What to Feed Your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too!)

Moderator: Mods

Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

Tea.cos wrote:I was just wondering, I have heard that IRNs are lactose intolerant but there is yogurt on your list? Thank you all for your advice
Teresa
Please note, there are two types of yogurt. We want to feed the kind containing live cultures (versus those that are heat-treated which will kill off the beneficial bacteria).

They aren't really lactose intolerant, they simply do not digest lactose. The bacteria that makes the yogurt also eats the lactose leaving a very nearly lactose free product. There is some science currently showing that the same bacteria(s) used to culture yogurt also makes the enzyme lactase which would also help in the digestion of any lactose left over.

http://exoticpetvet.net/avian/dairy.html

As I've often said here, everything in moderation.
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
19266022
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2011 11:48 pm

Re: What to Feed your FID (feathered kid)

Post by 19266022 »

What a great help this post was. Thankyou
Razsringnecks wrote:Hi,
Just a few things about your fruit...

Apples (no seed) not a problem at all, a bird would have to consume tons of seeds for it to do any harm!
Apricots (no seed)
Banana
Blackberries
Blueberries
Carambola (starfruit)
Cherries (no seed)
Coconut (feed sparingly due to fat content)
Oranges
Grapes
Kiwi Fruit
Lemon
Lime
Mango (no seed)
Melon (cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew)
Nectarine (no seed)
Papaya
Passion Fruit
Peach (no seed)
Pear (no seed)
Pineapple
Plum (no seed)
Pomegranate
Raspberries
Strawberries

Some fruit and veg...when you cut them up it is easy to remove them....however.....
I just have to say...does a bird in the wild have the seeds taken out for them?
:P lol!
smkkin
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2012 9:46 am

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by smkkin »

it likes a bible to me, thank you thank you
ringneck_purple
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2013 2:20 am

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by ringneck_purple »

my 6 adult birds LOVE eating celery and they don't choke on it at all :) but can 8-12 week old baby ringnecks eat normal seed? (sunflower seeds etc.)
Tuckles
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 1:15 am

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Tuckles »

Have searched for this but couldn't find the answer so thought I would ask.

Might be strange but I caught my 4 month old IRN eating the cat biscuits (Whiskers brand) he only ate one, they are pretty small. Not that I am thinking of feeing him but just wondered why he would try them. (for the salt, he loves pretzels too). He has a great diet of fresh fruits and veges as well as seed and water. (we made up the recipe from this page).

Thanks for any info.
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

ringneck_purple wrote:can 8-12 week old baby ringnecks eat normal seed? (sunflower seeds etc.)
For seed I always started chicks out on millet sprays. They were easy for the baby to play with and had a softer shell than some of the larger seeds. Once they became proficient at hulling those, they could eat pretty much anything.
Tuckles wrote:Have searched for this but couldn't find the answer so thought I would ask.

Might be strange but I caught my 4 month old IRN eating the cat biscuits (Whiskers brand) he only ate one, they are pretty small. Not that I am thinking of feeing him but just wondered why he would try them. (for the salt, he loves pretzels too). He has a great diet of fresh fruits and veges as well as seed and water. (we made up the recipe from this page).

Thanks for any info.
Because IRNs (and many birds) will eat just about anything edible? I can't really give you an answer better than that :lol: Just be careful and not give too many pretzels or other processed human food. Parrots don't really eliminate salt well from their bodies and it can build up. Keep in mind that 'a little piece' to us is rather large for a parrot. :)
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
sarbee42
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2013 2:05 pm
Location: Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by sarbee42 »

This is great! I was wondering about dried fruit though? I do have a dehydrator machine thing that my mom used to use for making apple chips. Anyone think it would be okay to dehydrate some other fruit for them?
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

sarbee42 wrote:This is great! I was wondering about dried fruit though? I do have a dehydrator machine thing that my mom used to use for making apple chips. Anyone think it would be okay to dehydrate some other fruit for them?
Dehydrated food is fine as long as it doesn't have sulphur in it.

