Isaac Update: Feathers Coming Back

[Elvenking]

No-bird land in my house is my large wrap around desk and my chair. Brutus can sit in four other places near by, but not on my chair. I know this sounds weird, but I have a small aluminum pot lid that i have used since he was a baby and if (he rarely does) land on my chair or desk I take the pot lid up and start heading for him and he flies off. I feel like he can take his displeasure out on the lid not at me, and sometimes he bites the lid as he flies off. He KNOWS what it means. Before I leave the house I tell him, "stay off my desk." He does. I have a really valuable vintage chair, but some how he understands not to bite it. He has an atom attached to the ceiling 8 feet away, he can perch on the little tv on my desk, or on the air cleaner on my desk or in the window frame close by, but not ON my desk or ON the chair. I think he also prefers the other places since he can make eye contact with me - he can't do the on the back of my chair.

 

Hahahahahah a pot lid. Yes....I have a few 'birdie omens' around that I use for this exact purpose. A little stuffed animal that will keep him away from my speakers....another one is a small statue...my little mountain biking backpack will keep him away from other things. Yes....I employ this strategy all the time.

[Elvenking]

Today...I was rubbing his little fuzzy tummy to check for pins...I do feel the beginnings of some prickly pins. Maybe in a couple months....or 6...we'll keep watching. I am guessing that it can be some time in between feathers.

[birdhouse]

I realize I may be sailing a little close to the edge, here. You seem to have acquired a nice Zen state & I really don't want to upset that. I'm sorry to say it, but a naked tummy means he's slowed down, again.

 

I know I practically just finished telling you to be patient. But this is a juggling act between trying to figure when to be patient & when to be pro-active. This is a very good time of the year for molting. Kura was behind Isaac by at least a couple of weeks & she's a little moth-eaten yet, but pretty much all filled in. All she's gotten besides a hormone reduction (yay!!) is some extra water baths & outdoors time. IE sunshine & mental stimulus. (I don't use aloe on her on a regular basis because it gunks up her fur feathers)

 

Now, maybe, it's time to look for something else. I'm wondering what you're feeding the boy. Theoretically, it can be the very supposed best'est stuff, but maybe there's something in it that doesn't agree w/Isaac. And my first guess would be that dyes could be the culprit...? Maybe 99 out of 100 fids don't have a problem w/them. But I wonder if Isaac is that one in a hundred.

 

And people food? You guys are such good buddies, I'm kinda thinkin that unless he's just not a good eater, he'd ask & you'd cave. Not judging! I promise. lol I'm just trying to look at the big picture.

 

Because of what I've seen w/some of my guys, I've really become convinced that anything fids put in their little beaks can contribute in large part to their issues. Yet somehow, it's something that gets over looked surprisingly often.

Edited June 26, 2014 by birdhouse

[Elvenking]

I realize I may be sailing a little close to the edge, here. You seem to have acquired a nice Zen state & I really don't want to upset that. I'm sorry to say it, but a naked tummy means he's slowed down, again.

 

I know I practically just finished telling you to be patient. But this is a juggling act between trying to figure when to be patient & when to be pro-active. This is a very good time of the year for molting. Kura was behind Isaac by at least a couple of weeks & she's a little moth-eaten yet, but pretty much all filled in. All she's gotten besides a hormone reduction (yay!!) is some extra water baths & outdoors time. IE sunshine & mental stimulus. (I don't use aloe on her on a regular basis because it gunks up her fur feathers)

 

Now, maybe, it's time to look for something else. I'm wondering what you're feeding the boy. Theoretically, it can be the very supposed best'est stuff, but maybe there's something in it that doesn't agree w/Isaac. And my first guess would be that dyes could be the culprit...? Maybe 99 out of 100 fids don't have a problem w/them. But I wonder if Isaac is that one in a hundred.

 

And people food? You guys are such good buddies, I'm kinda thinkin that unless he's just not a good eater, he'd ask & you'd cave. Not judging! I promise. lol I'm just trying to look at the big picture.

 

Because of what I've seen w/some of my guys, I've really become convinced that anything fids put in their little beaks can contribute in large part to their issues. Yet somehow, it's something that gets over looked surprisingly often.

