Changing African Grey food

[yasha2802]

What food do you guys use/recommend for African Grey? This is food to go along with all the fresh food.
My boy is approximately 7 years old. Sadly I didn't know better and fed him bad foods for some time. He was on Pretty Bird Daily Select (he didn't care for them, I also dont care for them) and just mixed seeds.

I've tried Roudybush and Roudybush California blend he wasn't a big fan of either.

I've looked at a few post didn't really find any just about African Grey and pellets but did find a lot of different pellets recommended for other types of birds.

#1: Harrison.
I've seen some say high potency was bad but there site recommends high potency for greys. So whats better High Potency Coarse or Adult Lifetime Coarse. $19 a 1lb(453.592g) bag 15-30g a day. So 15-30 feedings in a bag. .40-.80 a feeding price doesn't really sound high like others say it is. His seed seems to cost more a feeding.

#2: TOP's
$14 1lb. No idea on how much to use a feeding or there for price a feeding/quantity of feedings per bag.

#3: Higgins intune natural.
Not sure about it but i've been feeding him there Vita Seed California Blend. Thinking about there Mayan Harvest Celestial or Safflower Gold.

#4: Zupreem.
Seen some same Zupreem Natural is good. Looks like it would be the Parrots & Conures size. Opinions on this for a Grey? $17 for 3lb. 1/2 cup a day(don't know the weight to 1/2 cup of there pellets to do the math).

#5: Lafebers
Read that fruit avicakes are better then the pellets? Also as he only has one foot I'm not so sure how easly he could eat these.



#3 leads me to a 2nd question on best seed mixes
What would be the best seed mix? The ones I know of are:
Higgins Vita Seed California Blend (using now)
Higgins Mayan Harvest Celestial
Higgins Safflower Gold

Also saw mysafebirdstore from a few post I read and there seed mix. Bountiful Harvest vs Bountiful Harvest Plus

 

[Brittany0208]

I feed Java Harrison's HP and TOPS. In the beginning, he wouldn't touch TOPs, but recently he started eating it. He has one leg so he doesn't hold his food like he would if he had both. Instead, he eats like a smaller bird, keeping his head in the bowl until he's done.

 

[yasha2802]

I feed Java Harrison's HP and TOPS. In the beginning, he wouldn't touch TOPs, but recently he started eating it. He has one leg so he doesn't hold his food like he would if he had both. Instead, he eats like a smaller bird, keeping his head in the bowl until he's done.

Thank you. I'm finding it so hard to pick what should be best for him. I know at least cutting out sunflower seeds is a good start and hopefully getting him on more pellets.
If you can tell in my avatar picture my little boy is the same way. He has most of the 2nd leg but no foot. He can't really hold food there for has a problem with hard shelled nuts. Not sure if any pellet would be a problem though or if he'll eat them like yours and he does with his other food. Every now and then I see him trying to hold a piece of food but he always drops it when he does.

 

[Sweet Louise]

I use Harrison's HP fine. I just bought a bag over the internet tonight and it was cheaper than at my local pet store. The 5 lb bags tend to be much cheaper. Louise loves them, but only fresh. Depends on bird, but Louise has an easier time if I feed her double what she will eat, she can grab them out of the bowl easier and they don't turn to chomped powder as much. Since she only likes fresh, it is kinda like feeding 2 birds as I almost always toss half. I even put a smaller bowl in her feeder bowl to help with the "she like a deep pile of pellets" problem. My vet had recommended HP specifically because she is a grey-opinions vary on that but she is doing well on it.

 

[Sweet Louise]

Thank you. I'm finding it so hard to pick what should be best for him. I know at least cutting out sunflower seeds is a good start and hopefully getting him on more pellets.
If you can tell in my avatar picture my little boy is the same way. He has most of the 2nd leg but no foot. He can't really hold food there for has a problem with hard shelled nuts. Not sure if any pellet would be a problem though or if he'll eat them like yours and he does with his other food. Every now and then I see him trying to hold a piece of food but he always drops it when he does.

Louise does not hold the pellets, she dips her head in. She does that with most food in her bowls. He sure is cute!

 

[Love My Zons]

Harrison's is a very good food. My Avian Vet feeds Harrison's to his office Grey and his Caique. He believes a parrots diet should be 90% pellets. Nutriberries are fine, but they are IMO NOT a food or regular diet. Pellet berries are a better everyday- food if you want to say that due to the pellet content. The Avi-cakes are okay too but remember all in moderation or companion to a staple main diet of a good pellet.
And $19 for 1lb of Harrison's is not a correct price at all, more like max price $11!

Seeds mixes for African Greys specific (Volkman) or a hookbill mix some of my favorites (Kaylor of Colorado) but again, very little seed if you decide to feed that. On pellets, try to find out without the added colors. Also sugar is not high on my list when choosing a pellet. Fresh foods are the key to optimal health for all birds. Chop is another great way to go and experiment with all types of vegetables, and fruits. I would feed little citrus and focus moreso on berries- blueberry, blackberries, cranberries. Reds and blues are healthy- reds, yellows and orange are key in healthy vegetables and some fruits- apricots.

