Changing Quakers diet from seed to pellets

zim
Juvenile

Posts: 349

Changing Quakers diet from seed to pellets Dec 7, 2015 20:20:31 GMT -5

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Post by zim on Dec 7, 2015 20:20:31 GMT -5

Alright, let me start by saying I have read several posts and articles about switching a Quakers diet from seeds to pellets.

When I got Yoshi from the breeder (8 days ago), she gave me about half of a plastic cup of seed. I've been trying my hardest to make it last and get him to eat the Zupreem Fruit Blend I've purchased, but the stubborn little guy refuses to work with me on this!

I've been feeding him green beans, corn, peas, and carrots (tho he really dislikes the carrots) in addition to the seeds. He LOVES the corn, he would eat as much corn as I'd let him have. He's also taking a liking to popcorn (tho I know this has no nutritional value, so he only gets a couple pieces a day).

My problem is, I've only got enough seed left for maybe half of tomorrow. I know feeding them a lot of seed is bad for them, so I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to take care of him. But I also think that if I don't purchase more seed tomorrow, he will likely starve himself. Would it be ok if I purchased him some more seed, and kept trying to get him to start eating pellets?

aaron
Senior Forum Manager

Cupcake's Dad

Posts: 2,217

Changing Quakers diet from seed to pellets Dec 7, 2015 20:40:36 GMT -5

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Post by aaron on Dec 7, 2015 20:40:36 GMT -5

Obviously you want to avoid feeding seed, but if you can't get Yoshi to eat anything else, it might be okay to purchase some more seed. That said, if you are getting him to eat fresh veggies, the seed may be adding very little to his diet, so he might be okay without it. I'm curious to see what the others say on this matter.

If you do continue to feed seeds, one thing I would suggest is mashing up the pellets into powder, or using something like Harrisons High Potency Mash, to thoroughly coat the seeds... This will get him used to the taste of the pellets as he looks for the seeds. This worked for us.

Have you tried softening the pellets with fruit juice or water?

Check out Cupcake and the whole flock at our instagram page: www.instagram.com/cupcakethequaker/

zim
Juvenile

Posts: 349

Changing Quakers diet from seed to pellets Dec 7, 2015 20:48:25 GMT -5 aaron likes this

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Post by zim on Dec 7, 2015 20:48:25 GMT -5

Thanks aaron!

I have in fact tried softening the pellets up with water. He immediately raced over to his food bowl when I put them in (as he usually does when I change it out), but once he reached down and saw what was in it, he hopped right back up on his perch and ignored it.

So after a few minutes I warmed him up some mixed vegetables, and mixed it in with the softened pellets. He picked out a few of the pieces of corn, but didn't eat much of it at all. Which is surprising, as he will usually eat as much corn as I'll let him have!

I do like the idea of crushing some up to powder and mixing it up with his seed. I will try this tomorrow, thanks!

cnyguy
Senior Forum Manager

Posts: 2,148

Changing Quakers diet from seed to pellets Dec 7, 2015 20:57:09 GMT -5

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Post by cnyguy on Dec 7, 2015 20:57:09 GMT -5

You might try offering Yoshi some of the softened pellets from a spoon. Ralph likes it when I do that-- he thinks he's getting a special treat.

Popcorn is a good treat for parrots (without oil, butter or salt, of course). It is a good source of dietary fiber, and has trace amounts of several minerals, so it's not completely devoid of nutritional value.

easttex
Top Bird/Chief Slave

Posts: 2,410

Changing Quakers diet from seed to pellets Dec 8, 2015 3:49:41 GMT -5

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Post by easttex on Dec 8, 2015 3:49:41 GMT -5

I would go ahead and buy the seed and try to move him off it in stages. You might have to try different pellet types to find one he likes. If he is orange-averse, he might prefer something less colorful. You could try Higgins In Tune, for example. They are similar to the Zupreem, but all natural, and the colors are a bit more subdued.

Corn, unfortunately, doesn't add a whole lot of nutrition. Almost all birds seem to like it, and it's great for wild birds, who need lots of calories just to stay alive. It's an element of most pellets, probably to make them more palatable, so once he is eating them, I would use it as a treat and not a staple of his diet.

Quaker Peppy (RIP my sweet pea), CAG Allie, dogs Wanda and Bonnie, feral kitties Cleo and Antoinette, mice Charlotte and Emily, née Jake and Elwood

Quaker parrot Guest	Changing Quakers diet from seed to pellets Dec 9, 2015 3:50:58 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by Quaker parrot on Dec 9, 2015 3:50:58 GMT -5 Hello I just got 2 QP. The store said one was about 4 -5 months. I see a lot of white straw casings on its head. I don't know if it is ragga and new pin feathers because it is young or molting and older?

easttex
Top Bird/Chief Slave

Posts: 2,410

Changing Quakers diet from seed to pellets Dec 9, 2015 5:44:57 GMT -5

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Post by easttex on Dec 9, 2015 5:44:57 GMT -5

He could be young and going through a first molt. Both of my parrots are molting. Molting of indoor pet birds is usually pretty subtle, in my experience, but that's not universally true. Many things can affect the process.

Quaker Peppy (RIP my sweet pea), CAG Allie, dogs Wanda and Bonnie, feral kitties Cleo and Antoinette, mice Charlotte and Emily, née Jake and Elwood

Changing Quakers diet from seed to pellets

Post by zim on Dec 7, 2015 20:20:31 GMT -5

Post by aaron on Dec 7, 2015 20:40:36 GMT -5

Post by zim on Dec 7, 2015 20:48:25 GMT -5

Post by cnyguy on Dec 7, 2015 20:57:09 GMT -5

Post by easttex on Dec 8, 2015 3:49:41 GMT -5

Post by Quaker parrot on Dec 9, 2015 3:50:58 GMT -5

Post by easttex on Dec 9, 2015 5:44:57 GMT -5