But dehydrated food is no substitute for fresh foods for a parrot. Keep in mind that when you dehydrated, you're taking all the water out and making the item smaller. So now all those sugars are in a nice smaller package so it's easy to give too much. They're great as a treat or in foraging toys though. :)
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
sarbee42
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2013 2:05 pm
Location: Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by sarbee42 »

Thanks! I have a bunch of fruit trees here and always grow out a huge garden with a ton of extras so I thought beside freezing a lot of it that I could dehydrate some of it. We don't spray anything on our gardens at all (mostly due to forgetting to or laziness LOL) so everything would be organic I guess. Either way, at least they'll still get spoiled!
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

sarbee42 wrote:Thanks! I have a bunch of fruit trees here and always grow out a huge garden with a ton of extras so I thought beside freezing a lot of it that I could dehydrate some of it. We don't spray anything on our gardens at all (mostly due to forgetting to or laziness LOL) so everything would be organic I guess. Either way, at least they'll still get spoiled!
The sulphur is usually added to preserve colour that would otherwise be lost in the drying process. So I was referring to additives preparing the food for drying in this case. :)
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
birdynamnam
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:48 pm

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by birdynamnam »

Hi Melika, thank you for this very informative selection of do's and dont's for food. I feed my 5 month old fresh sprouting seeds (washed about 10 times in a 12 hour period, then put in a container in the fridge), its all sorts of beans, peas, seeds etc in there, veggies and fruit daily as well as some bottle brush now and again. Do I understand correctly that Pellets are not needed? I have often wondered about that. Birdy gets plenty of exercise so I am hoping I dont have to worry about the little tiker getting fat? Thanks to any clarification, :D
InTheAir
Posts: 2040
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by InTheAir »

Hey Melika,

Great resource, thanks!

Do you know of any resources that cover wildfood/weeds?


Also is quinoa a safe grain? I noticed it on an ingredient list for a brand of pellets (can't remember which one). Fed it to our ringneck (freshly cooked) and it is our ringnecks favourite food (this week)
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

birdynamnam wrote:Hi Melika, thank you for this very informative selection of do's and dont's for food. I feed my 5 month old fresh sprouting seeds (washed about 10 times in a 12 hour period, then put in a container in the fridge), its all sorts of beans, peas, seeds etc in there, veggies and fruit daily as well as some bottle brush now and again. Do I understand correctly that Pellets are not needed? I have often wondered about that. Birdy gets plenty of exercise so I am hoping I dont have to worry about the little tiker getting fat? Thanks to any clarification, :D
Correct, pellets are not a required part of a bird's diet. With a varied diet of fresh veggies, fruits, and some seed your bird will have all it needs.
InTheAir wrote:Hey Melika,

Great resource, thanks!

Do you know of any resources that cover wildfood/weeds?


Also is quinoa a safe grain? I noticed it on an ingredient list for a brand of pellets (can't remember which one). Fed it to our ringneck (freshly cooked) and it is our ringnecks favourite food (this week)
Yep, quinoa is safe (added to list now).
For weeds/wildfood... hrm. Well there are a few links listing edible flowers, and another of herbs (some can grow wild) in the first post. That's all I have at the moment. Sorry I couldn't be of more help!
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
tobiloh
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2013 3:20 pm

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by tobiloh »

Wow, first off -- I must absolutely Thank You for such an up-dated and informative forum. You've certainly provided a diamond in the rough!

My partner and I have acquired two baby Ringnecks (at 3 weeks) They are now 4 1/2 weeks old and seem to be tiring of formula. Is it safe to provide fruits ground to mushy meal? Also, when should I look to start weaning to millet/sprouts?

Sincerely,
(Wanting to be an informed Momma)
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

tobiloh wrote:Wow, first off -- I must absolutely Thank You for such an up-dated and informative forum. You've certainly provided a diamond in the rough!

My partner and I have acquired two baby Ringnecks (at 3 weeks) They are now 4 1/2 weeks old and seem to be tiring of formula. Is it safe to provide fruits ground to mushy meal? Also, when should I look to start weaning to millet/sprouts?

