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The Basil Blog

Miss Annamarie

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Where in North Dakota?
Im currently in MN right now- it is in almost every supermarket. Just have to know what to look for ;) That supermarket will become your LIFE- lol.
If you have too- check out the frozen section, I know that they have exotic chunks made for baking, etc. You might find pieces already chopped and frozen, just need to be defrosted.
Jamestown, its about an hour and a half out of Fargo.
They've had mangos lately in Hugo's but most of them have bern super unripe and our Walmart doesn't even sell pomegranates half the time. Do you think it'd be fresh from Amazon?
 

Miss Annamarie

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I dont think you are stupid- but that baby didnt look fully weaned IMO. So now- he needs to put on weight, fast.
(deleted)
Fudge it. Your ideal eclectus diet is as follows:

1 Cup Mixed: Plums, Blueberries, Canteloupe, Papaya, Mango, Pomegranate

1 Cup Mixed: Butternut Squash, Carrots, Kale, Zucchini, Baby Bok Choy (steam these)

1/8 Cup 'Salad': Fresh flowers or Microgreens, Antihistamine Mix, 1/2 tablespoon Sprouted Seed/Bean Mix, Tossed in Lorikeet nectar. (Ill explain this later).

Protein: 6.0%, Fiber: 7.0%, Fat: 2.5%, Moisture: 80% : High sugar : Total Calories: 127/day
A normal Ekkie will injeswt about 45-60 calories a day. But you give them the 'full amount' knowing their eating habits which is 2 feedings a day because of their unique anatomy.
Thank you so much for this, i really really aappreciate it
 

mythic55

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Check the frozen section-
I just called around- Walmart has stuff frozen in bags- LOL. I never been to a walmart- but when in rome? :)
 

mythic55

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Ideal Diet Composition:
No Fortification or Dyes
High Moisture, Low Fat, Low Protein, Soluable Fiber
(Protein (-) 7%, Fiber (-) 8%, Fat (-) 3%, Moisture (+) 70%)

But when they are young, FEED. Your main goal is to ensure moisture- so anything you can do to increase calories.
 

mythic55

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I dont consider it a bother. Im always here to help any way I can.

Sprouted seed/bean mix is good. Make sure they have tails (little root coming out). Eclectus live high in the tree tops- while they do come down to forage- it is not nearly as much as other parrots. So sprouted seed/beans should be kept to a reasonable level as it contains a large amount of insoluble fiber.

I give such a small amount- mainly for the trace minerals. The main Macros/Micros are taken care of and digested properly with the Elegant Functional Diet I posted above. Try to get as close to that as you can... If you have trouble finding an item, then I can find you a nutritionally equal substitute.

I head back to USVI next week, so I will be less able to assist. But im here now, so ask away...!
If you tag me and I dont respond to something, you can always PM me.
 

Les charlson

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He's still being handfed a bit but it's down to only 2 times a day. The regression made me SO anxious but I'm not gonna lie, I kind of liked hand feeding him, but I personally wouldn't get just a full on unweaned bird for obvious reasons.

His babbles are so sweet!!!!! I wish he did it more often without the TV on, I've tried to take a video so many times but the TV overrides it ):

He's been eating a lot more out of his bowl, once in awhile he'll scream to be fed for like 5 minutes and if I dont respond he will usually waddle over to his bowl and eat a bit.

Some of his favourite foods so far are:
Green apples
Rasberries
Spinach
Mango
Millet
Steel cut oats
Brocolli
Sweet potato
The seasoning mix I make for all my birdies
(Does my hair count?)
Hi. He is only a few months old, also adorable. I agree with mythic55. He is still young.

I would follow his lead for a bit. I have had babies in my care who needed extra time to wean. Its not unusual for him to want to be fed. Part of that is due to comfort/connection I expect. Do you have access to passionfruit? They adore it and it keeps them busy crunching the seeds and playing with one thats cut in half. Also the odd green bean or pea pod works well.

When Ruby moved in with me she didn't really know about many foods. A long story of an owner who didn't see her as a unique bird. Anyway, she didn't understand fresh food in a bowl, chop was left. She had seed and the occasional bit of spinach or apple. ugh! No foot food.

I spent a long time giving her one piece of food at a time. Every half hour I offered a leaf, a pea pod, a piece of pumpkin and so on. Over time she got the idea but it did take dedication. She prefers her food be not mixed together in her bowl. I do offer some chop now, mainly because everyone else gets it. Also I feel guilty so offer her a bit everything. Edit- chop meaning everything mixed in together. I put the foods in sections in the same bowl.
She will eat some these days but I still put food like half a plum, a chunk of pawpaw, sweet potato, cucumber or zucchini etc on her feeding platform and she sorts herself out. Strangely she took to pumpkin veg mash with no problem. She still hates her fruit mixed in with her veg. She won't touch citrus either but neither do I. Just keep at it. Every bird, like people has their own preferences and its early days.
Thanks for the pics.
 