 

Yeah....well his tummy is not naked...its really fuzzy. Feathers just have not been sprouting over the past two or three weeks...no new ones at all. Like I said...there were about 5 or 6 feathers on there he was leaving alone for a while...then he did em in.

 

As far as food....Isaac gets a few things. He gets some scrambled eggs about twice a week, I do pasta whole grain and regular mix with a little touch of red palm from time to time. When he eats with me...it's rice, he loves chicken...he dips his beak in my cereal bowl a little too for some milk. He gets a bowl of veggies in the morning raw....apples, carrots, broccoli, corn. Sometimes he will get a little triscuit cracker....cheddar cheese. I am not a real good cook...and I am yet to simply find a recipe for bird chop that can actually be followed. He does still get a bit of his baby food from way back which is the Exact formula...I figured it was a good supplement and he simply goes wild for it. Any help with a diet would be great...sure.

 

I am out of options and figured that I just have to wait for the additional sun to take effect....I don't know....who really does anyway? I am soaking him with Feather In, he is under the sun lamp all day from 9AM to 6 PM....I have a humidifier by the cage. He still tries to feed me every single morning. Man...what else? I called the avian vet and can take him back for another exam. I do not have options that I know...so let me know. Everyone says "It is the big unknown problem with Greys...they just pluck."...so that is where I am headed. No way to learn...no way to find out.

 

Here is a picture of my lil buddy now. Pretty much exactly like he was when I took my last pictures....ravaged and abused. Wish I could help little guy. I really do.

 

 

Edited June 26, 2014 by Elvenking

[birdhouse]

***Aren't you feeding any commercial seed, pellets or treats?***

 

You could go back to your vet for further testing. You could go to another vet, because they are certainly not all created equal. Maybe you could have a major veterinary hospital or teaching facility take a look, if you have one in the area. You could see about working w/a behaviorist. Just be particularly careful w/that one if you do. Some of them sound great on paper & aren't worth their weight in bird poop. They can end up doing a lot more harm than good.

 

Your call. There are pro's & con's to each option.

 

Since Isaac did apparently get a clean bill of health, you can also continue to keep working thru the list of possible causes like you've been doing. This is still an episode vs a chronic condition. There's still a long list of unexplored possible answers. And just because a thing didn't work the first time, doesn't mean it won't work the second. Or the seventh. Making "hopeless" even that much farther away.

 

For instance, did you know that sun lamps stop producing an effective temperature long, long before they burn out? Did you know that testing has shown surprisingly many bulbs don't burn at the advertised temperature & a very small variance makes one useless for stimulating Vit D production in fids ? Also, florescent bulbs have a flicker that humans aren't aware of, but is disturbing to birds? So, one possibly suggestion is that you can try replacing your lamp bulb w/a 5500K LED bulb.

 

However, sunlight is always & absolutely guaranteed to burn at the exact right temperature to get the desired effect. Might also suggest getting Isaac's little red tail some of that. It happens to come w/the added bonus of fresh air & a change in scenery which is also good for a fid's mental health. An hour of natural sunlight is worth hours & hours of artificial light (no matter whether it's ever been scientifically proven).

 

Fids are lactose intolerant. They can't process milk or milk products effectively. A *healthy* fid can usually stomach a small amount w/no ill effects. Right now though, it's probably more helpful to act like Isaac isn't strictly healthy & be a total Food Nazi.

 

What do you think about trying Almond milk in your cereal? Unfortunately, I don't have a work around for the cheese which has lactose & salt. There's salt in the Triscuit's, too. So I guess I'd have to suggest you either hide whenever you want to indulge or prepare to "Just say "No"!" & mean it.

 

I know you've talked about incorporating mash/chop into Isaac's diet before. what happened w/ http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?194243-Mash-amp-Chop& ? I'd also repeat myself that mash really isn't a mystery unless you are actually planning an entirely fresh fed diet. That does need to be well balanced & it takes some practice. But otherwise, any combination of stuff that he thinks is good to eat & is good for him is just fine. In other words, you can't go wrong w/"recreational" chop.