Sincerely,
(Wanting to be an informed Momma)
I am very glad that this list has been helpful. :D

Yes you can feed fruits and veggies beginning now. I wouldn't replace any of their formula though. I would offer it free choice. I added some information and research links to this post here: http://www.indianringneck.com/forum/vie ... ?f=1&t=799 about weaning. I think it might help cover most of your questions. :)
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
nathan.dv
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2013 10:23 pm

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by nathan.dv »

This list is REALLY helpful :D . I was just wondering though if mushrooms are alright to feed my ringneck. I had some left over but they weren't on the list, so i checked on the internet and it said that they can cause vomiting and that they may eventually cause liver damage :o . For now i am defiantly NOT feeding him mushrooms, but i'm wondering if this is true?
Thanks
mcgeet
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2013 8:04 pm

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by mcgeet »

Little question!!! Can I give the vegies that aren't noted to be cooked or enhanced raw??? Like could I give a carrot itself not cooking it or anything, just offer it raw??? :?:
Thanks in advance!!! :D
babygirl
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2013 1:58 am

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by babygirl »

I too would like to know how best to give the carrot. currently I feed it raw and in large or thick grated strips.
my lot seem to be a bit fussy when it comes to veggies. two only had tin fruits the other two only fed corn on the cob before I got them all.
I'm trying to get them to eat a much bigger range of veggies and FRESH fruit but they seem to not like much other than the bananas, grapes, carrot strips and red apples. and they almost always hook into the seed first before the fruits and veg.
I also house mine with a lorikeet and they love the nectar mix is this ok for them?
and I read on another page pumpkin should be cooked. is this true and if it can be given raw are the skins ok. :)
kanundra
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed May 01, 2013 12:01 pm

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by kanundra »

First time I gave Bobby some warm mash and veggies today. Carrot and parsnip were cooked with a sweet potato and then mashed with nothing else but a bit of it's own warm water.

Bobby loved it. And he came back for more.

However, after he's eaten some. He kinda looked like he was going to be sick? Like he was stretching his neck and wanting to gag sticking his tongue out at me... any one seen this before? I thought he was choking....
knight76
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 12:46 am

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by knight76 »

RE: Yogurt.

I found this via a link above in the main article.

Dairy Birds lack the digestive enzymes needed to break down milk sugar and milk proteins. Uncultured milk products such as milk, cream and butter should not be fed but yogurt, cheeses and dried milk can be supplemented in the diet in moderation (they are also high in fat).
kanundra
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed May 01, 2013 12:01 pm

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by kanundra »

I'm having the most fun making different salads and stuff and seeing which veggies he picks out first. Green beans and Spinach leaves.... loves
knight76
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 12:46 am

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by knight76 »

I just made a batch of the sweet potato mash for our Charlie and he loved it.

I put in

500g sweet potato
Then about a 700g chopped mix of Capsicum, Carrot, Cauliflower and a little corn mixed through for some highlights. Just what I had in the fridge spare.

My mix didn't go as runny as yours looks in the pic and I assume this is due to there not being any melon mixed in it and it's juice. So I added some water to it to make it more runny and freezeable.

I froze that batch will be about 2 weeks worth of daily food.

Figured I'd give him some straight up whilst it is warm still. As soon as it went in his cage he was straight to it. Only left the dish to carry some capsicum (bell peppers) away to hold and eat, then straight back for more. I wanted to start some stick training later so I took it back out again after I had washed the dishes. He wasn't too pleased about that lol, was watching my every move I did with his tray.

I think it's a hit!

So, does this sound like a good diet?

Week Days During Day - Pellet (forumated by avian vets for maximum nutrition and Yadda Yadda)
Weekends During Day - Seed - Budgie Mix
Dinner Time - Pumpkin Mash mix
Occasional treats like tomato and other veggie or fruit treats?
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

