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Update on Food Throwing


cindyscharlie

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Well, Charlie is still throwing his food even though I have started ignoring him....Im wondering if I need to change is diet and give me some tips on what to try next....vacuum cleaner is really getting a work out..lol...Charlie has learned a new thing though he is dancing....I try to praise him and talk sweet but its not working either....he doesn't come out of his cage much anymore and we can't figure that out unless its the cuckoo clock next to him and he is afraid of it...should I move the clock its an antique and I just got it....any advice

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Kip likes to exhuberently dive into her food bowl and toss beakfuls and/or claw fulls of dry food everywhere. She does this every couple of days. I generally ignore it, but have observed her happily foraging on the floor of her cage for the foods she tossed (if I have not gotten around to cleaning it)...They naturally forage on the ground in wild and its considered good to provide some opportunity to do so. It may just be something you need to live with...they are messy and wasteful! B)

 

Regarding the clock. The introduction of something new/strange can definitely be stressful for some greys and result in behavior changes. I would probably remove the clock for now. You can try putting somewhere in sight and moving it closer over a series of days or weeks (depending on how sensitive your bird it to new things) to let them adjust. If they are acting different on of the first questions to ask is whether something recently changed (environment, diet, daily routine etc). I think here its pretty likely that the clock is a culprit...<br><br>Post edited by: dblhelix, at: 2008/01/16 21:35

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Let me ask this because I have only had charlie will be a year next month....he is 2 1/2 years old...do they get bored with the same food....do I need to change it up for him....I have him on avian looks like fruit loops...lol...and I put two scoops of congo grey seeds and sometimes I will add snow peas or green beans (raw) for a treat and peanuts....he is so not into any type of fruit only grapes hates everything else...

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Just my opinion, but real food is healthier and more interesting to parrots than processed pellets. They thrive on a lot of fresh vegetables, especially the ones high in beta-carotene which is converted to the all-important Vit. A. Parrots are slow to change their food habits, and often people give up - it takes perserverance to change a bird's diet.

 

What I suggest you try is mix up several grains (human quality from a natural foods store) like wheat berries (or spelt or kamut), oat groats, hulless barley (not pearl), quinoa, raw buckwheat, and you can add hulled sunflower seeds. Canary seed and red and white millet will need to be purchased at a feed store probably, or on-line. Mix up 4 to 6 different grains/seeds, take out 2 Tbs. (for one Grey), rinse in a strainer, place in a cup or bowl and then soak overnight in water. Drain and rinse in the morning, let it dry off a bit, then feed some to your bird, starting with a small amount mixed into a familiar food, chopped vegetables would be ideal. These grains and seeds have started the germination process and are lower in fat (grains are low anyway) and higher in nutrition than when fed dry. The leftover soaked grains can be allowed to dry a bit more, then refrigerate in a covered container. They will keep for 3 days. Or, you can leave them in a strainer set over a bowl, rinse a couple of times during the day, and they will continue to sprout, being at peak nutrition when you can first see tiny "tails". Either way is healthy and good.

 

Have you ever tried cooked, mashed sweet potato (plain, nothing added)? If he doesn't like it right away, just mix a little into a food he does like, gradually increasing the amount.

 

I can give you lots more diet ideas if you're interested!

Reta

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Well, I have just come to realize Charlie is just going to be a food thrower...He is a good bird overall but he does have his moments I guess just like we do...He is very spoiled...I buy him toys all the time Im coming home with something new and challenging for him because he is young but this weekend Im definitely taking the cuckcoo clock down too see if he will come out of his cage because he was sitting on his door all day...now he want come out at all...I think he thinks that is another bird in the house when the clock goes off:ohmy:

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