Vitamin A is something you may see alot of birds esp African greys deficient of this. Easy fix, Red Palm oil OR sweet potato, pumpkin fed cooked, softened or added to birdie bread.

Great topic to ask about and best of luck with your new found Grey!

 

[NirAntae]

When I had Greys, my avian vets recommended half fresh foods (or cooked, frozen-and-thawed, etc.), then of the the remaining half, one quarter or so should be seed-and-dried-food mixes, and 3/4 pellets, either Zupreem naturals or Harrison's if they will eat them, or the colorful Zupreem if they won't eat the 'boring' naturals/Harrison's (not quite as good for them, but better than the alternatives). Both of mine ended up having to go with the colorful kind - at about 2 teaspoons at a time or it would all end up at the bottom of the cage as they looked for their 'favorite colors' (which changed on almost a weekly basis lol).

The one big nutritional thing to watch out for with Greys is calcium - they need more than even most birds. Thus, make sure they have plenty of cuttlebones/calcium perches, and feed lots of good high-calcium foods. But *not* spinach or chard in large quantities, as even though they are loaded with calcium, they have oxalates in them which will interferes with calcium uptake.

 

[yasha2802]

Louise does not hold the pellets, she dips her head in. She does that with most food in her bowls. He sure is cute!

Ok thank you. Your little one is a cutie to. My little boy maybe a cutie but his is also a pain I really love him though. Wish I did some more research sooner. There's a lot of things I didn't do right that I'm trying to fix. I just start finding to much info, info that conflicts with each other and get lost in it all.

Harrison's is a very good food. My Avian Vet feeds Harrison's to his office Grey and his Caique. He believes a parrots diet should be 90% pellets. Nutriberries are fine, but they are IMO NOT a food or regular diet. Pellet berries are a better everyday- food if you want to say that due to the pellet content. The Avi-cakes are okay too but remember all in moderation or companion to a staple main diet of a good pellet.
And $19 for 1lb of Harrison's is not a correct price at all, more like max price $11!

Seeds mixes for African Greys specific (Volkman) or a hookbill mix some of my favorites (Kaylor of Colorado) but again, very little seed if you decide to feed that. On pellets, try to find out without the added colors. Also sugar is not high on my list when choosing a pellet. Fresh foods are the key to optimal health for all birds. Chop is another great way to go and experiment with all types of vegetables, and fruits. I would feed little citrus and focus moreso on berries- blueberry, blackberries, cranberries. Reds and blues are healthy- reds, yellows and orange are key in healthy vegetables and some fruits- apricots.

Vitamin A is something you may see alot of birds esp African greys deficient of this. Easy fix, Red Palm oil OR sweet potato, pumpkin fed cooked, softened or added to birdie bread.

Great topic to ask about and best of luck with your new found Grey!

Where have you seen the Harrison for lower if you don't mind my asking? I was looking at 1st trying a 1lb bag but maybe I should just go for the 5lb?
On Harrisons website its 1lb for $8.58+$13.60=$22.18, 5lb for $32.88+$15.33=$48.21
On Dr.foster and Smith its 1lb for $12.99 + add a item to get $19 for free shipping is cheaper then just paying shipping so $12.99+$7.77=20.76 or do $12.99+$6 item for total of $19. 5lb is $49.99 shipped.
On My Safe Bird Store its 1lb for $10.49+$8.75-$1.05=$18.19. 5lb is $36.99+$12.50-$3.70=$45.79
Those are the sites I have found and checked. Any money I can save is a good thing so if you have other recommendations I'll happily look in to them. I'm on disability so don't have al ot of money to spend and try to find the absolute best way to go about getting stuff I need as affordably as I can.

I saw the Volkman but it seems like it has sunflowers and am I right in believing we don't want sunflowers for Greys? Only colored pellets I have on my list says its natural colors but I didn't look at home much surge any of them have.

He gets a good number of fresh food items but again I also get confused on that to as most list I find say whats ok but don't really say in what moderation. Like the comment below saying chard shouldn't be given all the time, I didn't know that. I did however hear it about the spinach.
He gets a lot of collared greens, curly mustered greens, dandelion greens, chard, kale, romaine lettuce. Some radish tops
He also gets a lot of peppers, carrot, yam/sweet potato (one of his faves), melons, squash (also loves cooked), beans
grapes, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, banana and cherry.
Flax seed, bee pollen, cayenne.
I give him eggs some times to guessing I should give him more tho.
I just not to give him just the same stuff but it's normally a mix of that stuff and some other items I'm sure I forgot to list or just don't use to often.

Both happily and sadly he's not new I've had him most of his life even finished hand-feeding him. I just realized I needed more info to take better care of him. If anything happens to him I don't want it to be my fault. Sadly it took my sis losing her grey and me myself getting sick to put the idea in my head but at least now I'm trying my best to get it all right.

