Liver Disease and Diet

[Kassiani]

To begin, my boy Jujube has Fatty Liver Disease. My vet has told me to increase the protein in his diet because the proteins bind up the fats in the liver and help flush them out. We discussed adding egg to their diet as well as whole grain brown rice. The rice will make the legumes in their sprouted seed and legume mix a 'complete protein'.

Well...none of my boys will touch egg. Egg food. Scrambled. I haven't tried hard boiled yet, so I'll see if that makes any difference. They will throw it on the floor or refuse to eat anything out of the dish if egg food or scrambled egg is present.

However, I have finally found something that Juju will eat fairly consistently--fresh peas! So, I put some fresh peas in with the cooked rice and voila! Something he will finally eat that will increase his protein intake!

Can anyone else offer suggestions for increasing the protein in their diet without eggs?

 

[Xoetix]

To begin, my boy Jujube has Fatty Liver Disease. My vet has told me to increase the protein in his diet because the proteins bind up the fats in the liver and help flush them out. We discussed adding egg to their diet as well as whole grain brown rice. The rice will make the legumes in their sprouted seed and legume mix a 'complete protein'.

Well...none of my boys will touch egg. Egg food. Scrambled. I haven't tried hard boiled yet, so I'll see if that makes any difference. They will throw it on the floor or refuse to eat anything out of the dish if egg food or scrambled egg is present.

However, I have finally found something that Juju will eat fairly consistently--fresh peas! So, I put some fresh peas in with the cooked rice and voila! Something he will finally eat that will increase his protein intake!

Can anyone else offer suggestions for increasing the protein in their diet without eggs?

I swear I read somewhere birds can have beans? Black beans were the example given, but if they can have black beans and lentils, I would think all legumes would be ok?

 

[Kassiani]

They are offered sprouted beans as part of that seed/legume mix. Unfortunately, they just pick out what they like.

 

[Xoetix]

Fish? Tofu?

 

[Kassiani]

Hmmmm, I’ve not considered fish or tofu. I’ll try it!

 

[MommyBird]

Yes, mine love sugar snap peas in the pod and cooked peas too!
How about trying a little almond butter?
Some yogurt?
A bit of hard, aged cheeses like swiss or cheddar or parmesean have lowest lactose.
My birds love cooked chickpeas/garbanzos and they are real easy to make from dry. They will also eat cooked pinto and navy beans, adzuki beans are safe too. All of those need a longer simmer though.
You might try french toast too. Also for some reason my birds really get excited when I mix something in with the scrambled eggs and they have to eat around it or pick them out. Foraging I guess? so sometimes I just put tiny bread cubes into the eggs, or if I have time, cooked veg or grains.
And it's probably more for the bigger birds, but my Amazons think a chicken bone with a bit of stuff still on it is a real treat. They get that only about twice a year though.

 

[MommyBird]

And to describe how things often happen here -
For breakfast sometimes I make an english muffin sandwich with scrambled egg and a slice of cheese, which inevitably stick out of the english muffin.
My Hahns will sit on my leg and beg for bites of "my" sandwich.
I find that I do not end up with the leisurly breakfast I sometimes fantasize about as I must eat my portion more quickly than intended so he doesn't get too much!
Budgies are pretty good little beggars too!

 

[Mizzely]

Tofu, quinoa, and nutritional yeast come to mind

 

[Xoetix]

Tofu, quinoa, and nutritional yeast come to mind

I totally understand why they’d like nooch. I could eat that stuff by the spoonful

In regards to quinoa, what’s the best way to cook it for birds? Should it be soaked first?

 

[Mizzely]

I totally understand why they’d like nooch. I could eat that stuff by the spoonful

In regards to quinoa, what’s the best way to cook it for birds? Should it be soaked first?

It's sooo yummy on popcorn

I just cook it same as I would for people. Very similar to rice, but some need to be rinsed first. Some are prerinsed so you can skip it on those.

 

[Xoetix]

Oh! @Kassiani what about those protein pastas? The ones made from chickpeas or lentils? I think even whole wheat is heavier on protein than the regular kind.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Mary Lynn would have suggested the Tofu. None of mine would touch a white food but you can mash and mix it into quite a few things or pick their favorite foot and mix in with that. And quinoa as suggested.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Oh! @Kassiani what about those protein pastas? The ones made from chickpeas or lentils? I think even whole wheat is heavier on protein than the regular kind.

