Zupreem help?

[Phoenix&Li]

Hi all. I have a sun conure (5 months old) and I have successfully switched from a seed diet to zupreem pellets. I am currently feeding her zupreem naturals and fruit blend mixed together. However, she doesn't eat the naturals or the green from the fruit blend. I was wondering if it's okay to feed her just fruit blend or should I slowly remove the fruit blend from her diet and just feed naturals? I want her to live a long healthy life. Please help. Suggestions?

 

[Phoenix&Li]

First bird, please be gentle.

 

[Mizzely]

Since we don't know the actual long term effects of artificial coloring on parrots, and the fact that it discolors feces which makes it harder to detect health problems, naturals would be more ideal than the fruity. I have a bird right now that is only eating fruity though, so I understand the struggle! If you offer just the naturals, does she eat it?

At the end of the day the best pellet is the one your bird will eat, so if she really doesn't eat the naturals, you can continue to mix and hope, or try again at a later date. I've had some birds suddenly start to eat the other pellet after 6 months of trying, while others (Ripley!) that won't even try after a year.

 

[taxidermynerd]

I feed Zupreem Naturals, my budgie wouldn't touch the fruity. In the long term, it would be better to be on Naturals as the food coloring in the Fruity can make it hard to tell if something is wrong with the bird's poop.

But like Shawna said, the best pellet is the one they'll eat. If you end up looking for other pellets, Harrison's and Roudybush are really good brands.

 

[Phoenix&Li]

Since we don't know the actual long term effects of artificial coloring on parrots, and the fact that it discolors feces which makes it harder to detect health problems, naturals would be more ideal than the fruity. I have a bird right now that is only eating fruity though, so I understand the struggle! If you offer just the naturals, does she eat it?

At the end of the day the best pellet is the one your bird will eat, so if she really doesn't eat the naturals, you can continue to mix and hope, or try again at a later date. I've had some birds suddenly start to eat the other pellet after 6 months of trying, while others (Ripley!) that won't even try after a year.

Thank you for responding. I don't really know if she'll eat just naturals but I can try to faze out the fruity I don't mind doing so. I will probably give her a snack worth of fruity and have majority be naturals. She usually just eats all the fruity except green and start screaming that she doesn't have food left and in the bowl will be the naturals and greens.

 

[Phoenix&Li]

I feed Zupreem Naturals, my budgie wouldn't touch the fruity. In the long term, it would be better to be on Naturals as the food coloring in the Fruity can make it hard to tell if something is wrong with the bird's poop.

But like Shawna said, the best pellet is the one they'll eat. If you end up looking for other pellets, Harrison's and Roudybush are really good brands.

Thank you for responding. I didn't know about the poop issue, I know that they are prey animals and it's hard to tell if somethings wrong with our feathered friends. And if we do notice something, it's usually too late.

 

[Mizzely]

Yeah Ripley eats all of his except purple....last month it was green, other times it is yellow. I don't understand But he was dumping his bowl out when he was displeased with what he had left until I swapped his bowls for ceramic

 

[Phoenix&Li]

Yeah Ripley eats all of his except purple....last month it was green, other times it is yellow. I don't understand But he was dumping his bowl out when he was displeased with what he had left until I swapped his bowls for ceramic

Lol yes Phoenix does that as well so I learned not to fill the bowl all the way because most of it will be everywhere else. I just wanted some suggestions because I don't like wasting food and to me if she's not eating it than theres no point in buying it but I didn't realize there was food coloring in the fruity.

 

[Phoenix&Li]

Lol yes Phoenix does that as well so I learned not to fill the bowl all the way because most of it will be everywhere else. I just wanted some suggestions because I don't like wasting food and to me if she's not eating it than theres no point in buying it but I didn't realize there was food coloring in the fruity.

Lol unfortunately she uses her beak as a shovel so the bowl doesn't matter.

 

[Dostc426]

My Sun used to be on the fruit pellets! What worked the best for us to wean him on to some better pellets is providing him variety! So he started on the fruit zupreem, I added vegetable zupreem, slowly weened out the fruit zupreem, added all natural zupreem, lessened the amount of vegetable zupreem, increased the amount of all natural zupreem, and now he gets a food blend of all natural zupreem, roudybush and tops with a sprinkle of vegetable zupreem! To get my sun to this point it took YEARS! Either way it takes time so enjoy the journey and milestones with your birdie!

 

[Phoenix&Li]

My Sun used to be on the fruit pellets! What worked the best for us to wean him on to some better pellets is providing him variety! So he started on the fruit zupreem, I added vegetable zupreem, slowly weened out the fruit zupreem, added all natural zupreem, lessened the amount of vegetable zupreem, increased the amount of all natural zupreem, and now he gets a food blend of all natural zupreem, roudybush and tops with a sprinkle of vegetable zupreem! To get my sun to this point it took YEARS! Either way it takes time so enjoy the journey and milestones with your birdie!

Thank you for responding. I looked into the veggie but I didn't like the big size. But I think I'm going to try it because she doesn't eat fresh veggies which isn't good. Isn't the veggie dyed too?

