Pascal

[Les charlson]

Carrots are good (better if steamed)
Sprouts (moderate)

Kale is good; Swiss chard is not (steer clear)
Spinach (steer clear)
Peppers (minimum)
Zucchni and squash (lots of it- steam winter squash first if possible)
Radish are not ideal

Fruit choices look great

Kabob often means corn- just be carfeul with quantity

Brown rice is OK

Try more fleshy fruits: Guava, Passionfruit, Figs, Pomegranates, Mango, Cantaloupe, Plums, Blueberries, Papaya, Apricot, Nectarines, Cherries, Kiwi

That explains something for me. I offer radish every so often. Its one of the vegs I use in moderation. My guys eat a bit but I often find most of it on the ground.
Corn is foot food, I give a slice s a snack. I notice they eat the some of the pulp inside the kernels but its the core they chew on until its all destroyed. I wonder why.
Swiss chard isn't something I use although I do grow it here. The wild parrots don't bother with it. Our wild birds come in for our tomatoes. They chew a hole in the side then leave it. I worked out they are getting at the seeds. They don't take much but they do like to have a go at them, usually they only go for the half ripe tomatoes.
I give capsicum/Bell pepper hearts as they like the seeds. Mine won't eat berries unless they are whole for some reason. Blueberries I can halve though.
What about potato? I ask as there re differing opinions. This is an interesting thread.

 

[Begone]

How long should the tail of a lentil sprout be when you feed them to your birds?

As short as possible if you want them to be healthiest.

Great flying pics!

 

[mythic55]

@Les charlson I dont want ot hijack the thread- but:

The data I have, from anatomical, observational, scientific studies, etc, etc (sorry im tired and had a beverage so I become more 'loose' lol.)
In captivity, eclectus parrots are commonly fed according to granivory standards, which explains their high incidence of diet-induced digestive and behavioral problems.
Afte careful anaysis finally and just plain logic.... Such problems are averted and remedied by adapting to their feeding schedules and correct digestive model: frugivory.

Potato (the regular 'American' kind, like the russet- I wouldnt recommend. But boiled or steamed sweet potato or yam- yes. It contains different viamins, minerals and most importantly the sugar factor that ekkies need.

In the swild the eclectus have a diet composition of:
High Moisture Content
Fruits comprise 65%
Vegetable matter comprise 22%
Nuts and seeds 10%
Other (nectar, pollens, other) 3%
-- In total, Eclectus in the wild consume 85% moisture content. NO commercial food can provide that. (of course this changes seasonally)

Things that have elevated insoluble fiber will be 'skinned' (hence the waste). So feeding closer to the natural diet offers a larger perspective-
I remember when people tried to feed Lorikeets seed.....

They are seeking the soft, juicy pulp and the fun seeds... not fibrous exterior.

 

[Les charlson]

reffek94
My apologies if I am hijacking your thread also. I was trying to add the food/weight conversation. ''So far bananas are apparently the devil, and he tries to pick out the radishes!'' Mine decided after many, many months they now wanted bananas. Strawberries have to be whole or they are poison. Last week they were rejected though. They seem to know what they need. Do they eat them in the wild?
mythic55
I think my point was that I have noticed my guys don't tend to enjoy root veggies, hence radish, carrots etc.
Eclectus don't dig but eat a sweet potata chip/fry and they knock me over to get one.

 

[mythic55]

@Les charlson
HAHA.... yep. Whatever is mine, is theirs. I eat raw carrots- all be damned if at that moment they dont find it sweet as.

 

[reffek94]

reffek94
My apologies if I am hijacking your thread also. I was trying to add the food/weight conversation. ''So far bananas are apparently the devil, and he tries to pick out the radishes!'' Mine decided after many, many months they now wanted bananas. Strawberries have to be whole or they are poison. Last week they were rejected though. They seem to know what they need. Do they eat them in the wild?
mythic55
I think my point was that I have noticed my guys don't tend to enjoy root veggies, hence radish, carrots etc.
Eclectus don't dig but eat a sweet potata chip/fry and they knock me over to get one.

Absolutely not! The purpose of this thread is for me to learn and others too if they come looking!

 

[reffek94]

364g this morning!

 

[reffek94]

Always goes for the blueberry first! Blueberry then the raspberry... then everything else haha

 

[mythic55]

Brilliant! Happy boy!

 

[reffek94]

He was 363g this morning.. that's 1 down from yesterday. I'm wondering if he had some water yesterday before I weighed him. He was down at his water perch yesterday but today when I got to him he was still on his sleeping perch.

He was investigating the phone. As he got closer and closer he lunged out and grabbed my finger! Then he pulled it to him as hard as he could and hopped on I thought he was about to bite me but nope he was just trying to hop on.

 

[mythic55]

Dont worry about 1 gram- dont worry about 3g.

If you weighed yourself in the morning on a daily basis.... you will find:
Day day you ingested more sugar/carbs, you will be heavier the next morning.
Day that you ate lean (less sugar, more veggies/protein) you will weigh less.

- Same goes for birds. Dont sweat the small spikes here and there-
That is one happy boy! (Heart)
(PS. with the phone- my entire flock does the exact thing- the photos that emerge are priceless!)

 

[Monaco]

Monaco does this, and I'm grateful for her help sometimes... Like when she's zooming around the top of her cage upside down. I put my hand in, and she pulls it to where her balance is right to flip over and get a ride somewhere.

 

[reffek94]

366g today! And suddenly in a destructive mood! he went from picking at his toys and kind of playing with them, to today where he seems completely consumed with feeling like they must be destroyed hes having a good time hahaha

 

[mythic55]

I just picked up a bunch of Sola Wood, Cork, Balsa and Mahogany Pods- Keep them around or less your furniture will take the brunt of it as you now officially have a 'young adult'!

 

[reffek94]

Picked up a few more things at the store today. Some guavas, grapes, blackberries, and something else that I cant remember for some reason... so far he is enjoying the grape I gave him with some butternut squash and blueberry.. i put the grape with those things because i know he likes them so i was hoping he would want to test it out. He tore it up! Really enjoyed it. I'll put the guava and blackberries in with dinner to see how he feels about them!

 

[mythic55]

It is 'Lemon Plum' season.
If you find them, stock up!- quickly before they run out! It is nutritionally such a perfect addition, super fun to eat, and have a good shelf life
Right now- those are the 'bees knees' in this household in the midwest Next week I head back to USVI- no such luck there, but at least I get to have the other fruits I know Dimitri is missing

 

[reffek94]

Hes looking at me like "what wrong with you?"
He always gets upset at me when he has a bath and I dont blow dry him

 

[mythic55]

Cutie! getting cuter by the day.

Note: By blow dryer- you dont mean and actual blow dryer right? those can be very toxic for three reasons, so please no especially with ekkies.

 

[reffek94]

In one of the books I read "The Ultimate Guide To Eclectus Parrots" by kirsten badham she talked about how much her ekkies loved being blow dried! I use it on the lowest setting and it's about 2 and a half feet away from him. He loves to walk in and out of the air. I dont let him play around in it long because I don't want it to dry out his skin

The Ultimate Guide to Eclectus Parrots

The Ultimate Guide to Eclectus Parrots is a comprehensive eBook dedicated to assisting companion Eclectus owners. Penned by an Eclectus specialist and self confessed parrot addict, the Author writes in a friendly easy to read manner. She provides information and advice based on over a decade of...

www.smashwords.com

 

[reffek94]

Also it has no heating element to it. I'm a pet groomer and it is a grooming dryer that has a spin dial for how hard it blows and it is just room temperature air!