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Diet question, when is too much too much?

Snowghost

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I know a parrot needs healthy foods, limited fruits and lots of veggies, fresh water, nutri berries, avi cakes, pellets. Paco goes on binges. He is currently on a broccoli and cauliflower kick, been eating it for 2 weeks now? He did love sweet potatoes, nope wouldn't touch them so I stopped giving them to him for a month and bam he loves them for 3 days.

Then he loves carrots for 2 weeks.

My question is can they get too much of a certain veggie?

I am thrilled that his diet has improved so much and when he likes something I encourage him. Is one veggie too much over a certain amount of time?
 

Monaco

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I can't answer this nutritionally speaking, but I can say Monaco is doing this too. I really don't worry as much, because she does shift to the next thing eventually. Taken over a period of time I doubt they'll be deficient in one thing or another. In the short term, yes! It drives me crazy and I know that this day didn't have much vitc, or fiber, or whatever. But the progress is important too. I keep faith that despite current lack of diversity, that broccoli is better than what she would have eaten 3 months ago.

I feel your pain and joy.
 

Monaco

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Just a side note... I was getting really nervous about it last week. I bought a bunch of greens and peppers and, and, and. I came home and chopped, then offered, then I made a bread recipe with flours I feel good about. I packed it with over 50 percent veggies and prayed it would hold together and cook in the oven.

Thankfully it did bake alright, and she really likes it... Or did until this morning. She never would have eaten that much peppers, greens and herbs, though. Fruit too was a big part of the liquid.

Maybe you can try it out?

I logged about it in the feathered food court under "my first birdie bread" and in the Monaco monologues briefly (in eclectus alley.)
 

Snowghost

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@Monaco Thanks hun. Paco was on a Hartz seed diet, (cringe) for 6 years, no veggies of any kind or fruit. I am over the moon happy with his diet. My experience is with a wild caught White Front Amazon that was terrified of anything green. She did eat yellow veggies.

Paco came into my life 2 weeks after I had to put Bugsy down. He was in terrible shape. I am pleased with his improvements and yes he is still "selective" of his diet. I was just concerned that too he does enjoy frozen veggies warm, I did read that frozen can be better then fresh. Frozen is picked at the pick of flavor. I was just wondering, when is too much too much, hence my thread title.

I agree, the lack of diversity may be an issue, however, he is healthier, happier and no longer plucking.

I truly appreciate you feed back!
 

Monaco

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Other than the things like spinach I don't think there's a "too much" when it comes to vegetables. Broccoli is a brassica, and I think those can affect iron, but I can't recall now. Maybe it was @Mizzely that spoke about brassica?
 

camelotshadow

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Penny plays with her veggies...chews them like toys..I don;t think they ingest as much as you think...I am not going to make a big deal about veggies...

Yes, spinach can affect some things but lets face it they have to eat it all day every day for months to make a difference/& its just not worth my worries as there are other things to worry about...I really don;t feed spinach anyway...
 

Mizzely

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Technically you can over do anything, but for the most part most things need to be consistently over done. If ALL of the diet were carrots for weeks you'd run into issues, for example.

All the dark leafy greens (including broccoli) should be lightly steamed because of the oxalic acid they contain. This binds to calcium so the body can't absorb it. Cooking breaks the bond to make the calcium bioavailable.

Spinach's fault is the oxalic acid; the iron stuff was good marketing; it has about the same as broccoli, walnuts, and almonds, and less than pumpkin seeds ;)
 

Snowghost

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@Mizzely I agree anything can be over done, that's why I created this thread. I never really thought about it but what is a "parrot portion" of food, LOL sorry that struck me as funny.

When I first introduced a healthy diet he gobbled most anything I gave him, all fresh, broccoli, carrots, strawberry, warm sweet potato. Then nope not touching any of it. Did like canned string beans, ate maybe two. So I figured frozen would be better then canned even no sodium canned beans. That's when I discovered he will eat more warm cubed carrots. Munches on them like skittles. You should see his face covered in orange mush. So I thought well lets try chopped broccoli mixed in with warm cauliflower, WOW what a hit, now he throws out the cauliflower and dives in for the broccoli.

