Advice on switching from Handfeeding Formula to Fruits, Vegetables and Pellets

[SasikumarM]

Hi everyone,
My Pineapple Conure (Coco) turned 6 weeks old yesterday and entered the 7th week. When he was about 5 weeks old I started introducing soft food like soaked mung beans and Cooked Chickpeas. He loves to eat mung beans. On reaching 6th week I started introducing fruits like apple, pomegranate and vegetables like carrot, beans, Cucumber, Brocoli, Bell Pepper, Beetroot. But I noticed that he is not eating much of the vegetables. Infact I don't usually see his crop full, is this normal? Or am I weaning him too early. Currently I handfeed the formula once every evening. The morning and afternoon I feed him vegetables, fruits and Legumes. I need advice on if I'm going right or if there are any mistakes I might be making. And also when I should start introducing pellets and seeds. I'm sharing a picture of Coco, so you can get an idea of how old he is.
Thank you

 

[April]

Let me tag @Mockinbirdiva she used to raise Conures and I believe @Matto still does.
@BrianB @Laurie @Irishj9 are also breeders.
@Pixiebeak any ideas?

 

[BrianB]

I start offering a small bit of fruit and veggies at around 6 weeks. It goes into the cage with them for a few hours during the day. Once I see them picking on that, I put in another dish of small pellets. It sounds like your little one is on the right track for weaning. If you offer pellets check the bottom of the dish for powder. When you see that, you know they are starting to get the pellets in their mouths and crush them. Seed, and how much you offer is up to you. I don't feed my babies seed at all. I want them to start life with chop and pellets.

 

[Pixiebeak]

It's actually better to offer a little small amount of formula in the morning. Then immediately offer your veggies and pellets. It's seems weird , but is well documented and in every weaning by abundance thread I've read to do this. As the baby feel comfortable and not anxious after a feeding and is more willing to try new foods and explore them.
( Happens to also be true for sick adult birds who aren't eating , after a support feed if formula they will often immediately go to bowl sbd start eating. )

You might try chopping all veggies to pea size pieces and severe steamed and slightly warm . I would Dampen pellets just a little warm water and mix them in with veggies.

You can also mix in a little formula prepared thicker with the veggies and pellets or just with the pellets it offer both separately. But remove in 39 minutes or so as formula will spoil..

I'd also always have dry pellets available 24/7 in their own dish.

There is unfortunately a lot of waste in the beginning..

You do see less crop packing as they are eating in their own.

I would very much be tracking weight. Track first thing in morning.

Also look at stool volume and frequency..

 

[Pixiebeak]

Super gorgeous baby!

Search weaning by abundance articles on the web. Happy to link some if you need.

Be careful with fruits , just 10% of daily intake of foods. To much sugary fruits , especially I find at this weaning stage , can lead to yeast overgrowth.

Do start offering the leafy greens as well, store bought dandelion greens, romaine lettuce, baby bok choy, rainbow Swiss chard, spring mix greens.

 

[SasikumarM]

Thank you so much : )

 

[SasikumarM]

I start offering a small bit of fruit and veggies at around 6 weeks. It goes into the cage with them for a few hours during the day. Once I see them picking on that, I put in another dish of small pellets. It sounds like your little one is on the right track for weaning. If you offer pellets check the bottom of the dish for powder. When you see that, you know they are starting to get the pellets in their mouths and crush them. Seed, and how much you offer is up to you. I don't feed my babies seed at all. I want them to start life with chop and pellets.

Should I feed raw veggies? Or half cook them?

 

[SasikumarM]

It's actually better to offer a little small amount of formula in the morning. Then immediately offer your veggies and pellets. It's seems weird , but is well documented and in every weaning by abundance thread I've read to do this. As the baby feel comfortable and not anxious after a feeding and is more willing to try new foods and explore them.
( Happens to also be true for sick adult birds who aren't eating , after a support feed if formula they will often immediately go to bowl sbd start eating. )

You might try chopping all veggies to pea size pieces and severe steamed and slightly warm . I would Dampen pellets just a little warm water and mix them in with veggies.

You can also mix in a little formula prepared thicker with the veggies and pellets or just with the pellets it offer both separately. But remove in 39 minutes or so as formula will spoil..

I'd also always have dry pellets available 24/7 in their own dish.

There is unfortunately a lot of waste in the beginning..

You do see less crop packing as they are eating in their own.

I would very much be tracking weight. Track first thing in morning.

Also look at stool volume and frequency..

Thank you so much for the detailed information. But currently I wonder how the daily diet should look like. I don't wanna give him chopped vegetables the whole day. I'm not sure about how the daily diet should look like. I mean Morning, Afternoon and Evening. If I feed legumes in the morning and vegetables in the afternoon, then what about the evening? (Asking this for when he will be completely weaned).

 

[BrianB]

Should I feed raw veggies? Or half cook them?

