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Fruits and Veggie ratio

bosh

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Hi! I am a new bird mama to a Solomon Island Eclectus boy, Pancho, hatched in November 2019. He’s been home for over a week now, and seems to be settling in nicely.

I’ve already gotten some great answers from very knowledgeable members of this site, as well as from my boy’s avian vet and the woman who hand-reared him, but I’m something of a professional worrywart, so if anyone has ant recommendations/answers for this question, I’d be glad to hear them.

I understand that Eclectus are arboreal and live off fruits and veggies in the wild, and that their digestive system is significantly different from other parrots. I also know that, with many parrots, too much fruit can cause potentially cause issues in the long run.

My question is, what sort of “ratio” do you use in how much veggies vs how much fruit you should feed an Eclectus? Should fruits be given daily with chop, or less frequently - and what amount of fruit to veggies would you estimate as a safe bet for them?

Thank you again. Hope you are all staying safe and well in these trying times.
 

Monaco

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Good diet discussion that you probably already saw...

I try for 60%, but I have a difficult kiddo who has been on a junk food diet for 20 years and a recent binge. I'd like to get her to 90% fruits and veggies. Ekkies are just a stand alone species in so many ways.

@mythic55 can give you the numbers you want. It's going to be such a blessing to start right so young.
 

bosh

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@Monaco Thanks for the link! Yes, mythic was kind enough to answer a myriad of questions for me in the “welcome alley” section - I feel indebted to them for that. :D
 

Monaco

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@Monaco Thanks for the link! Yes, mythic was kind enough to answer a myriad of questions for me in the “welcome alley” section - I feel indebted to them for that. :D
Yes, she's great, and happy to help. Everyone is! This place has been a godsend for me. I've found invaluable things all over the place, so don't hesitate to look through the various species sections too. The diy is fun, healthy highway, foraging Park, and I love looking through the budgie and small bird threads because I've found that small things are seem more acceptable to my girl at first.
 

mythic55

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Ah, thanks guys!

The safest bet is:
Fruits comprise 65%
Vegetable matter comprise 22%
Nuts and seeds 10%
Other (nectar, pollens, other) 3%

Furthermore, when this is offered, be sure to change out the bowls often and disinfect (every few hours). Im not sure where you heard 'too much fruit' nonesense. Eclectus use fructose, gluclose and starch from seeds as a primary energy source. Uniquely, Eclectus produce triglycerides in the liver (which are abundantly present soft fleshy fruit) which replaces the need for high fat (just like Lorikeets do).

The type of carbhydrate is important- best foods are lots of squashes and pumpkin types, fleshy fruit like mango and paypaya with lower fiber veggies. Your 'chop' should contain chopped fruit as well- it all goes together. Ill post this so you can see methods and types of fruit, etc.

This is my green goblins breakfast this morning- I counted 14 different fresh items, dinner will be different. With this, I will also give him some dandiloin greens to shred, pieces of seed and nuts during training, some corn on the cobb to chew on, birdie bread, sprouts, some tulsi tea and a few TOPS pellets (they are unfortified and made from alfalfa). As you can see there are many 'orange starchy' items- as those contain the most absorbable vitamin A.

You will have to determine which size and shape your bird desires. All birds are different.

Screen Shot 2020-04-02 at 6.46.51 AM.png
 

mythic55

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Not sure if I posted this or not- but this will make it easier on you:
What you need: knife, ziplock bags (resealable as you will be adding to the bags- almost daily)

Step 1: Cut up whatever you have on hand. Put in freezer until frozen.
This it what it looks like before freezing:
From left to right:Yams, zucchini, green beans, banana, carrots and sweet potato (cooked), gooseberries and thai chili, blue berries, mango, kiwi, red bell, broccoli slivers
View attachment 332117



Step 2: To this I add pieces of stuff I have frozen premade from the supermarket (I chop it frozen): Cranberries, Jackfruit, Papaya, Pineapple, Cherries, Peas, Strawberries
This is what it looks like when I put it in bags (use multiple bags- in this case I used two bags):

View attachment 332118
View attachment 332120


Step 3:
Later today, I will add to these bags after I make meals for my hubby and I. *Frozen in the same manner, add to each bag.
Butternut squash (leftover from dinner trimmings)
Brussel Sprouts (leftover from dinner trimmings)
Quinoa (because I will make it for lunch)
Apple (leftovers from my breakfast)

Step 4:
Tomorrow I may ad:
Plum pieces (from breakfast)
Corn (from dinner)
Cooked cauliflower (from dinner)
Kidney beans (cooked from lunch)

*Frozen in the same manner, added to each bag, I will fluff up the bags to mix it together.

