Wanting to get a bird. I have some questions

[iamwhoiam]

I've never had a Meyer's so I can't compare them to rbs and Senegals. I don't measure things out so I can't tell you the amounts but I wouldn't give a lot of fruit due to the sugar content. Most birds will eat what they like and toss what they don't and it's not always consistent.

 

[Colt Frost]

I've never had a Meyer's so I can't compare them to rbs and Senegals. I don't measure things out so I can't tell you the amounts but I wouldn't give a lot of fruit due to the sugar content. Most birds will eat what they like and toss what they don't and it's not always consistent.

So do you just give them a scoop or two? Like enough to fill half the bowl or something? And I'm not going to give a lot of fruit, just a little on top after the veggies.

 

[Crazy4parrots]

So do you just give them a scoop or two? Like enough to fill half the bowl or something? And I'm not going to give a lot of fruit, just a little on top after the veggies.

Then they will eat the fruit and leave the veggies lol its like little kids. They will eat the sweet stuff and leave the veggies. So the veggies should go alone and after they eat it you can give them the fruits.

 

[iamwhoiam]

I generally fill about 1/2 of this bowl with veggies for my rbs and Senegal although some of them get different crocks but that's just to give you a general idea. They don't generally eat most of that, just pick and choose what they want from the mixed veggies (peas, carrots, corn, lima beans, green beans). My birds don't like sweet potatoes, broccoli, and other veggies I've tried and they are not big fruit eaters.
Midget Crock Heavyweight Dish - Van Ness Pets

 

[Colt Frost]

Then they will eat the fruit and leave the veggies lol its like little kids. They will eat the sweet stuff and leave the veggies. So the veggies should go alone and after they eat it you can give them the fruits.

That makes sense lol. I didn't think of it that way.

I generally fill about 1/2 of this bowl with veggies for my rbs and Senegal although some of them get different crocks but that's just to give you a general idea. They don't generally eat most of that, just pick and choose what they want from the mixed veggies (peas, carrots, corn, lima beans, green beans). My birds don't like sweet potatoes, broccoli, and other veggies I've tried and they are not big fruit eaters.
Midget Crock Heavyweight Dish - Van Ness Pets

I'm probably just really over thinking things since I'm just barely starting to scratch the surface on bird care lol. And you've probably said this already, but is an rbs a Red bellied parrot?

 

[iamwhoiam]

rb = one red-bellied parrot
rbs = more than one

 

[Crazy4parrots]

Parrots act like small kids...

That makes sense lol. I didn't think of it that way.

I'm probably just really over thinking things since I'm just barely starting to scratch the surface on bird care lol. And you've probably said this already, but is an rbs a Red bellied parrot?

 

[Colt Frost]

rb = one red-bellied parrot
rbs = more than one

Ah, I see!

Parrots act like small kids...

Ya I know lol, I just didn't stop and think about that, I had the mind set that seeds were like that. But so is fruit lol.

 

[Colt Frost]

Actually do you wanna know what a bird that I really want is? A major mitchell's cockatoo. But I don't think I should start on a cockatoo, and I really don't have the time to spend with a cockatoo.

 

[Colt Frost]

I've also really started liking White fronted and Blue fronted amazons. They both seem so interesting.

 

[Colt Frost]

I think my top 2 right now are a Meyers parrot and a White fronted amazon.

 

[Colt Frost]

WFAs (White fronted amazons) seem really chill and on the more quiet side of the parrot spectrum. Meyers parrot are like that too from what I have read. Although I have read that WFAs are a little more rambunctious than Meyers. But I could help that by getting A LOT of toys. And how do foraging toys work, I know that you can put treats in them and they're supposed to make it hard to get the treat so it's a challenge to keep the bird busy.

 

[Colt Frost]

Who knows, I might get both . Nah probably not lol.

 

[Colt Frost]

I am slowly falling for WFAs. Like I really like Meyers parrots, but every time I watch or read something about a WFA it pulls ahead just a little bit. So if there are other species in The Amazon or Poicephalus family I haven't looked at, or mentioned, please tell me because I think those 2 species of birds are the most likely.

 

[Colt Frost]

Would it be a good idea to feed grit to the bird? I was reading it's a really controversial topic, but chickens and doves are birds as well and they need grit or else they can't digest their food. Is this the same for a Meyers or WFA?

 

[soleaux]

No grit for parrots! They don’t need it, and it can cause crop impaction and kill them.

The reason chickens and doves need grit is because they eat the seed whole. Parrots hull seeds, and as such don’t need any hard gravel to break their food up.

 

[Colt Frost]

No grit for parrots! They don’t need it, and it can cause crop impaction and kill them.

The reason chickens and doves need grit is because they eat the seed whole. Parrots hull seeds, and as such don’t need any hard gravel to break their food up.

Oh, that makes sense. lol. Thank you for clearing that up for me

 

[Colt Frost]

One more question, should I soak the pellets before feeding? I was watching a video by Emzotic and she soaks all of her pellets. Well she has a hornbill so that might be different, but it's worth an ask.

 

[soleaux]

You don’t need to. I just offer dry — the only time I’ve soaked pellets was when my conure was sick, and softening them encouraged her to eat. If they’ll take pellets dry, you can just leave as is, though when you’re first trying to get them on a new pellet soaking may help entice them to try it.

Some of my birds make their own “pellet soup”, they take a mouthful and proceed to dunk a bit in their water dishes. I just let them do the work since it seems like they prefer their own consistency/ratio

 

[Colt Frost]

You don’t need to. I just offer dry — the only time I’ve soaked pellets was when my conure was sick, and softening them encouraged her to eat. If they’ll take pellets dry, you can just leave as is, though when you’re first trying to get them on a new pellet soaking may help entice them to try it.

Some of my birds make their own “pellet soup”, they take a mouthful and proceed to dunk a bit in their water dishes. I just let them do the work since it seems like they prefer their own consistency/ratio

I have seen videos and have heard about birds dipping their food in water lol. Sorry but I have one more question, maybe 2. Should I mix the seed and pellets in the same bowl, or have separate bowls for both?