 

I don't know anything about baby formula. I know it's sometimes used temporarily for sick adults. But I don't know if it's high in any particular vitamins or minerals which could cause an adult fid problems long term. Someone else would have to weigh in there. But if he's actually craving the feedings, maybe you could see how he feels about warm quinoa or oatmeal w/w/o things like applesauce, fruit, cinnamon, RPO.

 

Palm nuts are a staple for greys in the wild. So feel free to give Isaac more oil & maybe see if you can find Palm nuts for him while they're in season. They have the added benefit of being healthy foraging which is particularly helpful under the circumstances.

 

Noticed your current pics were taken at the kitchen sink. What do you clean the sink with? Wondering if somewhere, Isaac's being exposed to something like a cleaning chemical? There are healthy alternatives to commercial cleansers that might prove beneficial. No matter what, they can't hurt.

 

...So, you "do not have options", hmm...? This is honestly just a few possible suggestions off the top of my head. If I thought about it for a while, I could probably come up w/a real list! lol And I'll just bet that there are many other things that the rest of your support team will suggest, now that it's progressed to this point.

 

So once again, for the record, Isaac is miles from being a hopeless case. You do still have options. Lots of options.

Edited June 27, 2014 by birdhouse

[SRSeedBurners]

Might try grabbing the mid-bird sprout mix from sproutpeople.org and their sprouter. It's too damn easy to make sprouts this way. They are incredibly healthy and couldn't hurt. We use it here.

[Elvenking]

Okay...let's go one by one....I am trying a lot of things here....but yea there is more that can be done....I am just not aware of it all.

 

Yep...I get a 25lb bag of this stuff called "Super Parrot Mix" at my local parrot store. It's got all the goods plus dried fruit....he seems to like it but I am open to other mix ideas. He turns his nose up at Harrisons Pellets though. I have tried wetting them, disguising them..etc. I heard it's not essential if they get other foods. So he is getting his seed and smaller pellets in a mix.

 

LOL....regarding the bulb. I didn't even know any other kind of bulb was an option. Took me long enough to even find one single bulb on the planet that was made for birds and was practical to order. LED UV light? New to me. But I will look. I am getting a cage for outdoors ordered this weekend and he will have his outdoor time soon enough.

 

Yep...I heard they are lactose intolerant...I can hold him off the cereal pretty easy...he usually only takes a few licks when I am eating it...but I don't have to eat it when he is out.

 

As far as the mash. I am intimidated by it. I will just get a bunch of stuff...mix it together and Isaac won't even look at it. Red palm nuts....ohh how I wish I could get them in the USA. Closest I ever got was queen palms I believe. And those were touch and go. Sometimes show up unripe and I don't know what to do with them then. Maybe Isaac is spoiled from other stuff? Here is the other thing.....if he doesn't eat something I put out for him..and I have to go to work...I am worried about leaving it in there till I can get back to change it out. How to manage this? Especially if he is not eating these new creations I make for him. I am not sure why he is only turned on by a very few select foods. He does like noodles and red palm oil. I will give chop a try again. When you make it...is it warm....cold...any parts of it cooked....man....I would rather someone prescribe me a simple recipe that walks me through exactly how to make something appetizing for a bird so I am not guessing left and right...but they always list ingredients I am not sure of or how to prepare them. I have to be treated like an idiot when it comes to this and I need to be hand fed an idea...step by step. Other than that...I will try to conjure something up again.

 

We both dream of red palm nuts...let me know if you know how to get them in the USA.

 

My sink....lol...when I actually clean that thing...I just hit it with a hand brush and some regular soap. I do use Windex on my windows and such...but I can stop that.

 

I'll do whatever I can for him....I will write more later...gotta go take care of fuzzy boy.

[Acappella]

I don't have any suggestions above and beyond what have already been made. I just wanted to log on and give you a cyber hug. I can easily imagine how upset I would be if Dorian started plucking and I empathize with your struggle.

(((( )))). And sending some scritches for Isaac. {{{ }}}

[Elvenking]

Show me an example of a proper 5500K LED Bulb that I would put over my bird...cause I am looking and feel a bit wary about a choice.

