Momo Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 hi everybody, i dont know if this is correct what im doing or not.i tried to limit his seed and change it to cooked stuff. for breakfast,i boil a lot of beans and cut little bit fruit.he is very picky and he dsnt eat the beans but finally around 1 pm he ate them all.around 4 pm i give him fresh veggies and little bit of seed.and for night i give him cooked stuff again with 2 spoon of his seed. im just scared because i have to starve him and this is the only way to reduce his seed.and is it not dangerous to give parrot 75% cooked food without pellet diet? im still waiting for friend come from dubai to here but she still not sure when she can come.it would be next month or another months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Hi, seeds are only bad for your parrot if that's all he gets, seeds and veggies, beans, rice, etc. Pellets are not necessary for your Grey, we keep seed it their cages 24/7. What you should do is keep 1/4 cup seeds in his cage at all times, [never starve] You don't need pellets at all!!! keep all the other food in his cage at all times, changing every 2-3 hours for fresh food....If your baby eats mostly seed, some veggies etc everything will be ok.[No fresh food during sleeping hours] The veggies, nuts, etc provide what the seeds lack...You can't starve him, he could develop a fear of no food and develop a neurosis or phobia of "lack of food" which can lead to death. Limit sunflower seeds to 3 tablespoons a day, pick them out of his seed mix and give them as treats.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Momo... can I get food to you thru Pakistan? Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Momo... can I get food to you thru Pakistan? Nancy Nancy food can't be sent through the mail. Only stores with export licenses can ship and only for the countries they have the license for. Private people can't at all. It will be confiscated by customs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momo Posted June 16, 2012 Author Share Posted June 16, 2012 hi, ah thanks i understand now i shouldnt starve him and seeds are okay. he still refuse to eat his veggies and fruit,maybe only 3 pieces of green beans perday.still have to work harder to make him eat it. thank you thank you thank you very much for the answer!im quite relax now he eat his seeds! *thanks nancy,yes i should be store/somebody has license.im trying to ask vet here if he can import it for me.wish me luck for this one!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 As I said on the other thread I think you might have luck with sprouting. You can sprout the seed he is eating now which would turn plain seed into vegetables. While there are sprouting containers you really don't need anything special to do this. The great thing about sprouts is that they can be eaten at any stage so you can get Momo to eat them without noticing. http://sproutpeople.org/sprouts.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momo Posted June 16, 2012 Author Share Posted June 16, 2012 hi wingy,yes im looking for complete intruction how to sprouting.i already prepare the jar and sterelize it so i just need to find the seeds. i know this is a weird question,but i never done sprouting at all in my life.is it as simple just put his eating seed in the jar and follow the instruction?it dsnt need a special seed?i ahave alot of his eating seed in home so if its really possible to grow that seed i will start from tomorrow. ah another question,can we sprout dry bean also?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 (edited) hi everybody,i dont know if this is correct what im doing or not.i tried to limit his seed and change it to cooked stuff. for breakfast,i boil a lot of beans and cut little bit fruit.he is very picky and he dsnt eat the beans but finally around 1 pm he ate them all.around 4 pm i give him fresh veggies and little bit of seed.and for night i give him cooked stuff again with 2 spoon of his seed. im just scared because i have to starve him and this is the only way to reduce his seed.and is it not dangerous to give parrot 75% cooked food without pellet diet? im still waiting for friend come from dubai to here but she still not sure when she can come.it would be next month or another months. I've posted this in the past but for you I'll do it again Lets say that you get a grey that's appox about 5 to 10 yrs old. This grey is in generally good health. No picking, not nervous, friendly. A vet has not found any drastic problems with the bird. Now this bird refuses to eat anything but parrot mix. It was raised on parrot mix. There's never been a problem with the parrot mix. He's been given different brands of parrot mix. Owners have tried over and over and over to stop the parrot mix to switch over to veggies with no luck. He doesn't like vegetables fruit or pellets except that he'll eat a small piece of carrot once every 2/3 mts. The only other thing he'll eat are various nuts. So my questions iare this----is the bird in trouble? What should I do next? By the way, I own such a bird. I got him when he was 7 yrs old and he's now 15 yrs