I've noticed his food "kicks" will last for a week or two and then we are on to something different. Guess I was wondering is this normal to like binge on a certain veggie and then wants something else?

That's were my when is too much too much question came to light. I do offer him a variety, however, when I hit on veggie he loves for a while I like to encourage him as I know it's healthy for him. He won't go near spinach, LOL.

@camelotshadow he does eat a good portion, again "parrot portion?" He likes it when the veggies are warm and I hand feed him, I scoop it up and he nibble the food daintily off my fingers (yes this is the tyrannosaurus rex that chomps my arm) trust me I was nervous when I first started doing this. If I put his cup in his cage he won't eat it. Is it cold? Is he afraid to dip his head in the cup? Still studying that behavior. Might try kabobs in the future, right now he is scared of the stick, so we are working on our fears of new items. I have a hunch he might bite when I try to put the kabob in his cage full of fresh veggies, open for suggestions here.

Thank you all again for your suggestions and tips.
 

Snowghost

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Just a side note... I was getting really nervous about it last week. I bought a bunch of greens and peppers and, and, and. I came home and chopped, then offered, then I made a bread recipe with flours I feel good about. I packed it with over 50 percent veggies and prayed it would hold together and cook in the oven.

Thankfully it did bake alright, and she really likes it... Or did until this morning. She never would have eaten that much peppers, greens and herbs, though. Fruit too was a big part of the liquid.

Maybe you can try it out?

I logged about it in the feathered food court under "my first birdie bread" and in the Monaco monologues briefly (in eclectus alley.)

@Monaco I looked but I can't find the thread for "my first birdie bread" he does love it, but I used Jiffy corn bread mix and someone told me here it has lard in it, I checked, it does. Anyone have a homemade recipe that doesn't take hours to make? Is that even possible?
 

Hawk12237

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I know a parrot needs healthy foods, limited fruits and lots of veggies, fresh water, nutri berries, avi cakes, pellets. Paco goes on binges. He is currently on a broccoli and cauliflower kick, been eating it for 2 weeks now? He did love sweet potatoes, nope wouldn't touch them so I stopped giving them to him for a month and bam he loves them for 3 days.

Then he loves carrots for 2 weeks.

My question is can they get too much of a certain veggie?

I am thrilled that his diet has improved so much and when he likes something I encourage him. Is one veggie too much over a certain amount of time?
My opinion....I think he's eating a good balance. Balance is the key. You wouldn't want to eat the same thing day in and day out..... Neither would a parrot. They pick and choose.
Your doing fine mixing it up and paying attention to what he eats. Your a good parront there! I don't think there is too much, of a good veggy, but having said that there are vitamins they can get too much of. I would worry though, it's not that common to get "too much" due to what's actually absorbed in from the veggies the bird eats. It's too little or none I'd worry about. And you have a good balance there.
Here's an article worth reading.

Nutritional Disorders of Pet Birds
By
Teresa L. Lightfoot
, DVM, DABVP (Avian), Avian and Exotics Department, Florida Veterinary Specialists

Avian nutrition has greatly improved in recent decades but remains a common problem for pet birds. Formulated diets in pellet form and even organic formulated diets are now available, and domestically raised birds generally accept these readily. However, the nutritional requirements for individual species are still largely unknown. Many birds are still fed inadequate diets. The two most common reasons for malnutrition include allowing birds to choose what they want to eat from mixtures of seeds and nuts and pellets or feeding a pure seed or seed-based diet. Many of the illnesses seen in pet birds have their basis in malnutrition. These include liver disease, kidney insufficiency, respiratory impairment, musculoskeletal disease, and reproductive problems.
Some special nutritional concerns in pet birds should be noted. Individual birds may be sensitive to the dyes and preservatives that are added to some seed and pelleted foods. Mold that contaminates improperly stored seed and pet-grade peanuts can cause liver disease, so be sure that any feed is fresh and is properly stored.
Be aware of what your bird actually eats and drinks. Many owners provide a varied diet for their birds to eat (such as table foods, formulated pelleted diet, vegetables, and other foods), but fail to realize that what the birds actually consume is mostly seeds, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies and imbalances. Also, birds do not like the taste of most vitamin and mineral supplements added to water. This not only makes them ineffective, it can also lead to decreased water consumption and dehydration
 

