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holistic parrotlet diet

Vera

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Vera
hi all!

I have two parrotlets.

this is what i feed them at the moment:

- 5gr TOP pellets

- 5gr organic seed mixture

-10gr sprouted organic seeds

-10gr vegetables/cooked grains.

the veggies aren't organic and i'd like to change this part of the diet.

I've found 3 different dried organic vegetable mixes and i'd like to feed this (soaked) instead of the fresh non- organic mix.

I also found a organic bean/lentil and grain mixture wich needs to be cookes, i'd like to feed this twice a week instead of veggies.

also i'd like to add some beepollen, wheatgrass, and a herb mix, all rotating during the week.
they also have acces to a cuttle bone and i give them some all natural mineral mix.


at the moment i also give them a sprinkle of calcivet powder twice a week, to make sure the calcium, vitamine D and magnesium are covered.

TOP pellets are great and organic, but there isn't a good analyse so i don't know it contains enough of these.
I also think about feeding only seeds, veggies, and all the things mentioned above, without the pellets.

what do you think about this diet?

what is better : with or without pellets?

is vitamine D covered by maybe the bee pollen?
(during the summer i take them outside for some vitamine D, but in the winter this is not possible.
i don't want to use UV lights.)
 

Timmy&Crash

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TOPS are good and organic but they don't have any vitamin D or calcium I would recommend Harrison's Pellets if you can get them there. They are also organic and do have vitamin D in them.
I feed my birds 60% Harrison's pellets with Red Palm oil added 10% quality seed mix, 5% almonds and walnuts 25% homemade chop which includes cooked beans, corn, several grains carrots etc. They both always have great check ups at the Vet.
 

Vera

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I still don't know how to feed my parrotlets in the best possible way. When i make them a mash (veggies,pulses,grains) with different ingredients they do eat it. They like their dry seed mix ( organic,low fat with dried herbs and flowers) they like their sprouted seeds,grains and pulses. They like their cooked food with different grains and veggies in it.They also love their pellets (organic,beaphar) but i doubt if pellets are good for them. It has something to do with the species drinking not enough water to process the dry pellets and there is also a risk of vitamine overload. I'm thinking about switching to a natural diet without pellets. Do you think that they can get all they need from the above diet? For vit D i would add some cooked eggyolk and/or fishoil a couple of times a week. They have cuttlefishbone',a mineral block and sand in their cage for calcium and other minerals. What is the best diet for them: 1.lots of sprouted seeds.pulses and grains.veggies and a good low fat seedmix. With added cod liver oil or some cooked eggyolk for vit D a couple of times a week. Or. 2. Low % organic pellets(beaphar) .organic seedmix. Sprouted seeds grains and pulses and some veggies.
 

BeakyBird

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I've heard people go back and forth about pellets for parrotlets. A lot of people say it hasn't been proven to be good for them, and to stick with a healthy mix of fresh seed and fresh veggie mash. I do both. My Ollie never took to pellets anyways, but I'm so confused as to what is healthy for them and what is not. x_x'
 

Vera

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I know what you mean. Sometimes i believe pellets ( as part of the diet) are good as a safety net, other times i think they don't need them and can be harmful. I now feed half pellets rest seeds, sprouted seeds and when they eat it a veggie mash. Because my birds do eat some veggies i think they will be fine on sprouted seeds with a little bit veggie mash, but i'm also scared that the very small amount of eaten veggies will do them short and that is why i keep feeding some pellets. I just want what is best for them but i can't make up my mind....
 

Vera

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At the moment they are still on a diet with about 25% pellets. TOP and Beaphar.
The pellets are part of a drymix with bee pollen, organic seeds, organic dried veggies and some mineral powder.
In the morning they are fed sprouted seeds and legumes.during the day they have their drymix and in the adternoon they are fed a mix of cooked grains,rice,legumes and rehydrated organic dried veggies.
Is this a good diet? Can this diet also be good enough without the pellets in it?
 

Milo

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The problem is that it is very difficult to get all of the trace vitamins and minerals with just a home made diet. I have a feeling there will always be a debate and disagreement over using a pelleted diet for any species. Quite frankly we're never going to replicate what they have in the wild and pellets help to make sure that they don't have things like vitamin deficiencies. Of course, I don't believe that a bird should only be fed pellets, but that they are an integral PART of a balanced diet.
 

goosegirl

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I breed parrotlets, and personally don't favor pellets. It's rare that any of mine will even consider eating them. Although my bird's will occasionally tolerate Avi cakes.

You run into the liver issues or issues with their health, in regards to pellets, mostly with the color mutations. However, all those " fancy" mutations usually have health issues and shorter lifespans anyhow. I personally won't breed them because it's not fair to the animal or owner. Generally a healthy properly and responsibly bred parrotlet should be ok with pellets. However, I just rather not risk it and feed high quality seed, bee pollen, fruits, veggies and grains and legumes. Also egg food for birds that have babies, babies that are weaning, or birds that are molting. Also some of my parrotlets love eating the blossoms off my fruit trees. I also put Nekton -s supplement in their water and this really keeps them in tip top shape.
 
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