By adding a little to EACH bag a day- it never depletes (even though I remove from the bags each day). So I know that I will always have variety on hand. This takes the stress out of it. Of course I give fresh- but this is foolproof :)

This is the mini freezer I can store everything in- it was 160usd:
View attachment 332119

Hope this helps!!! :birdance:
 

mythic55

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@reffek94 has Pascal- has a boy about the same age I think?
She is a great resource as well, doing an amazing job giving her boy a great start. She may have more tips and tricks for you :)
 

reffek94

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Welcome :bliss: Pascal hatched October 23rd last year so they are almost the same age! I did tons of research for a very long time before I got him and still felt unprepared.. then I got him and felt REALLY unprepared haha I pretty much worry about everything all the time when it comes to him!
I also read a lot of stuff that said it should be more veggies than fruit, but after speaking with everyone on here that has experience I switched it up. He was weaned onto pellets by his breeder so I've been working on getting him off those. Some days he doesnt eat any.. other days he eats them a few times. But on the fresh front he eats very well! I give him breakfast and dinner bowls and in the middle of the day I put a kabob or hanging basket up. Dont stop trying new things! If he seems like he doesnt like it try cutting it up smaller or larger, into chunks, slices, strips, try it whole! They're all different! Pascal will only eat carrot if it is in very large slices or whole (I snap it in half and give him half). Grapes have to be whole. Zucchini must be in noodle form or cut into small quarters. You get the idea! Recently with everything going on I have had to start freezing everything. I felt bad at first because I wasnt giving him all fresh but hes enjoying himself and getting more variety! So I have fresh that I chop and freeze and bags of frozen that I chop into smaller pieces (@mythic55 suggestion) and then I mix it all together and keep it in the freezer. Here are some bags.. I keep the fruit in one bag and the other bags are veggies. I'm almost out of fruit! Some of the stuff in there is mango, papaya, blackberries, blueberries, pomegranate, banana, kiwi, strawberry... other things I cant think of currently haha and then veggies.. some peas, green beans, snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, butternut squash, zucchini, sweet potato, carrot, cucumber, bell peppers (red yellow green and orange), jalapeno.. other things I'm still missing haha kale and dandelion greens.. sometimes a small spinach leaf.. dragon fruit... anddd that's all that I can think of right now haha! 20200402_091528.jpg
 

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bosh

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Thank you all(again!) so much! @reffek94, I think I’m having the same experience...I thought I had done enough baseline research on Eclectus before I brought him home, but it turns out I have more to learn. Again, I’m very grateful for everyone here being kind enough to share their firsthand experience and expertise.

@mythic55, I was feeding a mix of about half fruits, half veggies, with a small amount of quinoa(beans have been mostly sold out everywhere I’ve looked the last several days due to people bulk-buying) mixed in for added protein. I will try to increase the amount and variety of fruits I give him with meals from here on out!
 

bosh

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@bosh
What are you feeding now?
Today, on the veggie & protein side, I’ve got mixed together:
  • Collard greens
  • Kale
  • Cauliflower
  • Orange bell peppers
  • Red bell peppers
  • Steamed sweet potato
  • Broccoli
  • Green peas
  • Carrots
  • Red/white quinoa(mixed)
Fruit this morning is mango, raspberry, and blueberry. He loves apples, so I will likely chop some to add to his lunch. On my next grocery outing, I’m going to pick up a wider variety of fruit to add in, and take into account your advice on veggies!
 

mythic55

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@mythic55, I was feeding a mix of about half fruits, half veggies, with a small amount of quinoa(beans have been mostly sold out everywhere I’ve looked the last several days due to people bulk-buying) mixed in for added protein. I will try to increase the amount and variety of fruits I give him with meals from here on out!
You are doing a great job- the exact ratio will vary from season to season, day to day, hour to hour. Just focus on as much fresh as possible when he is young as when they get older (at about 1 year) you will be dealing with a potentially aggressive bird, and trying to 'switch' a diet during an already stressful time.

So get your diet, acclimation and training in now while they still have those cute baby minds ;)

Im trying to get my guy to stop throwing up in my ear.... not something I have trained before :cautious:
But train, train , train. Clicker train, flight train, perimeter train, just constant reinforcement. My guy is trick training- not that he will ever be in a 'show' but you can use those lessons for other things- recall, spin, roll over, step up, step down, fly in figure 8's, decline flight, incline flight, wave, show me your wings, etc. Touch his feet, touch his face, touch his wings, look inside his mouth, get him used to a syringe (if you ever have to give oral meds). Reward often. We are all stuck in the house right now, so we have no excuses! LOL.

Im no saint, just extremely passionate about Ekkies.
 

mythic55

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I would remove the collard greens, they prevent the uptake of calcium.
Kale also does that, but minimally and has more nutrients, so that can stay.

See if you can find Bok Choy instead. It is extremely rich in nutrients they require: same with yam and butternut squash.Also look for dandiloin greens- they assist in the liver function (which ekkies are prone to fatty liver). They are also a favorite to tear apart and make a massive mess for mommy.....

