybe he doesn't eat the pellets anymore because I give him to much other stuff, IDK.

[EgyDiver]

can u share the recipe of your mash please? my koko is unfortunately sunflower seed addict i can't get him to accept pellets atall