Is my parrot a fatty?

[Knight05]

I couldn't find any info on what an ideal parrot's weight should be around 1 yr old. Chloe is like anti every food that isn't bad for her. She won't eat oatmeal or frush fruits and nuts. I have her a bowl of mixed berries once and she just ripped it to shreds and tossed it on the carpet. I've tried harrison and other protein type nuggets. I've tried limiting her food amount in the evening/night so she would be hungry in the morning and be more open to other foods and NOPE no-go.

 

Basically if it isn't fatty, unhealthy, or loaded with salt cheese or something else bad she won't eat it. What else could I do at this point? I even eat stuff in front of her to show her its tastey and she tries it then but goes OMG you lied to me! And spits it back out. Should I call jenny craig and ask if they accept parrots? Also how does a bird keep the weight down normally if they are clipped? Seem like if they can't fly and burn calories they just kind of pack it on?

 

*P.S. I forgot to add she is currently on a Supreme parrot fruit/nut seed mix. It's most every type of seed you can think of with dried banana and other fruits etc etc.<br><br>Post edited by: Knight05, at: 2008/04/25 16:11

[Johnny]

How does she know all these fatty food in the first place? She most likely doesn't do here own shopping in the house. Greys weight can be between 275-450gr. Females weight is less then a males, most of the time, but not always.

Set up a bowl with her food, and sprinkle some of the powder from bird baby formula over the food. Make it seem like using salt on food. They don't like the taste of it very much. Have another bowl with different food you want her to eat, and she might try it after a few days.

Hope you have good luck.

[Knight05]

I guess I'm guilty as charged as bad foods go, but I'm a first time parrot owner and some what clueless so for the 1st month or so I experimented with like everything known to man minus the dangerous stuff to see what she enjoyed most.

[jj_qpr11]

hey have you tried grapes? thats the ONLY fresh fruit corkey will eat and shes mad for them! also how about yoghurt and monkey nuts? another 2 of corkeys favourite treats. at least its not too fatty/salty. sunflower seeds are about the only thing she'll touch out of a "normal" parrot mix of dried fruit and seeds. worth trying those things to try and get you bird eating a bit healthier.

oh corkey does love crisps (or "chips" as you might say in the USA) I very occasionally break off a small piece of crisp for her, but only VERY occasionally.

[siobha9]

Be careful with grapes. Oisin loves them too, but gets very bad dirrohea with them. He can have 2 max in a day, and then none the next day. Problems arise, when I give him 2, and then my daughter gives him 2, and then his daddy gives him 2. You get the picture !!!!

 

He also eats cooked vegetables. The frozen mixed veg is really handy. Put a handful in a cup, cover with cling film and microwave for a couple of minutes. Let it cool, and Dinners Ready!!!

[lovemyGreys]

spence you need to try & introduce veggies,fruit,pulses into her diet, i have included some links for you..

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/bird-food/24030-whats-your-greys-diet.html

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/bird-food/53831-tips-for-getting-your-grey-to-eattry-new-foods.html

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/bird-food/59809-complete-veggiefruit-list.html

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/bird-food/28994-do-you-sprout-.html

[judygram]

Grapes don't offer much nutritionally either so limit them, offer veggies and other fruits.

 

Josey does not get any kind of chips or salted foods as I don't even have a chip in the house, I am watching what I eat but you shouldn't go giving Chloe all that junk food just because you are eating it. Now cut that out.:laugh: B)

[casper]

Have you tried hand feeding or are you just putting food into a bowl? The only reason I ask is that some days Charlie will just tip his bowl over and leave his fruit, veggies, but if I hand or spoon feed them will eat most of them. He is about the same age, I think it must still be the baby in them lol

[parrotlady]

Please do and try to change your Grey's diet. Through your love of him and wanting to give him what he wants you are shortening his lifespan considerably.

 

This type of snacking will lead to kidney disease, gout lack of vitamins and minerals which are essential to his well being.

 

Don't offer any seed in the morning at all instead only give the fresh. This can be vegetables, fruit, pulses etc. When you do give him his seed/pellets (later in the afternoon) only give him a maximum of two tablespoonfuls. This way he will still be hungry enough to want to try the new (healthy) food.

 

Don't worry if he makes a mess of it and throws it around, persevere and keep offering it. He will learn to accept healthy food but you must be persistant.

[parrotlady]

Forgot to add a congo grey's weight can be anywhere between 350g-650g most of mine are around the 550g mark and are all fit and healthy.

 

With a clipped bird you can still excersise him by holding him on your hand and holding his toes with your thumb (or finger). Hold your arm high in the air and drop it down (quite quickly). He will automatically start flapping and the flapping will help build up his chest muscles and reduce the fat build up. Just make sure that you are holding his toes securely so that he doesn't fall.

[LadyJayne4Toby]

Toby is testimony to a shy eater becoming confident to try new things! 'Birdie soups' worked well fed to him with his handfeeding spoon as he is 10 months old. Whizz up a veg, fruit, baby food - runny enough to slide off a spoon and try it out. Within a few weeks Toby was picking soupy favorites out of his bowl every morning! Gradually I stopped the mushy food and varied his bowl of soft food every morning. I feed it to him warm. He now goes crazy for it! I will only feed him a shallow dish of seed at night after his second bowl of veg. He also drinks down oils with herbal tea in the morning - again, on his beloved handfeeding spoon. Gradually - and with the patience of a saint - your baby will develope a 'taste' for what is goooood!

 

All the best!

 

PS - If all else fails, just give her a bowl of soft foods, beans, fruit, veg etc - and add 'fun food'. Dried pasta, unshelled nuts, half an unsalted cracker, a sprinkeling of sunflower seed - get her interested!! She'll soon dig around a see that the offensive healthy stuff aint so icky!

[M2MM]

Greys can differ in size and build so much that it's best to let your vet determine the "ideal" weight for your Grey.

 

Rule of thumb: If the keel bone (breast bone) is prominent but has a good amount of muscle on either side, then they are a healthy weight. If the surrounding muscle is minimal, then they are on the thin side. And, if the keel bone is hard to find/feel, then they are probably too fat.