[Elvenking]

Might try grabbing the mid-bird sprout mix from sproutpeople.org and their sprouter. It's too damn easy to make sprouts this way. They are incredibly healthy and couldn't hurt. We use it here.

 

I will try this as well. I had wanted to try sprouts and this looks awesome. It'll be ordered tonight!

[Elvenking]

He loves mashed potatoes....so maybe I should fine chop a lot of veggies and any other good stuff and mix em in with mashed potatoes....ya think that would be a good nutritious treat? He is delirious over mashed potatoes. When I originally tried wild rice and mixing in some good healthy veggies, beans and leafy greens, I had a couple of misses...just trying to find something that is going to work for my little guy. He may be a little spoiled and maybe it will take a few tries.

Edited June 27, 2014 by Elvenking

[Timbersmom]

I use sprout people and their sprouter too. Expensive, but so easy! I have confidence in them as well.

[birdhouse]

"Mashed potatoes" like (some color of) :pwhite potato, :pmilk or :pcream, :psalt & ;)pepper?

 

White potato (incl red bliss, gold & all the other "designer" types) are members of the Nightshade family. Raw potatoes & especially spuds, contain nightshade alkaloids which are toxic to fids. Most of the nightshade alkaloids are thought to cook away at some point. There's no known test to tell at what point. Some people do let their *healthy* fids eat a limited amount of cooked potato. Food Nazi's don't feed white potato in any form.

 

Sweet potatoes/yams are not in the same family. They have nothing but good nutrition incl fiber, antioxidants like beta-carotene, vit C & A among other things. Warm steamed & mashed w/a sprinkle of cinnamon is very big around here. Sometimes I cheat & slip in a little yucky greens or mash them up w/some veggie or fruit juice. They also like some RPO melted into them sometimes.

 

There are many residual types of yucky stuff that build up in & around the kitchen sink. Not sure what exactly normal soap is. But many of the most commonly used soaps can be a problem if the fids are "eating" it (anything they'll put their mouths on qualifies as "eating" for now). They generally have bad chemicals that don't tend to rinse off well & often have nasty fumes into the bargain.

 

Plain old white vinegar is a surprisingly effective antibacterial/antimicrobial that can be used as a safe alternative for many spray cleaners. Simple table salt or baking soda can be used in place of powdered cleansers for scrubbing more stubborn spots.

 

My favorite way to clean is my steam cleaner because it uses nothing but super hot water. To me it's generally the quickest, easiest, most effective way to lift gunk & sanitize. Really good to clean tons of things; stoves & cages, especially!

 

Haven't looked at light bulbs in a while. But murfchck recently said they were replacing their bulbs. Maybe you can PM & let everyone know if you find something good.

 

 

Did you mean Volkman Avian Science Super Parrot Seed Mix 20 lb? It has a good rep but I'll always question feeding sunflower seed, peanuts & corn on a daily basis. Also, fids tend to eat the "good stuff" out of mixes like that & toss the rest. Which means they don't get a balanced diet even from the best mixes.

 

Bulk bags are economical. But it's a good idea to portion the food out into several smaller sealed storage containers to be used one at a time. It limits the food's potential exposure for things like mold & slows the nutrients from breaking down.

 

It's not outside the realm of possibility to get a bad bag of food, either. There have been a ridiculous amount of pet food recalls lately & those were just what got caught by quality control (if I can use the term loosely).

 

Something like that could also take a while to get out of a fid's system, too, depending on the problem. Something else you could try is checking the lot on the bag you're using & get a new bag from a different lot.

[Elvenking]

"Mashed potatoes" like (some color of) :pwhite potato, :pmilk or :pcream, :psalt & ;)pepper?

 

White potato (incl red bliss, gold & all the other "designer" types) are members of the Nightshade family. Raw potatoes & especially spuds, contain nightshade alkaloids which are toxic to fids. Most of the nightshade alkaloids are thought to cook away at some point. There's no known test to tell at what point. Some people do let their *healthy* fids eat a limited amount of cooked potato. Food Nazi's don't feed white potato in any form.