nathan.dv wrote:This list is REALLY helpful :D . I was just wondering though if mushrooms are alright to feed my ringneck. I had some left over but they weren't on the list, so i checked on the internet and it said that they can cause vomiting and that they may eventually cause liver damage :o . For now i am defiantly NOT feeding him mushrooms, but i'm wondering if this is true?
Thanks
Yes and no. Some varieties cause digestive upset and some (poisonous varieties) will definitely cause liver failure. It is hard to determine what exactly is causing the digestive upset as mushrooms actually go 'bad' extremely quickly (3-5 days after picking or even less!)- so is it the mushroom or is it a byproduct of the mushroom's enzymatic breakdown- or something else entirely that grows on the mushroom as it is aging that has the potential to be upsetting or toxic to a parrot's system? As far as I can tell, we do not know. So we just play is safe and say it's to be avoided.
mcgeet wrote:Little question!!! Can I give the vegies that aren't noted to be cooked or enhanced raw??? Like could I give a carrot itself not cooking it or anything, just offer it raw??? :?:
Thanks in advance!!! :D
Yep.
babygirl wrote:I too would like to know how best to give the carrot. currently I feed it raw and in large or thick grated strips.
my lot seem to be a bit fussy when it comes to veggies. two only had tin fruits the other two only fed corn on the cob before I got them all.
I'm trying to get them to eat a much bigger range of veggies and FRESH fruit but they seem to not like much other than the bananas, grapes, carrot strips and red apples. and they almost always hook into the seed first before the fruits and veg.
I also house mine with a lorikeet and they love the nectar mix is this ok for them?
and I read on another page pumpkin should be cooked. is this true and if it can be given raw are the skins ok. :)
To encourage the feathered children to eat the healthy things first, save the seeds for dessert. For instance, don't feed seeds until the evening or use as treats. Birds tend to have a large appetite in the morning and Hane is certainly more willing to try foods in the morning and again between 4-6pm.

IRNs eat flowers in the wild, and while it should not be the main part of your IRN's diet, a little bit of Lori mix nectar in moderation should be fine.

Pumpkin can indeed be given raw. It is unlikely your bird will actually eat the skin, instead probably enjoy separating the flesh from it. Even the seeds are safe. :)
kanundra wrote:... However, after he's eaten some. He kinda looked like he was going to be sick? Like he was stretching his neck and wanting to gag sticking his tongue out at me... any one seen this before? I thought he was choking....
Parrots can yawn, stretch, re-arrange their crops, etc. Google 'parrot yawning' and look at the images. A few might look familiar? I'm glad he liked the food!
knight76 wrote:I just made a batch of the sweet potato mash for our Charlie and he loved it.

...

I think it's a hit!

So, does this sound like a good diet?

Week Days During Day - Pellet (forumated by avian vets for maximum nutrition and Yadda Yadda)
Weekends During Day - Seed - Budgie Mix
Dinner Time - Pumpkin Mash mix
Occasional treats like tomato and other veggie or fruit treats?
Real food daily. Thumbs up. :)
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
ciqala20
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 12:16 pm

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by ciqala20 »

Artichokes- the leaves or heart?
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

ciqala20 wrote:Artichokes- the leaves or heart?
Yes. :) You can feed both.
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
Doodlebug
Posts: 319
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2013 7:14 am
Location: Suffolk, UK

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Doodlebug »

I have found a (human) linseed mix with dried cranberries and other fruits, is linseed ok to give?
Loo :)
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

Doodlebug wrote:I have found a (human) linseed mix with dried cranberries and other fruits, is linseed ok to give?
Yup, Linseed (a.k.a. flaxseed) is just fine. Actually it's quite good. It's the dried fruit I would be concerned about.
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
InTheAir
Posts: 2040
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by InTheAir »

Hempseed? Our local organic store now sells it in the bulk bins. It says for cosmetic use for legal purposes.
Doodlebug
Posts: 319
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2013 7:14 am
Location: Suffolk, UK

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Doodlebug »

It's actually a milled linseed mix which is supposed to be added to breakfasts or smoothies instead of having to add sugar to give you your daily intake of fibre and omega 3.

Not that he likes it anyway so I guess I'll be having that!
Loo :)
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

InTheAir wrote:Hempseed? Our local organic store now sells it in the bulk bins. It says for cosmetic use for legal purposes.
Sorry I missed this. Yes, hempseed is safe. :)
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
Ringneckpatrick
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Sep 21, 2013 4:27 pm
Location: Washington State

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Ringneckpatrick »

Great thread!

Is it recommended to use cuttlebone in the diet? Sorry if it's been asked before.
" The Gentle Way Sensei "
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

Ringneckpatrick wrote:Great thread!