 

[Dostc426]

Thank you for responding. I looked into the veggie but I didn't like the big size. But I think I'm going to try it because she doesn't eat fresh veggies which isn't good. Isn't the veggie dyed too?

Of course!
The vegetable one has varied sized pellets in it so there are some small ones mixed in, my conure funny enough will ONLY eat big pellets lol! The vegetable one is dyed as well yes but for a parrot who might be used to the colors, like my sun who ate the fruit pellets at the time, it helped him transition to a different kind of pellet without noticing it too much because it was still colorful. The vegetable one has more colors that are similar to the all natural ones so with them mixed in with the vegetable ones I think that is how my sun started to like them, because he didn't notice the change in color too much! Then once they are used to the all natural colored ones you can add even more healthy pellets that are similar in color! I always have to trick my boy lol!

Does your bird like fresh fruit at all?

 

[Phoenix&Li]

Of course!
The vegetable one has varied sized pellets in it so there are some small ones mixed in, my conure funny enough will ONLY eat big pellets lol! The vegetable one is dyed as well yes but for a parrot who might be used to the colors, like my sun who ate the fruit pellets at the time, it helped him transition to a different kind of pellet without noticing it too much because it was still colorful. The vegetable one has more colors that are similar to the all natural ones so with them mixed in with the vegetable ones I think that is how my sun started to like them, because he didn't notice the change in color too much! Then once they are used to the all natural colored ones you can add even more healthy pellets that are similar in color! I always have to trick my boy lol!

Does your bird like fresh fruit at all?

Yes fresh fruit is a must. She usually eats white nectarine with me. She likes strawberries too. She's big on fruit but not veggies. She ate a cucumber the other day. I tried sweet pepper yesterday but no go. She seems to hate strong smells and mushy food.

 

[Dostc426]

Yes fresh fruit is a must. She usually eats white nectarine with me. She likes strawberries too. She's big on fruit but not veggies. She ate a cucumber the other day. I tried sweet pepper yesterday but no go. She seems to hate strong smells and mushy food.

Your bird is EXACTLY how my bird first was! Lol! It took be YEARS to get him to eat vegetables, and will not touch them unless there is fruit in there as well! The only way he will eat them is if I cut up his fruit into cubes, then I food process vegetables until they are super tiny chunks, then I coat his fruit with the chopped vegetable pieces! He still gets his fruit, but he HAS to get some vegetables into his mouth too! Patience is key! Never stop trying! Anything new with my parrot he has to be tricked into!

 

[cassiesdad]

Here I am, defending the Zupreem Fruit pellets again.

@Mizzely said, the best pellet is the one your bird eats. I don't think the different shapes of the pellets make that much of a difference. Milton will get picky about certain color of pellets...and his rejection of a color will last a few days...then onto anther color, and so on.

At the end of the day the best pellet is the one your bird will eat, so if she really doesn't eat the naturals, you can continue to mix and hope, or try again at a later date.

...that's what I'd say.

 

[Mizzely]

They are coming out with a smaller version of the vegetable, in the cockatiel size. The veggie is still artificial colors. VeggieBlend® Flavor with Natural Flavors - ZuPreem

They are also coming out with a PastaBlend in several sizes that are naturally colored. Despite the name, they are just pasta shaped PastaBlend™ - ZuPreem

 

[Phoenix&Li]

Your bird is EXACTLY how my bird first was! Lol! It took be YEARS to get him to eat vegetables, and will not touch them unless there is fruit in there as well! The only way he will eat them is if I cut up his fruit into cubes, then I food process vegetables until they are super tiny chunks, then I coat his fruit with the chopped vegetable pieces! He still gets his fruit, but he HAS to get some vegetables into his mouth too! Patience is key! Never stop trying! Anything new with my parrot he has to be tricked into!

That's smart. Lol I'm going to try that.

 

[Phoenix&Li]

Here I am, defending the Zupreem Fruit pellets again.

@Mizzely said, the best pellet is the one your bird eats. I don't think the different shapes of the pellets make that much of a difference. Milton will get picky about certain color of pellets...and his rejection of a color will last a few days...then onto anther color, and so on.

...that's what I'd say.

Thank you for replying. I will keep an eye on her and see if she eats the naturals or the fruity greens.

 

[Phoenix&Li]

They are coming out with a smaller version of the vegetable, in the cockatiel size. The veggie is still artificial colors. VeggieBlend® Flavor with Natural Flavors - ZuPreem

They are also coming out with a PastaBlend in several sizes that are naturally colored. Despite the name, they are just pasta shaped PastaBlend™ - ZuPreem

Lol I was just looking at the pastablend. And okay I'm glad they're coming out with a smaller veggie pellet.

 

[cassiesdad]

I will keep an eye on her and see if she eats the naturals or the fruity greens.

...right now, Milton has a "thing" about the orange ball pellets...being round, he can get a hold of those terrible, nasty, unloved pellets and fling them across the room...and hit me on the fly...this little temper tantrum over orange pellets has lasted two days now...