old. I've posted before when lots of conversations have gone on concerning switching food in the past. Edited June 16, 2012 by Dave007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thenabrd Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 have you tried eating the fruits and veggies you want him to have with him watching? try doing that, being really excited by it and how yummy it is, maybe he'll be curious enough to try it. also sometimes when we're having something for dinner that the girls can't have, i'll still make up bowls with things they can have. then before we start eating, i'll bang my fork on the plate, then on the bowls then back to the plate then back to their bowls. (pretending that i'm sharing what we're having, the entire time i'm telling them "i'm fixing it") this gets them all excited thinking they're having the same things we're having. it's funny hearing athena do her "happy squeaks" about an almond, because when she just gets one as a snack she'll just eat it with no "happy squeaks"!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 I've posted this in the past but for you I'll do it again Lets say that you get a grey that's appox about 5 to 10 yrs old. This grey is in generally good health. No picking, not nervous, friendly. A vet has not found any drastic problems with the bird. Now this bird refuses to eat anything but parrot mix. It was raised on parrot mix. There's never been a problem with the parrot mix. He's been given different brands of parrot mix. Owners have tried over and over and over to stop the parrot mix to switch over to veggies with no luck. He doesn't like vegetables fruit or pellets except that he'll eat a small piece of carrot once every 2/3 mts. The only other thing he'll eat are various nuts. So my questions iare this----is the bird in trouble? What should I do next? By the way, I own such a bird. I got him when he was 7 yrs old and he's now 15 yrs old. I've posted before when lots of conversations have gone on concerning switching food in the past. Thanks Dave.... Greyt post everybody..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 (edited) The others have all posted great information. The biggest health issues seen in Greys due to diet are: 1) Vitamin D3 deficiency which is produced by the bird either having indoor avian lighting, taken outside in their cage or on a harness for a few hours 3 or more days a week or pellets 2) Vitamin A deficiency, carrots, sweet potato, yams and red palm oil are high sources of this vitamin. 3) Calcium deficiency, this can be obtained in chicken leg bones, ground up egg shells mixed in with something he will eat like scrambled eggs, hot oatmeal etc. The key for absorption though, is they must have vitamin D3 in their system or no Calcium is absorbed. Experiment with various foods, raw, cooked, mashed up etc. One day they will eat one type and the next not touch it. Just keep offering various foods. The key here is supply a bounty of choices each day of various types of foods. A good seed mix with some nuts is fine to keep in his cage 24/7. Edited June 17, 2012 by danmcq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 ;)Thanks Dan, and this Greyt forum, with all this good solid advice, in no time your baby will be eating at the worlds best place on earth, your home. Now Momo, Don't worry, be happy and sit back and enjoy.....We all will always be here for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momo Posted June 17, 2012 Author Share Posted June 17, 2012 heloooo thanks everybody for the support!! today my banana+carrot mash is success!!i mix it with his seed and he cant seperated them with each other so he ate them all!! need to experience more and defeat his stuborn trait! wow all the people here so helpful,what can i do without all of you???!many thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 That is great news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandische Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 (edited) hi wingy,yes im looking for complete intruction how to sprouting.i already prepare the jar and sterelize it so i just need to find the seeds.i know this is a weird question,but i never done sprouting at all in my life.is it as simple just put his eating seed in the jar and follow the instruction?it dsnt need a special seed?i ahave alot of his eating seed in home so if its really possible to grow that seed i will start from tomorrow. ah another question,can we sprout dry bean also?? Sprouting requires a quality seed, moisture and warmth. Unfortunately, bacteria thrive in moisture and warmth, so you have to minimize the opportunity for bacteria to grow by adding airflow and reducing any matter that might decompose during the sprouting process. Old/stale seed will not sprout well and may spoil rapidly due to the number of seeds that decay instead. A lot of bird seed mixes (like volkman etc) are actually treated with vitamins or include pellets or dried veggies/ fruits and this makes them unsuitable for sprouting as these things will decompose also. Sproutpeople.com is an excellent resource for sprouting supplies (I love the easy sprouters...far better