Transition to healthier eating

[saroj12]

I also forgot to add

Parrots are masters at reading body language and expert manipulators. Do not ever let them sense you are weak. They will exploit it for all they can.
Be strong and always be consistent!!!Trés Important!!!!!

 

[Saemma]

thank you Merlie
Saemma if they don't eat by 8 I have to yield.
I just caged everybody as people dinner is served, and J&C are really grouchy. Jackson got her normal dinner, she eats properly. L Scoot got a nmix of mash and regular dinner so he is fine. Rudy is annoyed -- he eats seeds a lot, and there are 0 seeds in his cage. B Scoot is too busy playing in his dresser. After I come back I'll see if he wants to eat the mash that is served on his tree....

breakfast went well...they all ate pellets except Rudy

It sounds like today was a good start. Next time will be even better!!

 

[Merlie]

I have a question ..

I read in an earlier post that you <Saroj> took away the millet. Isn't millet considered a grain, and not a seed? Is there a reason to not serve millet as a treat?

Just curious??

 

[Saemma]

Spray Millet is Junk or "treat" food!! The grain that you purchase at the market and cook is not.

 

[Merlie]

Ahh ..

Thank you! .. The only birds here that get a bit of spray millet are the Quakers .. the others couldn't be bothered with it .. lol.

Spray Millet is Junk or "treat" food!! The grain that you purchase at the market and cook is not.

 

[saroj12]

Spray Millet is Junk or "treat" food!! The grain that you purchase at the market and cook is not.

why?

 

[saroj12]

Thank you all so much for all the help in this effort

i just gave Big Scooter 6 nutriberries instead of 25 lol
JoJo and Chickie I mixed in their mash their beloved-like-candy carrot coins, plus ParrotNutz mash. Now they are happy and picking out what they like.
Rudy I gave some avicakes and freeze dried corn and peas. He has only eaten poms tonight so far.
Emily got 6 tiny nutriberries too...she ate beans from the mash....she actually eats the bean mix happily everyday. Just NEVER eats greens so I'd like to change that.
Again, thank you all so much. I hope it is not too boring to read all this

 

[GG.]

not boring at all - sounds like a great start!

 

[Bokkapooh]

Sounds like your doing great!

 

[Saemma]

why?

There is just very little or no nutritional value in spray millet. I used to have a budgie named Aristotle and I fed this to her often. Really didn't know better. I've since spoken to my vet and now I know better.

 

[saroj12]

There is just very little or no nutritional value in spray millet. I used to have a budgie named Aristotle and I fed this to her often. Really didn't know better. I've since spoken to my vet and now I know better.

so the millet you get in a bag in the health food store is different? Maybe i misunderstood

 

[Saemma]

The millet that I purchase at the healthfood store is not "spray millet"

It looks like this.
WHFoods: Millet

 

[saroj12]

Today was a BIG success after all!! I added a teaspoon of yogurt to J&C's bowl and they ate for like forever, picking out stuff. I'm thrilled! Thanks Saemma!

 

[Saemma]

Yayayayayyay!! Today was the toughest day!! It will get better as you go along!! We can use the forum like a diet log to document your successes throughout this journey!!

 

[danny]

I am enjoying reading this thread. You have motivated me to try to give more fruits/ veggies!

 

[Saemma]

Here's a few pics of how my mash ends up looking. For some reason, I can't find a picture of the chopped up veggies,

I do mine almost exactly like Saemma. Soak beans overnight, then cook. Cook the grains and lentils .. not to mushy. I use both fresh and slightly steamed veggies, then put them thru the food processor on fast pulse, I don't want it too fine, but well chopped. I will usually pulse 1/2 the bean mixture, and leave the other half as is.

Mix it all together, and portion out.

I don't add fruit to my mash either. I do the fruits separately, and add a bit of fruit puree to the mash when I feed.

The mash is my "base" .. I add fresh veggies, sometimes frozen <depending on season> daily, as well as sprouts daily. Everyone here loves apples and grapes, so usually those are included daily .. I mix up the fruits as much as possible, but will only use organic .. so limited to seasonal availability.

Merlie, your mash looks awesome. Definitely LOTS of variety!!I like it ALOT!!
What's the texture like of your finished product?
I would compare my mash texture to risotto.

 

[saroj12]

I am enjoying reading this thread. You have motivated me to try to give more fruits/ veggies!

Pearl looks soooo cute in your avatar!!

 

[saroj12]

Yayayayayyay!! Today was the toughest day!! It will get better as you go along!! We can use the forum like a diet log to document your successes throughout this journey!!

i have two more days worth, so froze one and a rerun tomorrow...

 

[Saemma]

i have two more days worth, so froze one and a rerun tomorrow...

Are you going to wait till tomorrow night after work or in the morning? When I first started introducing mash.. I only had the patience, time and tolerance to offer it on the weekend.

 

[Sadieladie1994]

Ive noticed that with our small birds, even with flight, they can appear... pudgy Im always trying to improve my birds diet, and just love reading about how people do things for their fids

Sheesh, I'd eat a dozen or more POMs a day if I could. LOL. Im thinking about researching a bit about growing PALM trees and POM trees I wonder how long they'd take until they produce fruit and nut? lol

Here is an article on pom trees Mercedez. IN Houston we have semi tropical weather and they grow great here. Just about any nursery sells them. I will be planting a few this year as I cleared out some areas.

Bottle brush grows great here also and my birds love the branches I trim. I also have a banana tree which produces mini bananas. My neighbors also bring bananas to me for the birds. No palm fruit though. When In Az though I was the one that ate the date palm fruit NOT the birds! LOL.

Now on the berries....blueberries are considered an almost perfect fruit...maybe that is why my aracari loves them so much. I dare not go without her precious blueberries.

Good luck with growing.

Peggy