 

Sweet potatoes/yams are not in the same family. They have nothing but good nutrition incl fiber, antioxidants like beta-carotene, vit C & A among other things. Warm steamed & mashed w/a sprinkle of cinnamon is very big around here. Sometimes I cheat & slip in a little yucky greens or mash them up w/some veggie or fruit juice. They also like some RPO melted into them sometimes.

 

There are many residual types of yucky stuff that build up in & around the kitchen sink. Not sure what exactly normal soap is. But many of the most commonly used soaps can be a problem if the fids are "eating" it (anything they'll put their mouths on qualifies as "eating" for now). They generally have bad chemicals that don't tend to rinse off well & often have nasty fumes into the bargain.

 

Plain old white vinegar is a surprisingly effective antibacterial/antimicrobial that can be used as a safe alternative for many spray cleaners. Simple table salt or baking soda can be used in place of powdered cleansers for scrubbing more stubborn spots.

 

My favorite way to clean is my steam cleaner because it uses nothing but super hot water. To me it's generally the quickest, easiest, most effective way to lift gunk & sanitize. Really good to clean tons of things; stoves & cages, especially!

 

Haven't looked at light bulbs in a while. But murfchck recently said they were replacing their bulbs. Maybe you can PM & let everyone know if you find something good.

 

 

Did you mean Volkman Avian Science Super Parrot Seed Mix 20 lb? It has a good rep but I'll always question feeding sunflower seed, peanuts & corn on a daily basis. Also, fids tend to eat the "good stuff" out of mixes like that & toss the rest. Which means they don't get a balanced diet even from the best mixes.

 

Bulk bags are economical. But it's a good idea to portion the food out into several smaller sealed storage containers to be used one at a time. It limits the food's potential exposure for things like mold & slows the nutrients from breaking down.

 

It's not outside the realm of possibility to get a bad bag of food, either. There have been a ridiculous amount of pet food recalls lately & those were just what got caught by quality control (if I can use the term loosely).

 

Something like that could also take a while to get out of a fid's system, too, depending on the problem. Something else you could try is checking the lot on the bag you're using & get a new bag from a different lot.

 

 

Okay...so maybe back off on the potatoes. So what...do I get him hungry a bit so that he will break down and eat other stuff? LOL. I can try sweet potatoes....gotta learn how to do that though and make them appetizing...so if ya have any ideas or an exact step by step to follow...that works....remember...I am cooking impaired.

 

 

White vinegar is gonna make me sick smelling that incredibly disgusting smell all the time. How to avoid? Has to be another non-toxic solution.

 

Steam cleaner on a stove...a cage??? I don't see it or understand. LOL!

 

So far I know to not give Isaac anything I am giving him and have no "do this first" to do for him. As far as food...what shall I do. I just got the sprouter on order with mid-bird sprouts. That is gonna take some time. What can I do tonight?

 

My seeds are fine....the subject is very subjective and I just don't think that it is gonna make a diff if I switch up seeds. The seeds I get have a good rep...period.

 

"It's not outside the realm of possibility to get a bad bag of food, either. There have been a ridiculous amount of pet food recalls lately & those were just what got caught by quality control (if I can use the term loosely)." We have to trust someone. I do have other things in life other than the bird and cornering every paranoia is gonna not be possible. Are you trying to create paranoia?

 

Narrow your suggestions to something reasonable that I can try...not just heap so much on that it is impossible to know what to do. Not helping. Stressing me out!

Edited June 27, 2014 by Elvenking

[birdhouse]

I do have other things in life other than the bird and cornering every paranoia is gonna not be possible. Are you trying to create paranoia?

 

Narrow your suggestions to something reasonable that I can try...not just heap so much on that it is impossible to know what to do. Not helping. Stressing me out!

 

Certainly the last thing I want to do. So I'll apologize & stop now.

[Elvenking]

So the one thing I would like to focus on first will be his diet. Here is my schedule....and some diet plan must fit in with what is possible. I already ordered a sprouter and some mid-bird sprout from the sprouts people...really hopeful with this. but this is going to take a few days to et going.

