Indoor herb garden?

[aquagreen]

Hi everyone. This will start off sounding like a health post, apologies--I promise it is about food.

So, I've always been very careful with my bird's diet...but I messed up by accidentally giving her too many Nutriberries. I know better than to feed seed but I didn't realize I was overdoing it on fat content and now she's got fatty liver issues. I'm SO ANGRY at myself because I'd never ever do anything to hurt her and I'm so overly paranoid when it comes to *anything* she interacts with--toys, food, chemicals, everything--always trying to keep her safe. And now this. *Sighs.*

Anyway, she's being monitored regularly by my vet and I immediately cut out the Nutriberries. She's always gotten pellets (Roudybush now--she doesn't like Harrison's), fresh fruit, and veggies, so I continue to give her those (not too many sugary fruits). She's also getting milk thistle each evening.

I've read that dandelion greens can be helpful for the liver, and my vet agrees they'd be good to try. I can't find organic ones at my grocery store so I'm considering starting an indoor herb garden. Does anyone else do this for their birds? What system do you use? Ideally I would get something that doesn't take up a ton of space, as we don't have a lot. We also don't have much indoor sunlight so I figured some sort of kit setup with a proper light could be ideal. It'd be nice to be able to grow our own herbs in general so I figured this could be an xmas gift for all of us: my husband, my birds, and me. But at the very least, for my parrot--I love her more than anything and I'm determined to fix my blunder.

 

[taxidermynerd]

I have an aerogarden, I haven't used it in a couple months but it includes all the things you need: light, aeration, water supply. It's pretty hard to mess up. Those are a bit pricey, but pretty nice overall.

If you have a Whole Foods near you, they have dandelion greens. Also, I would suggest looking into milk thistle, which is very helpful for liver support.

@Hankmacaw

 

[aquagreen]

I have an aerogarden, I haven't used it in a couple months but it includes all the things you need: light, aeration, water supply. It's pretty hard to mess up. Those are a bit pricey, but pretty nice overall.

If you have a Whole Foods near you, they have dandelion greens. Also, I would suggest looking into milk thistle, which is very helpful for liver support.

@Hankmacaw

Thank you! Yup, she's on milk thistle. She's been getting it for a little over a month now, but had a bloods recheck and doesn't appear to have improved...though the vet acknowledged it's a little difficult to tell because the cells get crushed sometimes when they're spun and that can skew the numbers. So we're keeping her on the milk thistle and rechecking her numbers in 90 days.

I meant to add that I'm also switching her Roudybush pellets to the low fat formula they make.

I did notice they have the greens at Whole Foods when I was looking up seeds and kits on Amazon...just trying to avoid sending my husband out on extra shopping trips right now due to the pandemic. Plus I figure growing my own will ease my paranoia about how things are labeled.

I will look more into the Aerogarden. Thanks again.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Milk Thistle EXTRACT is very good for supporting the liver, but milk thistle seed or leaves will do nothing. It would take a truck load of milk seed every day. If you buy the Milk Seed Extract, be sure it is the non-alcoholic.

Exercise is also very good for your bird's condition.

 

[Destiny]

I am also a fan of Aerogarden. It is simple to setup and easy to use, even if you have a brown thumb. But if you don't want to spend a lot, all you really need is a bright windowsill and some potting soil. Most herbs are easy to grow and you can buy the seeds online or at a garden store.

 

[aquagreen]

Milk Thistle EXTRACT is very good for supporting the liver, but milk thistle seed or leaves will do nothing. It would take a truck load of milk seed every day. If you buy the Milk Seed Extract, be sure it is the non-alcoholic.

Exercise is also very good for your bird's condition.

I've been given a bottle of liquid milk thistle directly from my vet, as a prescription.

I've been trying to work in a certain number of wing flaps a day. I don't trim her but I try not to let her actually fly much because my space is small and she flies like a crazy thing; I'm afraid she'll hurt herself.

 

[aquagreen]

I am also a fan of Aerogarden. It is simple to setup and easy to use, even if you have a brown thumb. But if you don't want to spend a lot, all you really need is a bright windowsill and some potting soil. Most herbs are easy to grow and you can buy the seeds online or at a garden store.

Thanks! I definitely have a brown thumb. I'd rather have a system as I've tried to keep some plants indoors and I'm always just having to fiddle with them until they inevitably die due to lack of light or my own cluelessness, even when I've researched how to care for them. I figure getting a system will be more efficient all around.

 

[MommyBird]

Thanks! I definitely have a brown thumb. I'd rather have a system as I've tried to keep some plants indoors and I'm always just having to fiddle with them until they inevitably die due to lack of light or my own cluelessness, even when I've researched how to care for them. I figure getting a system will be more efficient all around.

FYI I just posted this morning Aerogarden is having a great sale right now!

 

[aquagreen]

FYI I just posted this morning Aerogarden is having a great sale right now!

Yes, thanks, I've been looking at that!

Overall not too impressed with their site, but ah well. So far it seems like the easiest option I've been looking at.

@taxidermynerd @MommyBird @Destiny I got this in an email: $5 any seed pod kit from aerogarden: code OK2FH3B8 in case that's handy for you guys and you didn't get it already.