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Miss Annamarie

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Hi. He is only a few months old, also adorable. I agree with mythic55. He is still young.

I would follow his lead for a bit. I have had babies in my care who needed extra time to wean. Its not unusual for him to want to be fed. Part of that is due to comfort/connection I expect. Do you have access to passionfruit? They adore it and it keeps them busy crunching the seeds and playing with one thats cut in half. Also the odd green bean or pea pod works well.

When Ruby moved in with me she didn't really know about many foods. A long story of an owner who didn't see her as a unique bird. Anyway, she didn't understand fresh food in a bowl, chop was left. She had seed and the occasional bit of spinach or apple. ugh! No foot food.

I spent a long time giving her one piece of food at a time. Every half hour I offered a leaf, a pea pod, a piece of pumpkin and so on. Over time she got the idea but it did take dedication. She prefers her food be not mixed together in her bowl. I do offer some chop now, mainly because everyone else gets it. Also I feel guilty so offer her a bit everything.
She will eat some these days but I still put food like half a plum, a chunk of pawpaw, sweet potato, cucumber or zucchini etc on her feeding platform and she sorts herself out. Strangely she took to pumpkin veg mash with no problem. She still hates her fruit mixed in with her veg. She won't touch citrus either but neither do I. Just keep at it. Every bird, like people has their own preferences and its early days.
Thanks for the pics.
Thank you! I go to Fargo about every 2 weeks so even if I can get frozen stuff after work tonight, hopefully Aldi might have some good stuff :)
 

aooratrix

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If you google Carolyn Swicegood and Land of Vos, you'll find a lot of good additional info, too.
 

Monaco

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Thank you! I go to Fargo about every 2 weeks so even if I can get frozen stuff after work tonight, hopefully Aldi might have some good stuff :)
Ours usually does have a pretty good variety of frozen fruits. Also usually good mangoes. I get her sweet potatoes and plantain there too, and berries! Usually excellent prices for berries!
 

expressmailtome

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Les charlson

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Thank you! I go to Fargo about every 2 weeks so even if I can get frozen stuff after work tonight, hopefully Aldi might have some good stuff :)
Just had a thought about Basil. First, I have never bred parrots. I have had them due to various reasons for wildlife rescues. The birds I have for life are disabled in some way and no one wants them.
The young ones were from people who got them too young from wherever and were struggling or orphans. I had one that was between 3/4 months that the owner couldn't deal with anymore. The loud begging screams were too much and it wouldn't try any fresh food other than pecking at what was on the owner's plate, not eating a lot.
I ended up taking it back to neonatal food for a couple of weeks, demand feeding. I offered solids at the same time as slowly cutting down the baby food amount each feed. It came good without stress but it definitely was noisy at the start. I think it just wasn't ready mentally. That baby had been through some experiences and needed familiarity. Maybe I am wrong but I don't set too much of a time limit on food. Basil is doing great.
 

Miss Annamarie

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Miss Annamarie

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Stopped by Wal-Mart after work today, DID NOT KNOW THEY HAD ALL THIS STUFF!!
I picked up some more mangos (they were riper this time! yay!)
A cantaloupe
More raspberries
Blueberries (ran out yesterday)
Found some guavas!
Even a dragon fruit!
I saw 3 papayas that all looked kind of different but I didn't have my phone so I couldn't look up how to know if they're ripe, maybe tomorrow :)
 

mythic55

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That a girl! As I said: Its amazing what you can find when you know what you are looking for :)

Now, make sure you give your bird formula anytime he wants. Lots of quiet. No TV or floressent lights (im sure you know about their eyes).
 

Miss Annamarie

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Today I learned that dragonfruit, even though super pretty, literally it's so gross
His breakfast today was:
Mango
Dragonfruit
Kiwi
Guava

I don't know if it was the right thing to do, but when he screamed to be handfed, I just gave him the fruit, and if he screams after he's done eating it, I'll see if he wants to be hand fed.

He just finished, he pretty much picked out all the mango and didn't really want to try anything else.
 

mythic55

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Dragonfruit is one of my favorite fruits- lol.
It depends what you grew up with- I should show you some of the fruits I serve/eat. Look up Cherimoyaya (tastes like all the fruits together), Sapote (like sweet sticky yam/egg flavor), Logan or Lychee (sweet nectar- but fels just like an eyeball in your mouth), Rambutan (little bit more tart than lychee), Jackfruit (pinneapole/bubble gum flavor).

I would keep up with handfeeding twice a day, then down to once a day. Honestly that baby looks like what my babies look like at 12 weeks.
 

Miss Annamarie

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I LOVE Lychee and Rambuten!
It's not that dragonfruit is gross, it just doesn't taste like anything to me.

This is pictures of him at around 12 weeks
He came back for more mango. I think I'll handfeed him in half an hour :)
 

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