 

My schedule during the week is as such...I get up in the morning and have up to two hours to do everything I have to do to get the birds ready and me off to work. I typically do not return till about 4:30PM but will often stop home at lunch time which is manageable. Whatever I feed him....I have to be able to get it to him...have him eat some...and be able to remove it and add some fresh veggies for the morning after I leave. I know that you don't want to leave them in the cage for too long, but I have to balance and I would rather leave him with something. Right now, I change all of his seed\pellet mix and water out, and chop fresh veggies a la broccoli, carrots, apples...and sometimes corn. Yeah probably needs a little help. Sometimes he gets a supplement of his baby food.

 

Then it's off to work where I might come home for lunch. Then I can typically come home right after work and tend to my baby again. Now would be when I have some time to make him something again. At this time...he either eats with me which can be noodles, rice of many types, chicken, he does pick my mashed potatoes...or I will make him some whole grain noodles with red palm oil, scrambled eggs. I definitely need more variety.

 

With a schedule like this...what would you do? I want someone to just say, "Try this" If you can do that.....my best love to you...and thank you.

[Elvenking]

Certainly the last thing I want to do. So I'll apologize & stop now.

 

Okay...so I guess your help has ended. Thanks. Man...what a great thing. How is that going to work? You have to understand just how stressful this is. We are talking about my baby here. I need help and things I can do...not things to not do. I can't go home and try everything you say....so it would be great if you could put all that typing into just one thing to try with Isaacs diet...so I can start somewhere.

Edited June 27, 2014 by Elvenking

[Elvenking]

I use sprout people and their sprouter too. Expensive, but so easy! I have confidence in them as well.

 

How does your Grey take to the sprouts? I have just ordered some and am very hopeful. I don't mind the cost, I just hope Isaac can dig em.

[SRSeedBurners]

Focusing on diet and no time to be a stay-at-home cook - here's what I would try:

 

Sprouts - you got that coming in. You can leave them in all day - we do. They get a little dry and crackly by the end of the day but that's better than wet and moldy.

 

Hanging foraging cage - use that to put vegetable wedges in for him to work at. My birds will spend at least an hour or two digging all the goodies out.

We have several of these

 

Birdy bread - Get a good birdy bread. Our birds get bored of the same ol shat. Good birdy bread provides another vehicle to get the good stuff in them. Bored with sprouts? Switch to birdy bread.

Can't remember who or where I saw this posted but if I didn't have a stay-at-home wife, I'd be cooking this stuff.

 

Frozen veggie mix: I got this great tip from our Jardines breeder - quick and fast!!!. Use a frozen veggie mix (corn, carrot, greenbean) from the store as a base. Then mix in one or two somethings to change it up- we tend to use the following: frozen - lima beans, chickpeas, peas; fresh - brocolli, okra (Greycie LOVES okra), banana, jicama. Basically I'll raid the veggie isle looking for ideas.

 

The sprouts and the birdy bread are expensive but I find they last a long time so cost is reasonable. We tend to rotate through the birdy bread, veggie mix and sprouts to keep their diet interesting. I've had problems with them getting bored and not eating so I learned to switch things up. Every now and then as a treat I'll bust out the GreycieMae Oatmeal recipe I have. She gulps it down.

[Elvenking]

Focusing on diet and no time to be a stay-at-home cook - here's what I would try:

 

Sprouts - you got that coming in. You can leave them in all day - we do. They get a little dry and crackly by the end of the day but that's better than wet and moldy.

 

Hanging foraging cage - use that to put vegetable wedges in for him to work at. My birds will spend at least an hour or two digging all the goodies out.

We have several of these

 

Birdy bread - Get a good birdy bread. Our birds get bored of the same ol shat. Good birdy bread provides another vehicle to get the good stuff in them. Bored with sprouts? Switch to birdy bread.

Can't remember who or where I saw this posted but if I didn't have a stay-at-home wife, I'd be cooking this stuff.

 

Frozen veggie mix: I got this great tip from our Jardines breeder - quick and fast!!!. Use a frozen veggie mix (corn, carrot, greenbean) from the store as a base. Then mix in one or two somethings to change it up- we tend to use the following: frozen - lima beans, chickpeas, peas; fresh - brocolli, okra (Greycie LOVES okra), banana, jicama. Basically I'll raid the veggie isle looking for ideas.