Yep… even Walmart sells chickpea and lentil pasta. Cooked red lentils are tasty but can get mushy if you overcook them.

 

[Xoetix]

Mary Lynn would have suggested the Tofu. None of mine would touch a white food but you can mash and mix it into quite a few things or pick their favorite foot and mix in with that. And quinoa as suggested.

A little turmeric will make it bright yellow (and will make everything else yellow if not careful ). Paprika would work too I think, or cayenne

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

A little turmeric will make it bright yellow (and will make everything else yellow if not careful ). Paprika would work too I think, or cayenne

Not even if it were yellow or hidden inside sugar snap peas. I use turmeric in my fried rice.

 

[Kassiani]

Unfortunately, mushy beans are not their favorite. That's why I sprout them. Their sprout mix includes:
SUNFLOWER (IN SHELL), WHEAT, SPELT (HULLED), TRITICALE, BARLEY (HULLESS), OATS (HULLESS), MILLET, BUCKWHEAT (IN HULL), BROWN RICE, BLACK LENTILS, CRIMSON LENTILS, FRENCH BLUE LENTILS AND RED LENTILS, ADZUKI BEANS, MUNG BEANS, FENUGREEK, FLAX, ALFALFA, RED CLOVER, ORIENTAL MUSTARD, RADISH, QUINOA, SESAME, AMARANTH

I do have some vegetable pasta! I'll try that, too. Thank you all so much!

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Unfortunately, mushy beans are not their favorite. That's why I sprout them. Their sprout mix includes:
SUNFLOWER (IN SHELL), WHEAT, SPELT (HULLED), TRITICALE, BARLEY (HULLESS), OATS (HULLESS), MILLET, BUCKWHEAT (IN HULL), BROWN RICE, BLACK LENTILS, CRIMSON LENTILS, FRENCH BLUE LENTILS AND RED LENTILS, ADZUKI BEANS, MUNG BEANS, FENUGREEK, FLAX, ALFALFA, RED CLOVER, ORIENTAL MUSTARD, RADISH, QUINOA, SESAME, AMARANTH

I do have some vegetable pasta! I'll try that, too. Thank you all so much!

Sprouting is one thing I’ve never done. I didn’t think I would keep up with it. Do your birds pretty much devour or just pick at it?

I’ve see an Instagram post where someone soaked red lentils and then blended them in water to make a slurry for cooking vegan tortillas. I googled a recipe for you… I would eliminate the salt for birds. I will try this to see how my birds like it( chop the lentil tortilla up first or however it’s best to serve). I can see adding other ingredients into the slurry in small amounts for bonus goodness ( like some cooked sweet potato) 1-Ingredient Red Lentil Tortillas {Grain-Free, Vegan} | power hungry

 

[Kassiani]

Sprouting is one thing I’ve never done. I didn’t think I would keep up with it. Do your birds pretty much devour or just pick at it?

I’ve see an Instagram post where someone soaked red lentils and then blended them in water to make a slurry for cooking vegan tortillas. I googled a recipe for you… I would eliminate the salt for birds. I will try this to see how my birds like it( chop the lentil tortilla up first or however it’s best to serve). I can see adding other ingredients into the slurry in small amounts for bonus goodness ( like some cooked sweet potato) 1-Ingredient Red Lentil Tortillas {Grain-Free, Vegan} | power hungry

Im afraid they pick at it, but they have been getting more adventurous. Some days they pick the plate nearly clean. Others…just some dainty nibbling.

I don’t know if they would eat a tortilla, but if it’s pretty much lentils, I’ll give it a shot!

 

[Xoetix]

Sprouting is one thing I’ve never done. I didn’t think I would keep up with it. Do your birds pretty much devour or just pick at it?

I’ve see an Instagram post where someone soaked red lentils and then blended them in water to make a slurry for cooking vegan tortillas. I googled a recipe for you… I would eliminate the salt for birds. I will try this to see how my birds like it( chop the lentil tortilla up first or however it’s best to serve). I can see adding other ingredients into the slurry in small amounts for bonus goodness ( like some cooked sweet potato) 1-Ingredient Red Lentil Tortillas {Grain-Free, Vegan} | power hungry

That sounds really yummy actually

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

That sounds really yummy actually

I imagine the flavor to be pretty hum drum. It’s what you fill it with that would be yummy. You can use yellow lentils too and probably quite a few others. I have some red lentils so I will give it a try!