Versele-Laga

[TinyTimneh]

Going out to pick up some food for the fids this morning and I just wanted to know what you guys thought of this brand because it's the only other one I have access to aside for Hagen (Jacko now flat out refuses to eat... don't blame him).

 

I know that it's a seed mix with a few pellets sprinkled in but I'm realizing that pellets just isn't going to cut it anymore with them.

 

Every time my parrots get to eat some other kind of food that isn't the Tropican pellets they usually get they start refusing to eat the pellets. I know it's because the pellets are pretty bland and that's all they usually get.

I have started to provide them with small amounts of budgie seed (no sunflower or safflower) as a regular part of their diet, because I figure it's natural for them and probably a lot more enriching in ther lives. It causes them all to go off their pellets to a certain extent... (the grey is the worst... he refuses to eat anything but the budgie mix and is dropping weight) Also helps with boost fat content for the tiel and grey.

 

I think the only type available is the prestige mix (i'll be getting the one with the lowest sunflower etc. ratio) just wanted to know how I could make this mix into a balanced diet for my birds.

[danmcq]

Seeds and nuts should play in as part of their diet. Vets recommend around 20%.

 

The rest should be some good pellets like Zupreem, Harrison's etc., lots of veggies, legumes and whole grains cooked and mixed, a little fruit 2 or 3 times a week.

 

All seed diet will lead to poor health and a shortened life span as has been documented many times by Avian Vets.

[BaxtersMom]

Dan got it right about the seeds. They should only have a Limited amount. They NEED the pellets for a healthy diet. It is so important.

 

If I give my flock too much daily seed, they too will flat out refuse the pellets. You can not give in to this. It's like telling your child he can eat candy bars all day instead of sitting down for a nutritious dinner.

 

It is easier to give in to the seeds because they like them so much but it has been documented time and time again that it will affect their health in a negative way and shorten the life span. It may not be obvious to see but I believe it will make them not feel as good since they are not getting their proper nutrition.

 

I do give my flock seeds, but just a pinch. If I give them too much, they leave all their pellets so I start cutting back on the seeds again.

 

If you don't give in to the amount of seeds they want they WILL eat the pellets but why should they if they have all the seeds they want?:unsure:

[lovethatgrey]

I would still offer the Tropican pellets along with a seed mixture if that's what he will accept. The seed mixture is just not adequate or acceptable on its own for your african grey.

 

I hope you do something QUICKLY... because dropping weight is a very bad sign.<br><br>Post edited by: lovethatgrey, at: 2009/03/13 20:18

[TinyTimneh]

That's the thing though BaxtersMom, I really don't give them much at all, the grey might get a teaspoon a day, if that. So I don't get as to why he's doing this... then again he's done it before.

The ONLY way I got him to resume the pellets was to COMPLETELY remove any seed, even treats. Otherwise he'll hold out for them, even if it's only five sunflower seeds a day. Obviously THAT isn't healthy either.

When he eats pellets he usually only eats enough to keep him alive (he tends to drop weight dramatically and then eat only enough to maintain this weight... even though he feels skinny).

This is because he ate grocery-brand bird seed before he came to me.

So I feel as if I can't maintain him on these pellets (I know it might be these pellets because when offered cooked food like Beak Appetit or even the fruity Zupreem he increases the amount he's eating DRAMATICALLY). For right now I forgot I had some Prime supplement lying around so I will start adding it to his diet at least to help him get the missing things (he likes most fruit and some veggies).

 

I agree exactly with that you both have said and I know that long term seed-based (unless he also eats many fruits and veggies and grains) is too fatty and will harm him. But at this point I don't want him to starve himself to this point either so I'm willing to accomodate him for now.

Just thought of this but would it be possible to soak his pellets in healthy fruit juice and then dry/cook them to absorb the moisture so that they'll keep (otherwise I know they spoil in about an hour and I'm away all day) but still retain the flavour?

This way I'd be able to give him the fruity taste he likes without all the colours and artifical things found in Zupreem.

[TinyTimneh]

I caved and bought him the seed mix for now (the African parakeet mix... less sunflower and at least there's pellets mixed in)... hopefully he'll start eating again. I will try to wean him off it ASAP but for the main concern is to get him eating and put weight back on.

I guess I'll have to teach him good eating habits just like a little baby grey (considering he liked beer and steak and coffee and whatnot when he first came to me I'd say he never learned good habits).

[BaxtersMom]

Yes, they are just like kids and you have treat them as children, too, sometimes:laugh: and you will have to make him have good eating habits as they will not come on their own.

 

I give mine just a pinch of seeds in the mornings, maybe a half a teaspoon. If I give a hole teaspoon they don't eat their pellets:( . I have learned this through time;) Sometimes if they have been eating their pellets good I will give them a few extra seeds for good behavior, but the slightest sign that they are refusing the pellets again, I go back to the same small amount of seeds again.

 

I have soaked pellets in apple juice for my eclectus parrot and that was the only way he would even attempt to eat them. I would put them in apple juice for just a few seconds and give them like that. Not soggy, just wet. He ate them. I finally found Zupreem fruity blend (smells so good) and he likes them just fine dry. Sometimes you have to change brands as they don't always like the same kind. I have 2 that eat fruity blend and 2 that eat plain pellets:blink: (Why can't they all eat the same thing??) I am assuming that other juices to wet them in would be fine, too.

 

You might have a tough road ahead of you but be persistant. I seen the last comment about the beer, steak and coffee and had to cringe. It's lucky your grey is still alive. Beer and Coffee can be fatal to greys:ohmy:

 

It sounds like his diet was awful but through time, persistance and patience you can get him eating a healthy diet. Just don't give up. It may take months like my eclectus did. You will probably have set backs as I did but hang in there and your precious grey will be better for it. I am not sure if you are giving him veggies or not but try and incorporate them in his diet as well if you can. Good luck

[TinyTimneh]

He's not too picky about fruits and veggies, loves most fruits and some veggies, I try to get them for him as much as possible (I'm not working right now and basically I eat what is bought and the others in the house DO NOT eat a lot of veggies and things... hopefully I'll be employed soon)

As soon as I put the seed mix in he dived into it and has been chowing down since. Gave him his daily dose of PRIME as well on a piece of banana.

I know exactly what you mean, I know very well the toxicities of alcohol and caffeine... basically he came to me in a beer box so I'm not suprised he went though that... also lived in a house with a chronic smoker too. These are suprisingly tough little critters