Is it recommended to use cuttlebone in the diet? Sorry if it's been asked before.
Depends. If you use a pellet like Roudybush, the makers specifically say do not offer cuttlebone. Most people with breeders or perhaps females do offer cuttlebone to be used at the bird's discretion. I do have a toy that I attached cuttlebone to but it is only in Hane's cage occasionally (since we rotate toys) and he shows little to no interest in it anymore. Generally speaking, a bird that needs it will use it, so in that case it doesn't do any harm.

I have heard/read that some parrots have eaten the hard backing on the cuttlebone which is sharp enough to cause perforations in the digestive tract. So that it something to watch out for.
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
Tabaneske
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:52 pm
Location: Australia

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Tabaneske »

I have a question or two.

Can I give my birds frozen mixed veggies? During summer I think it would be a nice cool snack. I was thinking like the frozen veggies you get from the supermarket in the freezer section. I ask this as I do not have a car and it is hard for me to go to the supermarket to get fresh fruit and veggies every couple of days, so I have to do a shop once a fortnight. So getting frozen veggies would be more helpful for me to give my birds some veggies. Otherwise they are only going to get seed.

Can you give your birds fruit salad that you can buy in tins? I would think this is a no, as it would have preservatives in it and high sugar. But no harm in asking. But maybe you could wash the fruit to get the syrup off?

How would you make the seed sproutings? Do you just lay some seed down in a dish and water it so it sprouts? How long does this take? Is it something that takes a day, so you need to prepare it the day before, or a few days?

Also I was told quite rudely by a vet on facebook that the coloured pellets are bad for birds because they cause renal failure. I had mentioned I bought some of these pellets for my bird, and this person just had a full on go at me for buying them. My birds didn't even like the pellets anyway, so I have a nearly full bag sitting there. What are your guys views, have you heard the same thing from anyone?
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

Tabaneske wrote:I have a question or two.

Can I give my birds frozen mixed veggies? During summer I think it would be a nice cool snack. I was thinking like the frozen veggies you get from the supermarket in the freezer section. I ask this as I do not have a car and it is hard for me to go to the supermarket to get fresh fruit and veggies every couple of days, so I have to do a shop once a fortnight. So getting frozen veggies would be more helpful for me to give my birds some veggies. Otherwise they are only going to get seed.
Yep, frozen veggies are just fine. In fact, in many places frozen veggies are actually fresher because they were picked ripe! You can also cut up and freeze your own veggies or veggie mix- or even a mash which can be frozen into ice cube trays before being bagged so you have serving sizes already prepared. There's one recipe in the first post in this topic, but you can make anything into a good birdie mash, and there are recipes all over the internet (some sources are listed in the first post, after the main food lists).
Tabaneske wrote: Can you give your birds fruit salad that you can buy in tins? I would think this is a no, as it would have preservatives in it and high sugar. But no harm in asking. But maybe you could wash the fruit to get the syrup off?
Be very careful of preservatives. You can, but I would choose fruits in fruit juice, not in syrup. And I would still rinse them. I also wouldn't give this as a main source of fruit.
Tabaneske wrote: How would you make the seed sproutings? Do you just lay some seed down in a dish and water it so it sprouts? How long does this take? Is it something that takes a day, so you need to prepare it the day before, or a few days?
http://www.landofvos.com/articles/sprouts.html
Tabaneske wrote: Also I was told quite rudely by a vet on facebook that the coloured pellets are bad for birds because they cause renal failure. I had mentioned I bought some of these pellets for my bird, and this person just had a full on go at me for buying them. My birds didn't even like the pellets anyway, so I have a nearly full bag sitting there. What are your guys views, have you heard the same thing from anyone?
I haven't read this before, nor heard of renal failure being linked to coloured pellets specifically. Some are worried that the high levels of protein in all pellets can cause renal failure, and some species of parrot have been shown in anecdotal evidence to have difficulty with pellets for various reasons. So far I haven't come across a study proving a link between pellets and parrot deaths- but if you have I would like to see it!
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Donovan »

I made the sweet potato mash from the original post on this thread...

my bird wants nothing to do with it.. won't even try it haha

I'm gonna keep putting it in his food bowl for the next few days (during the day while he isn't anticipating "supper time") and see if he'll try it then.