than a jar in my opinion), high quality seed mixes, as well as free instruction. If you can't get their seeds into your country, look at what kinds of seeds they have in their bird mixes and see if you can buy them locally and mix them yourself. Also, you don't really need 27 different kinds of seed - if you can find quinoa, wheat berries, unshelled black oil sunflower seeds, raw almonds, fenugreek, whole lentils and dried peas, that makes a very nutritious mix. Sprouting any one of those seeds is nutritious. Again, always make sure to only buy untreated, unsalted, fresh seed. If your bird's seed mix is just straight seed and nothing else, you could try to sprout it and see what happens. If it is high quality, 95%of the seeds should sprout within 2-3 days. If not, then it should not be used. The key to healthy sprouts is to rinse often during the sprouting and always before feeding. Refrigerate sprouted seed so it wilk keep for 3-4 days. Healthy sprouts will smell like sweet, rich soil after a rain...in other words, good :-). If the sprouts smell old or moldy or stale, they go in the trash.. Some people like to rinse with GSE or apple cider vinegar to inhibit bacteria growth. Also, frozen seed keeps very well and will readily sprout, plus, refrigerating or freezing seed eliminates moth problems! Different seeds have different sprout times and this can affect their taste quite a bit. My birds love sprout people's bird mixes after 1 soak day and 1 sprout day, when the tails just show.. Wheat berries, quinoa and sunnys are tastiest at this stage. Peas, beans and nuts generally need at least 3-4 days of sprouting, until the tails are around 1/2 in long, before they are edible and won't cause digestive upset. Almonds won't sprout, but are considered "soak" seeds - you soak them overnight and feed in the morning. Radish, fenugreek and mustard seeds all have spicy tastes birds love. Experiment! :-) note: one word of caution about sprouting is that sprouts have lots of protein. They should not be fed often if your bird is also getting pellets. Too much protein can cause kidney problems/damage, which I learned the hard way with my birds. Because sprouts are so nutritious and natural, my birds rarely get pellets, so primarily get sprouts, mash and fresh foods. The only time they get seed is as a treat, and converting them to sprouts was easy - I just fed the soaked seeds instead of the regular dry seed and they didn't know the difference! Then I experimented to see which stages of sprouting and types of seeds they liked best. Edited July 27, 2012 by zandische Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Hi, Maggie here; read your post to Jay and he asked me to find this in his files fot you... The best seeds we found for sprouting or just giving to your parrot is TOP's http://totallyorganics.com/ [Jay]Please use Organic Apple Cider Vinegar instead, it's safer.....Thanks Grapefruit Seed Extract Dangers Jun 7, 2010 | By Karyn Maier Grapefruit seed extract is marketed as a natural preservative and dietary supplement. While the name suggests this product is natural, it really isn't. In fact, the majority of grapefruit seed extract preparations are actually synthesized by chemical catalyst and high pressure or heat using pulp discarded as a byproduct of grapefruit juice production. If you use grapefruit seed extract, you should be aware of some potential dangers. Chemical Processing The production of grapefruit seed extract begins with the dried and powdered pulp and seed, which is then dissolved in purified water and distilled to remove impurities. The resulting slurry is slowly dried using low heat to form a concentrated powder and then combined with glycerin and subjected to heat once more. At this point, natural grapefruit extract is achieved. However, in commercial production, the active phenol compounds undergo further catalytic conversion with ammonium chloride and hydrochloric acid to form quaternary ammonium chlorides. In short, the "natural" product you see on the market is actually an artificial chemical compound created in a laboratory that may present health risks. Kuraray EVAL ™ Oxygen Barrier for Food Packaging. Improve shelf life & reduce cost. http://www.eval.eu/foodpackaging Sponsored Links Benzethonium Chloride Contamination In a 2001 analysis of commercial grapefruit seed extracts conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, benzethonium chloride was found in some liquid samples in a concentration of more than 8 percent, with even higher concentrations in powdered samples. In the Interpretive Summary of this study, the authors state that benzethonium chloride is a synthetic antimicrobial agent that is approved only for topical use and that its inclusion in products designed for internal use is "troubling in light of its toxicity and allergenicity." Other Questionable Ingredients The U.S. Department of Agriculture study, led by researcher Gary Takeoka, cites additional compounds commonly found in commercial grapefruit seed extracts that are added as preservatives, such as methyl paraben. Like other parabens, methyl paraben is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers. For instance, in the July 26, 2008 issue of Chemical Research in Toxicology, a team of Japanese researchers published the results of a study that indicates that topically applied methyl paraben may react with ultraviolet radiation from the sun to promote skin aging and DNA damage in skin cells. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/141607-grapefruit-seed-extract-dangers/#ixzz21o9wJFPr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 (edited) hi wingy,yes im looking for complete intruction how to sprouting.i already prepare the jar and sterelize it so i just need to find the seeds.i know this is a weird question,but i never done sprouting at all in my life.is it as simple just put his eating seed in the jar and follow the instruction?it dsnt need a special seed?i ahave alot of his eating seed in home so if its really possible to grow that seed i will start from tomorrow. ah another question,can we sprout dry bean also?? Can someone with experience answer this one? I am trying to sprout too, and I am unsure of what I should be sprouting, how much he should be given, how long you can leave it in the cage, etc. Thanks! Edited July 27, 2012 by Timbersmom Already answered. Didn't show when I posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Here is an excellent link to an article on sprouting: http://www.avianweb.com/sprouting.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 There is also a great site on Yahoo - groups.yahoo.com/groups/FeedingFeathers this site is strictly for bird nutrition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandische Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Timbersmom - (and this is my experience only!) - I make 1/2 cup sprouts in my easy sprouter every 3-4 days, and that allows me to feed about a teaspoon per bird twice a day. I have two easy sprouters to make cleaning and rotation easier, and so my birds never go without. Although sprouts are living and growing all day long, I generally treat them like any other spoilable food. Even though they aren't spoiling per se, they are growing bacteria the longer they sit in the bowl. My birds love their sprouts when the tails are shortest and seem less interested the longer they grow, so I usually refrigerate the sprouts on day 2 to slow their growth and help them stay fresh. I also rinse very very well with cold water before every feeding...The only beans my birds seem to like are mung, adzuki and lentils. They seem to really like black oil sunnys, safflower, buckwheat, wheat berries, fenugreek, radish and alfalfa. I also give them brocolli seed when I can find it for less than an arm and a leg. Brocolli sprouts are very spicy! Moderators - maybe we should have a sprout sticky with member experience and links to info and resources? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Moderators - maybe we should have a sprout sticky with member experience and links to info and resources? I don't think so. Sprouting is just another part of BIRD FOOD. Links that concern info have already been given in this thread and that can happen all the time plus there's loads of posts from the past concerning sprouting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarasota Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Please use Organic Apple Cider Vinegar instead, it's safer.....Thanks. Grapefruit Seed Extract Dangers So glad you mentioned this! It's not well known. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsjr Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Hi, seeds are only bad for your parrot if that's all he gets, seeds and veggies, beans, rice, etc. Pellets are not necessary for your Grey, we keep seed it their cages 24/7. What you should do is keep 1/4 cup seeds in his cage at all times, [never starve] You don't need pellets at all!!! keep all the other food in his cage at all times, changing every 2-3 hours for fresh food....If your baby eats mostly seed, some veggies etc everything will be ok.[No fresh food during sleeping hours] The veggies, nuts, etc provide what the seeds lack...You can't starve him, he could develop a fear of no food and develop a neurosis or phobia of "lack of food" which can lead to death. Limit sunflower seeds to 3 tablespoons a day, pick them out of his seed mix and give them as treats.... wait... did you mean change the food every 2-3 hours??? thats a bit much dont you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsjr Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 [Jay]Please use Organic Apple Cider Vinegar instead, it's safer.....Thanks why is it safer? because its organic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 (edited) *******keep all the other food in his cage at all times, changing every 2-3 hours for fresh food....******* Carl I think what he meant was to take out old fresh food (veggies, fruit) every 2 to 3 hrs and replace them with a new batch of fresh foods ( veggies--fruit). The reason for that is because veggies wilt and get soggy or too dry after 2 to 3 hrs. Edited August 1, 2012 by Dave007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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