Snowghost

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Awe.....thanks @Hawk12237 I think he's doing pretty good, now the little sh$! is not eating his pellets. So I smashed the and will wait and see if he will eat them. I do check the bottom of his cage to check to see what he is eating. I bought some Higgins Safflower mix, and all he eats is the Safflower, some pumki seeds. The rest is wasted, pineapple, red pepper (yes Mr Picky won't eat peppers) never had a parrot that didn't like peppers. The dried banana, nope, shaved coconut, nope. What else can I try that is healthy and full of what he won't eat? Nibbles on pellets sometimes.
 

camelotshadow

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I make my own cornbread. Use stone ground corn meal, egg, baking powder/soda, buttermilk, coconut oil & a spoon of honey...
 

Snowghost

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having issues with this site, so do you have any measurements?
 

Rain Bow

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I've heard too much broccoli long term can have detrimental issues w/ parrots & their thyroids but I'm not sure for how long. Buddy gets it off & on for a few weeks. Like your feeding it. He loves it in his scrambled eggs as the little flower petal part of the florets cut off the stalk, then I warm it in a pan w/ a little pam in the bottom & then add the egg (no milk) his favorite part raw (I'm a bad momma feeding it raw here)... the stalk cut into sticks after I peel or cut it off the rind'y part.

I do sprouts for breakfast, raw or cooked veggies & fruit a few times a week in place of veggies @ night before his teaspoon of seeds & few pieces of dried fruit. He foarages a bit during the day on whatever was left in the seed bowl from day before. Nut a few times a week & a Caitec cookie quarter just before seeds...

I can't give you amount, Paco is soooo mich bigger than Buddy. I'm not sure if all fids do this, but Buddy is good @ eating till he's full.
 
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Snowghost

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I meant measurements for the bread recipe LOL. What is a caittec cookie? I didn't know you could use pam spray. He lives hard boiled eggs and I was giving him one every Sunday and then read CAGs shouldn't eat eggs. I want to try sprouts, tried the grocery store beans, they won't sprout grrrr.
 

camelotshadow

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say
2 cups cornmeal about 12 oz to 1 lb stone ground corn meal by weight I measure
2 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER or 1 tea baking powder & 1 tea baking soda as the eggs give it rise & I like dense
2 eggs
buttermilk to thicken...let it soak a while & add to get a thick consistency
tablespoon or 2 coconut oil
tablespoon honey

Can make in a oiled loafpan...

You do it to feel to get the cornmeal batter moistened enough
 

Hawk12237

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Awe.....thanks @Hawk12237 I think he's doing pretty good, now the little sh$! is not eating his pellets. So I smashed the and will wait and see if he will eat them. I do check the bottom of his cage to check to see what he is eating. I bought some Higgins Safflower mix, and all he eats is the Safflower, some pumki seeds. The rest is wasted, pineapple, red pepper (yes Mr Picky won't eat peppers) never had a parrot that didn't like peppers. The dried banana, nope, shaved coconut, nope. What else can I try that is healthy and full of what he won't eat? Nibbles on pellets sometimes.
Try putting the pellets in the blender, add the peppers, pineapple, and what ever you chose. Purree it till it's like a powder. Dump into bowl. Add hot/warm water, only enough to make a paste. Roll into tiny balls, and serve.
Or if your bird, like mine, enjoys eating off a spoon. You can and more water to it so it's like a thick soup. Mine loves it that way....won't eat peppers any other way.
You've may have heard birds love to make their own "soup".... There's a reason for this, one, birds can't produce salivia, so some foods are better to them wet, or wetter than they currently are.
When it comes to food, sometimes presentation makes all the difference. Grey grey won't eat apples unless it's a whole half an Apple placed on a skewer, then the little picky turd will eat it!!

Broccoli and greens, he won't touch unless I run them under water and then he'll eat them...won't touch them dry.
 
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