It has
Sweet potato
rice
cucumber (the mix taste strong of cucumber)
broccoli
cauliflower
squash
carrot
corn
pomegranate seeds
artichoke (very little because it's hard to work with)
spinach
collard green stems
green peas
and another thing or two that I can't remember.

It's pretty awful. Though it could be okay with some pasta and salt :P
Tabaneske
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:52 pm
Location: Australia

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Tabaneske »

Thanks Melika for answering my questions.

Has helped me work out what to feed my little darlings to keep them happy and healthy. Also helps my shopping go a little easier for them. :)
Indy53
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2013 8:00 am

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Indy53 »

Hi I just got MY IRN Indy and I am still trying to figure out what he likes. I bought him frozen veggie mix and he likes it! It had lima beans in it and he ate them. I then later read they can not have Lima Beans Is this true???
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Donovan »

So I tried something new today that was pretty successful.

I nuked about a cup or half a cup of oatmeal (less water to make it a little thicker).. then I put one egg into it and stirred it up and nuked it for another minute or so....

then i mixed in a little brown rice

The best way to describe this would be... oatmeal souffle... bird loved it. It has one problem though of not having much taste so you can add something to it for flavor.. a bit of mashed up apple or hot sauce .. anything to add flavor.. otherwise it's really boring.
serine
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2013 6:25 pm

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by serine »

My bird loves mangos today was the first day I gave him one he ran up to me :D
serine
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2013 6:25 pm

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by serine »

With the brown rice do you have to cook it before you give it to your irn
Doodlebug
Posts: 319
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2013 7:14 am
Location: Suffolk, UK

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Doodlebug »

Melika wrote:
Tea.cos wrote:I was just wondering, I have heard that IRNs are lactose intolerant but there is yogurt on your list? Thank you all for your advice
Teresa
They aren't really lactose intolerant, they simply do not digest lactose. The bacteria that makes the yogurt also eats the lactose leaving a very nearly lactose free product. There is some science currently showing that the same bacteria(s) used to culture yogurt also makes the enzyme lactase which would also help in the digestion of any lactose left over.

http://exoticpetvet.net/avian/dairy.html

As I've often said here, everything in moderation.
Is milk safe for our IRNs then? My Dudes seemed to have a bad reaction to milk earlier today and was VERY lethargic, he never lets me touch him without biting and he let me when this happened. His poop went watery but recovered quickly, but he's still unusually tired today. Please help?
Loo :)
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

Doodlebug wrote:
Melika wrote:
Tea.cos wrote:I was just wondering, I have heard that IRNs are lactose intolerant but there is yogurt on your list? Thank you all for your advice
Teresa
They aren't really lactose intolerant, they simply do not digest lactose. The bacteria that makes the yogurt also eats the lactose leaving a very nearly lactose free product. There is some science currently showing that the same bacteria(s) used to culture yogurt also makes the enzyme lactase which would also help in the digestion of any lactose left over.

http://exoticpetvet.net/avian/dairy.html

As I've often said here, everything in moderation.
Is milk safe for our IRNs then? My Dudes seemed to have a bad reaction to milk earlier today and was VERY lethargic, he never lets me touch him without biting and he let me when this happened. His poop went watery but recovered quickly, but he's still unusually tired today. Please help?
As noted in the article linked there, "What happens if a bird ingests milk or products containing lactose, the milk sugar? Since it doesn't have the enzymes necessary to digest lactose, it will often pass through the bird's digestive tract unchanged. Because it is a foreign sugar, it may draw fluids into the intestinal tract, resulting in diarrhea, if ingested in large amounts. Small amounts of milk and products containing lactose are probably not harmful to most birds."

If any food affects your bird in such a way as you described, don't feed it.
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
Kimma
Posts: 87
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2013 9:46 pm
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Kimma »

I made a bunch of Hane and Tsume's Sweet Potato Mash the other day and have it frozen in ice-cube size blocks ready for when my birdies arrive. It's such a great idea. Thanks so much for posting it Melika.

But how much should I give them? Do you find one block per bird per day is the right amount? Or is this just going to be a trial and error thing?