I only feed raw veggies.

 

[Pixiebeak]

Diet is something we are all always talking about, and trying to get right.

For me, I offer pellets always available. I offer veggies plus ( like your soaked cooked beans, sprouts ) in morning and afternoon. I offer seed mix in cage evening, they also have pellets in there. Most of my reading in parrot nutrition seems to still call fir seeds to be 10% of diet. Some people will save the seeds to just use as traing and treats.

Parrot tend to be more like grazers/ forager eating small meals through out the day. So I think it's good to always have pellets available.

 

[SasikumarM]

Diet is something we are all always talking about, and trying to get right.

For me, I offer pellets always available. I offer veggies plus ( like your soaked cooked beans, sprouts ) in morning and afternoon. I offer seed mix in cage evening, they also have pellets in there. Most of my reading in parrot nutrition seems to still call fir seeds to be 10% of diet. Some people will save the seeds to just use as traing and treats.

Parrot tend to be more like grazers/ forager eating small meals through out the day. So I think it's good to always have pellets available.

Yes exactly, most of the articles I read mentioned that the seeds should only be given as treats and not in the regular diet. So should the seeds be provided on all the days of the week in the evening? Or it is only supposed to be 2-3 days a week. I'll surely get the pellets for my conure. Any suggestions on some good brands?

 

[April]

Yes exactly, most of the articles I read mentioned that the seeds should only be given as treats and not in the regular diet. So should the seeds be provided on all the days of the week in the evening? Or it is only supposed to be 2-3 days a week. I'll surely get the pellets for my conure. Any suggestions on some good brands?

My preferred brands are Harrisons,Roudybush and Zupreem naturals but it's basically that the pellets they will consistently eat is the best choice.
@Mizzely

 

[SasikumarM]

I only feed raw veggies.

Oh okay, because some articles mentioned that during the weaning stage some of the vegetables should be half cooked like the carrot.

 

[SasikumarM]

My preferred brands are Harrisons,Roudybush and Zupreem naturals but it's basically that the pellets they will consistently eat is the best choice.
@Mizzely

I see, but zupreem also has the fruit and nut flavoured pellets. Are they any good? The colored pellets might stimulate my conure to try the pellets. But I also read about the flavoured pellets containing sugar. What's your thoughts on that?

 

[April]

I see, but zupreem also has the fruit and nut flavoured pellets. Are they any good? The colored pellets might stimulate my conure to try the pellets. But I also read about the flavoured pellets containing sugar. What's your thoughts on that?

I believe the nut flavored maybe slightly better than the fruit flavored since I'd imagine they have more sugar.
I personally have been feeding Harrisons for the past Oh gosh at least 10 years now so I'm not up to date on that aspect. But even my vet said that the fruit zupreem is still better than straight seeds so I feel like any pellet is better than seeds in the long run. @Mizzely has done extensive research into different pellets and I believe has a write up on it on her bird toys site.

 

[Mizzely]

I always try and uncolored, unsweetened pellet first. Because that is better overall.

However, I am not against sugared and dyed pellets if that is all they will eat.

Seed is very much a treat for conures. It does not have to be given daily.

 

[Mizzely]

All Zupreem pellets have sugar. It's all a similar amount (not a lot. Cheerios have more sugar).

 

[SasikumarM]

I believe the nut flavored maybe slightly better than the fruit flavored since I'd imagine they have more sugar.
I personally have been feeding Harrisons for the past Oh gosh at least 10 years now so I'm not up to date on that aspect. But even my vet said that the fruit zupreem is still better than straight seeds so I feel like any pellet is better than seeds in the long run. @Mizzely has done extensive research into different pellets and I believe has a write up on it on her bird toys site.

10 years sounds good to try out the Harissons. Even I believe seeds are not much healthy as they are high on fat. But again thank you for the help. Glad to be a part of AVIAN AVENUE.

 

[SasikumarM]

I always try and uncolored, unsweetened pellet first. Because that is better overall.

However, I am not against sugared and dyed pellets if that is all they will eat.

Seed is very much a treat for conures. It does not have to be given daily.

That's what I was confused about. But I guess I'll start off with the unflavored pellets. I believe they are more natural without any artificial flavors or dye. And I believe unflavored pellets are better for the long run.
Thank you

 

[Pixiebeak]

Cooking carrots makes it easier to absorb the vitamins. But it's ok to not.

For babies having warm veggies might make more tempting to eat. As adults I mostly offer raw. But I also offer cooked sometimes.

It's best to cook sweet potatoes and not seve those raw. All of mine live cooked sweet potato and really like it served warm best .

Agree completely with @Mizzely on pellets and brands

Pellets are your base diet. As it's more complicated to do an all raw fresh diet and get complete nutrition in the diet.

Seeds, up to you your research and suggestions from other members. As my personal choice I like to include a little in my diets. But mine are great esters if pellets and fresh . I limit seeds