 

The sprouts and the birdy bread are expensive but I find they last a long time so cost is reasonable. We tend to rotate through the birdy bread, veggie mix and sprouts to keep their diet interesting. I've had problems with them getting bored and not eating so I learned to switch things up. Every now and then as a treat I'll bust out the GreycieMae Oatmeal recipe I have. She gulps it down.

 

Ohhh man....perfect. I am going to order one of those little foraging cages....and I like the veggie mix idea. I might have to try a couple times before he digs in....he is used to being spoiled a bit I am sure. I used to try making Isaac birdie bread a la corn bread with chopped veggies mixed in....it was so-so....easy to try again though.

 

Anyway....while typing this...I ordered the little bird foraging cage.....the birdie bread....and a birdie cookbook called Flourish to Nourish. I will try to steam some sweet potatoes for him tonight...I found how to do this as well.

[SRSeedBurners]

Yeah, I forgot about sweet potatoes. Greycie will gulp those too. The key with her is - warm. Make it warm, she'll most likely eat it. She won't eat cold birdy bread, warm it, it's gone. Our microwave gets used a ton. The frozen veggie mix is warmed in the nuke box. I'm like you, don't have a lot of time in the morning, so I have limited time to get their skool bags packed. These birds are my problem so I try not to overwhelm my wife with their care so she doesn't order us all out.

 

If you do want to have a go at baking your own bread, I try to stay away from the corn bread mixes (I'm anti-corn filler). Florida parrot rescue has a really good easy recipe, if you can find the ingredients. They use barley, oat, rice and buckwheat flour - hard to find. Bob's Red Mill has a 10-grain flour I'm hunting that has: whole grain wheat, rye, triticale, oats, corn, soy beans, barley, brown rice, millet, flaxseed. Also a pancake mix (I will fix Greycie and all of us pancakes on the weekend occasionally).

 

Florida parrot rescue birdy bread PDF

 

 

I never cooked a thing until I got these babies - go figure.

[Timbersmom]

I just boil sweet potatoes for Timber until they are soft enough to mash. He will eat them plain, especially if I feed them to him off a spoon (ha). The point is that once they develop a taste for sweet potatoes you can sneak other stuff (like finely chopped greens) in there.

[Elvenking]

Yep...I am trying that with Isaac now. He started off slow, but ate some the other evening. If I leave them with him for a bit...he begins to nibble more and more. He also digs whole grain pasta with red palm oil. I figure that is a great way to get his grains. As always..a host of veggies.

[Timbersmom]

Timber is a very picky eater. One thing I've found he will eat is this http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=8451 He likes the Mundo Brazil. I ordered the assortment pack first to determine which, if any, he would eat. He will pick at all of them but consistently eats the Mundo Brazil. He would not eat the soak and serve, though I tried. This mix is the one I can successfully add red palm oil, hemp seed, and chia seed to and he will eat them in it.

[Muse]

Yeah, I forgot about sweet potatoes. Greycie will gulp those too. The key with her is - warm. Make it warm, she'll most likely eat it. She won't eat cold birdy bread, warm it, it's gone. Our microwave gets used a ton. The frozen veggie mix is warmed in the nuke box. I'm like you, don't have a lot of time in the morning, so I have limited time to get their skool bags packed. These birds are my problem so I try not to overwhelm my wife with their care so she doesn't order us all out.

 

If you do want to have a go at baking your own bread, I try to stay away from the corn bread mixes (I'm anti-corn filler). Florida parrot rescue has a really good easy recipe, if you can find the ingredients. They use barley, oat, rice and buckwheat flour - hard to find. Bob's Red Mill has a 10-grain flour I'm hunting that has: whole grain wheat, rye, triticale, oats, corn, soy beans, barley, brown rice, millet, flaxseed. Also a pancake mix (I will fix Greycie and all of us pancakes on the weekend occasionally).

 

Florida parrot rescue birdy bread PDF

 

 

I never cooked a thing until I got these babies - go figure.

 

I think you can order most of Bob's stuff on their website. Not sure how much the shipping is, but they have things you can't find at the stores.