I used half orange and half white sweet potato, carrots, capsicum, green pepper, corn, baby peas and red cabbage in mine. It's so colourful, and quite tasty too. I am sure they will like it.

But, is it worth making up a second batch now with different ingredients so I can alternate? Assuming one block per bird per day I've got about a month's worth.

I really need a second fridge...
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Melika »

Kimma wrote:I made a bunch of Hane and Tsume's Sweet Potato Mash the other day and have it frozen in ice-cube size blocks ready for when my birdies arrive. It's such a great idea. Thanks so much for posting it Melika.

But how much should I give them? Do you find one block per bird per day is the right amount? Or is this just going to be a trial and error thing?

I used half orange and half white sweet potato, carrots, capsicum, green pepper, corn, baby peas and red cabbage in mine. It's so colourful, and quite tasty too. I am sure they will like it.

But, is it worth making up a second batch now with different ingredients so I can alternate? Assuming one block per bird per day I've got about a month's worth.

I really need a second fridge...
Glad you're enjoying the recipe! I usually just give the same recipe until I'm out, then the next month is different. Like you, I seem to make about a month's worth at a time.

It will be a trial and error thing to figure out how much to feed (and depend on the size of the cube!). It will depend on what else you're feeding too. In addition, sometimes I sprinkle some seed or uncooked brown rice on top or serve with extra fresh chopped veggies/fruits, soaked and cooked beans, or sprouted seeds. In winter Hane prefers just having the warm mash for his veggies.

I've also used pumpkin instead of sweet potato.

---
Added some foraging links to the main post.
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
hasanpk
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2014 3:48 am

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by hasanpk »

Hello I bought a couple of irn's . They only eat seeds . I tried chilli . Apple . Tomato ..but they dnt eat it .kindly suggest some food .thanksssss :(
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by MissK »

Hi hasanpk,

Congratulations on your bird. Kindly review this thread from the start and you will find an abundance of great information.
-MissK
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by Donovan »

Well.. you can't just give them that food and expect them to have a grand epiphany about eating it. Birds, like people, get set in their ways. Your birds were fed only seed and so that's the only thing they consider food.

It's all about presentation. It's unlikely you can chop up a bunch of healthy vegetables and put them in a bowl and your birds decide to eat it.

you will have to eat the food in front of them. Get their attention, make them interested in what you're doing. Another method is to present the food as a toy. I can get a large collard leaf and stick it in my bird's cage and he'll eat it like it's going out of style. But if i chop it up and put it in a bowl he'll completely ignore it.

Bird's have amazing brains. That brain must be stimulated. A bowl of food is boring but a fun new toy isn't.
pards007
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:36 am

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by pards007 »

Didn't see it mentioned but I love to garden and many of the items listed are easy to grow in pots for the people who have no room. Many of the greens like Kayle, lettuce, etc are cold weather crops that I rotate with strawberries, etc,-warm weather crops. Strawberries love to be crowded, so get the 1 gallon milk carton poke a few holes in the bottom, fill it with three strawberry plants and hang it somewhere in the sun. I love to hang things so I can avoid many pests. The other piece of mind is not having to worry about whether or not there are pesticides. Of course the convenience of just opening your door and picking it off the vine, plant or whatever is a bonus. You can be very creative in how and where to plant stuff.
hasanpk
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2014 3:48 am

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by hasanpk »

Thanks missk . Donovan and prads for suggestions . I have another problem with this couple of inr. They r very much scared of me . Today I cut off their feathers so I can take out them from cage . But they r afraid of me .and dont get out from their clay pot . The question is .HOW I CAN CREATE FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP WITT MY PARROTS?????THANKSSS.waiting for ur sweet ideas friendsss
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: What to Feed your Parrot (recipes, toxicities, links too

Post by MissK »

Hi hasanpk,

You are in the wrong section for discussion of taming and training.
You should post in the correct section. Here is a link to that section:http://www.indianringneck.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
You should also use the search function for locating helpful posts on your topic. Here is a link to an explanation on how to do that: http://www.indianringneck.com/forum/vie ... =2&t=17649

Best wishes.
-MissK
Post Reply