|
|
Post by zim on Feb 28, 2016 20:47:18 GMT -5
I've had Yoshi for right at 3 months now, and we've settled into a pretty steady routine. I'm wondering if the current diet I'm feeding him is a healthy one for him, or if I'm giving him too much fresh foods, or too much treats. On an average day: For breakfast I give him a small handful of frozen mixed vegetables (ran under warm water). He eats all the corn, a few of the peas, picks at the green beans and 100% ignores the carrots (they are orange, he doesn't seem to like that color). He will usually eat a few bites of my banana, and sometimes a little of my greek yogurt. Late afternoon I usually give him some lunch. Today it was the core of a red bell pepper from the stir fry I fixed myself, he loves picking all the seeds off. Some days it's a couple slices of cucumber, or a couple grapes. For dinner It's usually a whole jalapeno. He will spend 30-40 minutes tearing it up to get all the seeds out. I -think- he manages to eat some of the flesh, but not 100% positive. Dinner can also be some 100% whole wheat bread. He snacks on his pellets throughout the day (Harrison's High Potency Fine). For treats it's usually around 10-15 safflower seeds and 3-4 yogurt dipped sunflower seeds. Sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on how much he wants to interact with me and earn them. No handouts for treats, he has to earn them  . I'd love to hear any advice. I want him to live a long healthy life with me, so getting his diet right is important to me. |
|
|
|
Post by Caseysmom on Feb 28, 2016 22:39:06 GMT -5
You are really trying lots of neat variety. Yoshi is a lucky little guy, I might cut back on the corn, sunflower seeds and the grapes though. I think grapes are too high in sugar for parrots, though the occasional one might be ok. Corn prob is one of the lowest vitamin veggie, stuff like broccoli would be better, I think. Sunflower seeds are a little high in fat, I think pumpkin seeds might be healthier. I've never given Casey a whole jalapeño, I think I will try that. She loves pepper seeds, it would be neat to see her figure out and find them in a jalapeño.
I am sure others will come by with ideas. I would say Casey eats about a tablespoon of pellets on average each day along with fresh food. It's a good idea to weigh them at the same time each day or weekly to see how they are doing, making sure it is staying fairly even. Casey is on the small size for a Quaker. Always around the low nineties in grams.
|
|
|
|
Post by easttex on Feb 29, 2016 6:19:55 GMT -5
I agree with Caseysmom that you're doing a great thing giving Yoshi a wide variety of things to eat. Because of Peppy's illness, for now I'm less concerned with what he eats than with eating enough to maintain his weight. While I'm not giving him Oreo cookies, I'm not trying to force him to eat more pellets, either. He's the bruiser in this bunch, at 130g to 135g. If I were to design a good diet for Peppy, it would start with 50% to 70% pellets, not more than 10% treats, and the rest fresh foods. I agree with Caseysmom on the corn, especially. It's important in a bird diet to maintain a calcium to phosphorus ratio of about 2:1. Corn has a lot of phosphorus, but almost no calcium, and giving too much can throw things out of whack. Most birds love it, and I wouldn't eliminate it, but wouldn't give much. You might want to check the ingredient list on the yogurt dipped seeds. I think you're giving Yoshi a modest amount of sunflower seed, but all of the yogurt treats I've found have had sugar as one of the first ingredients. One thing I give my birds that they both enjoy is Higgins Worldly Cuisines. They feature a grain with fruits, veggies, nuts, spices, etc. I cook up several days worth and give them a little every evening. They both let me know if they think it's time. This seems to be their favorite, but there are different varieties: www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=32977 |
|
|
|
Post by zim on Feb 29, 2016 9:59:46 GMT -5
Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it! Yoshi seems to be right there with Casey on the weight scale. He weighs in between 92 and 95g consistently. He's just a few days shy of being 6 months old. I agree on the yogurt dipped sunflower seeds, easttex. And I've already planned on eliminating those once the little bag I've purchased are gone. With spring coming it's almost gardening time, and I'm planting some sunflowers this year and plan on drying the seeds out and keeping them for him. I'm positive that will be healthier for him. But man, he's not gonna be happy. The yogurt dipped ones are I think his favorite thing in the world that he's aware of . Gonna buy some broccoli next time I go grocery shopping. He hasn't tried that yet, as I never can remember to grab some. I added it to my grocery list this time! If he likes it, maybe I'll start rotating his breakfasts between that and the mixed vegetables. When you mention 50-70% pellets that's what worries me. Yoshi's diet isn't near that high in pellets. If I had to put percentages on it, I would say he's getting 70% fresh foods, 20% pellets, 10% treats. Thanks for the link! I'm going to order some of that next time I need to order from there (I'm cheap and won't order until I need enough to qualify for free shipping ). |
|
|
|
Post by Jan and Shah on Feb 29, 2016 15:46:53 GMT -5
Shah is not on pellets. He was never very interested and the vet pulled him off them. So I wouldn't worry if Yoshi isn't getting a high ratio of pellets. Your percentages look fine to me. I agree with Easttex about the yoghurt drops. I had to take Shah off his raw cashews that he had each night as a treat - all I did was just substitute something else be it a couple of sunflower seeds or some fruit - he got over it after a couple of days.
|
|
|
|
Post by easttex on Feb 29, 2016 16:02:13 GMT -5
If you do want Yoshi to eat more pellets, you can perhaps give him only pellets in the a.m. and follow your normal routine for the rest of the day.
|
|
|
|
Post by zim on Feb 29, 2016 17:30:58 GMT -5
Well, it's not so much that I -want- him to eat more pellets, I just want to make sure I'm feeding him a good diet. If it would be best for him to not have the breakfast I've been giving him, that's the route I'll take. If it's good either way, I'd continue giving him breakfast as usual. He always has access to pellets, so he chooses the fresh foods I give him over them. When I get him out of his cage of the morning I immediately take his bowl of pellets out and place them on top of his cage, where he spends most of the day. When I get him fresh foods, I place them in a bowl directly next to his pellets, so he always has his choice.
|
|
|
|
Post by easttex on Feb 29, 2016 18:06:09 GMT -5
If it were me, I would hold back on the corn. Give him some later, after he's had a chance to fill up on healthier things. I would also cut back on the grapes, and make sure the yogurt is limited. They're not able to process lactose like most of us do, and the active cultures that benefit us are not the same for them, but a little won't hurt as long as he doesn't seem to have digestive problems. For the rest, I would just ask for my vet's stamp of approval the next time Yoshi visits.
|
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Feb 29, 2016 21:07:03 GMT -5
100% ignores the carrots (they are orange, he doesn't seem to like that color). That sounds like Ralph.  Some other things you might try are fresh green peas (Ralph's favorite, both raw and cooked), kale, dandelion greens (the cultivated ones sold in produce markets, not the ones from the front lawn  ), cooked grains like quinoa and barley and cooked pasta. Experiment with new foods like those, and offer them over and over, even if Yoshi rejects them at first. It often takes several attempts to get parrots to try new foods. |
|
|
|
Post by julianna on Mar 1, 2016 14:04:46 GMT -5
What can I say that has not already been said? Good advice given.
|
|
.
), cooked grains like quinoa and barley and cooked pasta. Experiment with new foods like those, and offer them over and over, even if Yoshi rejects them at first. It often takes several attempts to get parrots to try new foods. 