Crushing pellets

[Pebs]

Ok, for my first question I dont understand why Tayla does this....

She crushes all of her pellets in her dish into a fine powder then refuses to eat the powder. She throws a hissy fit until I give her more pellets. Then she will eat some of the new pellets, then crushes the rest of them and its a cycle.

Star use to crush her pellets too, sometimes BUT, she would also eat the powder she made. So, I dont understand why Tayla wont.

First of all, I dont understand why she crushes them? Is it a boredom thing? Then why wont she eat them once crushed?

And before anyone yells at me like at the other boards......yes Tayla is offered more than just pellets in her diet but, this particular question is about her pellets.

 

[saroj12]

All my pellet eating birds crush their pellets and make big mountains of powder.....

 

[atvchick95]

what kind of bird is she? and are the pellets her size?

I use Zupreem Fruit blend If my tiels get one for Conures they have to crush it to eat it because it's too big

Zupreem Fruit blend goes by bird size - so they're easier for the bird to eat.

 

[JLcribber]

Crunching pellets could be compared to chewing wood. It's the smashing and crunching they get enjoyment from. They do eat some chunks as they smash them. If Amanda has had something soft, mushy and warm she likes to have a few pellets right after to just smash. She uses them like a beak cleaner, much as they would chomp on a piece of wood to clean their beak.

 

[Pebs]

Saroj12--But will they EAT the powder after crushing the pellets? Tayla wants me to replace the powder with new pellets.

atvchick95--She is a cockatiel. The pellets are cockatiel size but are plain, not rainbow. <voice of experience speaking here> Be careful with colored pellets, the artificial dyes in the pellets is what killed my Star. They destroyed her kidneys.

JLcribber--So, are u suggesting that I throw out the powder each time?

 

[saroj12]

Pebs, no they do not eat the powder.
I throw it away and give them more. It makes me very happy to see these mountains of powder

 

[Pebs]

Ok. Whew! At least I know she's not a weirdo...lol

 

[GG.]

She's not a 'weirdo' at all

Some folks use the powder in birdie bread if it hasn't been out for a long time

Questions are the way we learn, we all ask tons of them here and
no one will yell at you

 

[Pebs]

Thank you all, very much!!

 

[Renae]

Could you put the pellets in birdie bread maybe? then she can’t crush them into powder and then demand for a "re-fill" of more pellets, instead she can eat the birdie bread and you won’t have to worry. My Cockatiels enjoy licking up the powder from the pellets, but they do actually eat the pellets.

 

[Kathie]

All my guys do this. I will sometimes take the powder and make a mash out of it and add some other goodies to it.

As for pellets - and I am very anti-seed - but tiels do need a bit of good, quality seed. Just wanted to mention this in case you are doing a straight pelleted diet. That will actually kill their kidneys.

 

[Pebs]

No, Im not doing straight pellets. Tayla was actually on straight seeds when I got her....BUT....the seeds were crappy seeds and she was sooo young, she should not have even been weaned yet and she was not eating or drinking right. She only weighed 55 grams the day I brought her home. It was actually easy to switch her to the pellets cus she could actually eat them. But I had to teach her that the pellets were food. I had to hand feed her, then I had to hold her bowl while she ate until she finally realized it was food in the bowl. Same with drinking, I had to start with a dropper, then wet my finger and let her lick finger, then hold water dish and let her drink then she finally knew it was water.
To make a very long story short. I threw those crappy seeds away and I have some new seeds ordered that should be here Saturday.

 

[HungryBird]

Are you sure she is not eating a bit of the pellets as she crunches them? My cockatiels make a huge mess when they eat, especially pellets, which are fun to throw as far as possible.

Yesterday I held a piece of Harrison's Pepper up for them to chew on and they loved it! Even though pieces were flying left and right some pieces ended up in cockatiel tummies.

I don't use the powder for anything but I know some people bake with it.

What kind of pellets are they?

 

[Anne & Gang]

I am so very happy that you got your answer...as for Tayla, she sure is lucky that you are her Mom!!!!

 

[Billie Faye]

Pebs, Tiels and other birds do this with pellets and yes to do eat a little as they are crushing them...
WE do not YELL at people here when asking ?'s or anything...we may have a different opinion but respect each other to make up their own minds or take what ever advice is offered...
And I don't feed pellets to my birds...I have issues with the soy products and the Artificial vitamins that are on the pellets...I truly believe they cause more issues for our birds...
IF I was going to feed pellets, I like TOPS because they DON'T add these ingredient...
My birds love FRESH /LIVE foods cut up to about thumbnail size (bird will take about 2 to 3 bites of a food and go on to something else....I have a lot less waist by cutting things small...
I saw the pictures of the your Tiels and they are beautiful!

 

[Kathie]

No, Im not doing straight pellets. Tayla was actually on straight seeds when I got her....BUT....the seeds were crappy seeds and she was sooo young, she should not have even been weaned yet and she was not eating or drinking right. She only weighed 55 grams the day I brought her home. It was actually easy to switch her to the pellets cus she could actually eat them. But I had to teach her that the pellets were food. I had to hand feed her, then I had to hold her bowl while she ate until she finally realized it was food in the bowl. Same with drinking, I had to start with a dropper, then wet my finger and let her lick finger, then hold water dish and let her drink then she finally knew it was water.
To make a very long story short. I threw those crappy seeds away and I have some new seeds ordered that should be here Saturday.

Sounds like Tayla hit the jackpot with you!

 

[Jacob]

My Jacob crushes his pellets all over the cage. I don't know if he eats any of it but he gets warm pellet mash a few times a day so I don't worry about it.

 

[Pebs]

Jacob, what's a warm mash? How do you make that?

 

[Jacob]

Jacob, what's a warm mash? How do you make that?

I crush harrison pellets to a fine powder in a mortar and then mix in a hot oatmeal broth. About a teaspoon of powder and 2 1/2 teaspoons of broth. Then I spoon feed Jacob (yes I know he is spoiled!) He loves it and the first sentences I heard him say was "you want mash?" and "are you done?" when he was hungry and wanted his mash. I make about a teaspoon worth at a time and he gets it in the morning, for lunch and when I come home from work. Sometimes he asks for it for dinner also.

The oatmeal broth I make by putting a bit of oatmeal in water and heat it in in the microwave for a minute or two. I have tried mixing the pellet powder with warm water but Jacob doesn't like it.

 

[Pebs]

Ok, thanks!