When I had Greys, my avian vets recommended half fresh foods (or cooked, frozen-and-thawed, etc.), then of the the remaining half, one quarter or so should be seed-and-dried-food mixes, and 3/4 pellets, either Zupreem naturals or Harrison's if they will eat them, or the colorful Zupreem if they won't eat the 'boring' naturals/Harrison's (not quite as good for them, but better than the alternatives). Both of mine ended up having to go with the colorful kind - at about 2 teaspoons at a time or it would all end up at the bottom of the cage as they looked for their 'favorite colors' (which changed on almost a weekly basis lol).

The one big nutritional thing to watch out for with Greys is calcium - they need more than even most birds. Thus, make sure they have plenty of cuttlebones/calcium perches, and feed lots of good high-calcium foods. But *not* spinach or chard in large quantities, as even though they are loaded with calcium, they have oxalates in them which will interferes with calcium uptake.

Whenever we eat we have to feed my boy something fresh or he gets mad at us lol. My boy doesn't seem all to interested in colored foods. He didn't care for the Pretty Bird and doesn't seem to eat the colored pieces in his food now. I actually switched from the Pretty Bird to seed because I was thinking seed is natural there for better where as coloring isn't there for is worse (again really should have done more leg work on it).
Sadly though I've used cuttlebones for my other birds I don't think he has ever got one. the perches are a no go for him because of his leg. Can you list a few good high-calcium foods that are good for him? Think the calcium is why I give him the collard greens. I however am not giving him as much kale as I believe I was told kale also had a problem to it like spinach. Is kale ok or is it also a problem?


Does anyone know a good list of fresh food that with be good for him with a list of pros and cons to each food item, maybe a idea on how often he can have them in what quantities?


I'm sorry if my typing is confusing or I don't understand some stuff that seems clear. I have a few mental problems that affect how I understand stuff and make me think everything I'm doing is wrong(makes me worried to try new stuff on him). I just had to add that in there as it seems to been a problem I had with some forums I was on in the past.

 

[Doctress]

So far, Smoky Blue only likes the ZuPreem Nut Blend (Taco eats ZuPreem Fruit Blend). As a typical Grey, he's pretty picky. I supplement with dried and fresh fruits. He doesn't like bird bread, treat sticks, Soak & Simmer beans. He gets scraps from whatever we're cooking- carrots, apples, lettuce, yam, green beans... and his fresh pomegranate at night.

I've found it's easier to introduce new foods to him when he sees Taco eating. He's still tentative about new things, so it seems he feels safer when he watches Taco plunging into a fresh mango or coconut piece.

 

[KimKim]

I too feed Harrisons HP Fine, and I buy the 5lb bags. I use to feed the course but I think he likes it better not having to hold it. I emailed Harrisons one time, after reading how other grey owners (FB page) switch to the pepper or the adult, and they told me to keep him on HP. My Safe Bird Store does different sales everyday and sometimes it includes food I have also bought the 5lb bags from Amazon if I only need food and dont want to pay shipping (I have Prime). My last bag came from Dr Foster & Smith and it was on sale for $25! You just got to look around before you buy.

 

[Jeff Sexton]

Harlan gets Volkman's hook bill mix on a daily basis. I also give the Volkman's Grey Parrot mix, sort of as a treat. She likes the Grey Parrot specific food a lot. It practically has toys in it, and it is expensive. I also give a very wide variety of fresh food, mostly vegetables, some fruit. And I make foods and give almonds. I would say Harlan's diet is almost 50% fresh foods - seasonal, wide variety. We live a few blocks from a Whole Foods and I spend a lot time there. Greens, squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, berries, melon, apple, grapes, beets, etc... I have bought packages of pellets a few times, different type, and added them to the mix. She ate Harrison's, but wasn't crazy about them.

Our vet said that amount of fresh food may be pushing were you have to start thinking about it a lot to assure good nutritional mix, but she also said Harlan is very healthy so we're doing something right. The optimal mix depends a lot on the birds activity level and probably a lot of other factors. Harlan is a 2 year old female, flighted, and extremely active. She spends nice days outside in an aviary with lots of space to play.

Finding good information about diet (how much and what) was one of the biggest challenges I found in getting an African grey.

 

[Tser]

I feed Harrison's HP as well; ChuChu has been on it for about fifteen years and is doing fabulous.

I feed about 50% fresh whole veggies as chop, for "breakfast". Then she gets the Harrison's and a few whole nuts or seeds for dinner. I find she eats her chop better if it's the first meal of the day.

For fresh foods I emphasize high calcium greens, with a good calciumhosphorus ratio, low in oxalates. Favorites include dandelion greens, collard greens, watercress, arugula, and mustard greens. Secondly, I make sure that she gets some dark colored orange veggies like sweet potato and butternut squash, along with papaya, carrots, mango, red pepper, and other fruits and vegetables high in vitamin A. Other vegetables and fruit make up the rest of the mix (25% or less), such as broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, berries, etc. And I try to give her a good variety, though we do tend to have our staples, just what's easily accessible.

I make it fresh daily in a mini food processor, rather than making ahead and freezing as is common, at my vet's recommendation.