lentils, rice, popcorn?

[DavidH]

Has anyone any experience using rice, lentils, popcorn either raw or cooked as a supplement to pellets?

 

Shanti loved a couple of raw lentils I gave him. Previously, I had been using a commercial mush of cooked grains for parrots.

 

Any help or advice appreciated.

[BaxtersMom]

I'm sorry I missed this post when it came up.

 

I give my flock popped popcorn and they love it. I don't know about unpopped kernals but would be hesitant to feed it untill I new for sure.

 

I have also given my bird cooked lentils. I have heard that raw lentils have a toxin in them and are not good for our fids so I stay away from the raw ones. Occassionaly some seed mix has them in there but I pick them out right away.

 

I also give my flock cooked rice. It is another favorite. I do not give it to them uncooked. I am afraid they will swell in their stomach and kill them. I seen on the news a long time a story about how they were banning "throwing rice" at weddings because the wild birds would eat it, it would expand in their stomachs and they died. I'm not taking the chance.

 

I think all 3 things are totally safe if they are cooked.

[DavidH]

Thanks! Karma to you.

[SchroedersJen]

I would be wary of giving uncooked lentils or rice to a bird, the grains absorb fluids and can dehydrate your fid. Also, they can expand and that can cause painful expansion and tears if the bird is unable to gurge the excess up.

[judygram]

I believe that is exactly why they went from throwing rice to throwing bird seed at new married couples upon leaving the church.

 

Any kind of cooked rice is a favorite of Josey and popped corn is also.