The most nutritious beans are kidney (dried if you can find them- as canned usually have added preservatives of salt).... but my guy is obsessed with warm navy beans-

Each bird has different preferences- but nutritionally they are all the same ;)
 

mythic55

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Dont be afraid to really get creative- Dimityri had this as a snack today:

Basil, Cilantro, parsley, butter lettuce, pea tendrils, dandilion greens, chili peppers and pepitas with part of a hard boiled egg and birdie bread 'croutons' in Lorikeet (blessed gourmet) nectar dressing.

I had a very similar salad ;) I just used what I was eating for the day.
Screen Shot 2020-04-02 at 11.35.55 AM.png
 

bosh

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Dont be afraid to really get creative- Dimityri had this as a snack today:

Basil, Cilantro, parsley, butter lettuce, pea tendrils, dandilion greens, chili peppers and pepitas with part of a hard boiled egg and birdie bread 'croutons' in Lorikeet (blessed gourmet) nectar dressing.

I had a very similar salad ;) I just used what I was eating for the day.
View attachment 332768
Oh dang, that looks good! I'll have to try that with my boy sometime.

I'm going to try to pick the collard out of the chop mix that I prepared and froze a large portion of yesterday. I've got some other ingredients I'm going to add in today: bok choy and carrot tops.
 

Les charlson

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Hello bosh
I don't have anything useful to add. Everything has been said already. I also eat the same as my guys....except for blueberries. They are the devil. Nice to meet you and Pancho. I hope you will post a pic at some point. :)

mythic55
Ruby looking over my shoulder at your photo...''but the fruit is touching the veggies''!
Ah, thanks guys!

The safest bet is:
Fruits comprise 65%
Vegetable matter comprise 22%
Nuts and seeds 10%
Other (nectar, pollens, other) 3%

Furthermore, when this is offered, be sure to change out the bowls often and disinfect (every few hours). Im not sure where you heard 'too much fruit' nonesense. Eclectus use fructose, gluclose and starch from seeds as a primary energy source. Uniquely, Eclectus produce triglycerides in the liver (which are abundantly present soft fleshy fruit) which replaces the need for high fat (just like Lorikeets do).

The type of carbhydrate is important- best foods are lots of squashes and pumpkin types, fleshy fruit like mango and paypaya with lower fiber veggies. Your 'chop' should contain chopped fruit as well- it all goes together. Ill post this so you can see methods and types of fruit, etc.

This is my green goblins breakfast this morning- I counted 14 different fresh items, dinner will be different. With this, I will also give him some dandiloin greens to shred, pieces of seed and nuts during training, some corn on the cobb to chew on, birdie bread, sprouts, some tulsi tea and a few TOPS pellets (they are unfortified and made from alfalfa). As you can see there are many 'orange starchy' items- as those contain the most absorbable vitamin A.

You will have to determine which size and shape your bird desires. All birds are different.

View attachment 332753
 

mythic55

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mythic55
Ruby looking over my shoulder at your photo...''but the fruit is touching the veggies''!
HAHA! Yesterday I got 'the look' when I put wheat grass in his flower bowl (instead of dandelion, microgreens and flowers). God save us if I ever run out of dandelion!

Good thing spring is coming... I have a homeopathic wildflower garden that will be brilliant- there is herbs and aster as far as the eye can see. Just need the weather to cooperate! Today Im having my husband go pick up at our organic garden center:
pansies
hibiscus
daisies
roses

*Im high risk, so im seriously stuck- but I can live vicariously through him. I keep planting seeds- our house is going to look like a jungle by mothers day as long as my green monster stops eating all them! lol.
 
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Lisa914326

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I loved reading all your guys advise on the beautiful Eclectus. You all are so helpful and I'm new to this forum. I've had my girl for over 22years now and am struggling to get her to stop feather plucking. The vet says its hormones and extra fat under her skin, but I've been feeding her about 1/3 cup Laefber pellets for years along with some fruits and little vegetables and he says that's a good diet. I've tried chop for the first time and she loved it cause she likes to forage yea! But she is clipped and doesn't fly so no real exercise except walking around the house. I was afraid to let her wings grow out for fear she'd fly away when she's outside in a tree or hit the window in the house and break her neck. Any ideas?
 

Monaco

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Hi @Lisa914326, :welcometrain:

I think you should start a thread just for your kiddo, and you'll get a better response. We will all request pictures because we like them, and then we'll request a bunch of specifics.

In the mean time, if your girl is overweight her diet and activity could use some modification. Enjoying foraging is a perfect tool to use for both issues. It's taken 6 months to get my girl moving, so you need a heafty dose of perseverance and vigilance, too.

We're happy to help!
 
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