PLEASE, PLEASE ANSWER :-)

Kokkewiet · Post by **Kokkewiet** » Fri May 26, 2006 6:52 am

Hi all,

I have so many questions about the feeding of IRN's.

1) What is the negative side to sunflower seeds?

2) Where I live, there is only sunflower seeds available for IRN's in the shops, other than the parrot feed for bigger parrots, like macaws, etc. Can I feed my IRN the parrot feed (It contains corn, sunflower seeds, peanuts and small seeds)?

3) Is it healthy to give my IRN biscuits?

4) If I give my IRN macaroni and spaghetti, must it be cooked and can I add some salt?

5) Can my IRN eat meat and if so, must it be without salt and spices or just a touch of spices and salt?

6) What other foods can my IRN eat (food that is good for human consumption)?

Sorry for all the questions, but I am just concerned, because I am feeding my IRN sunflower seeds and sometimes fruit. I would like to move away from the sunflower seeds. My IRN is about 7-8 months old.

Any answers would be helpful.

Thanks
Kokkewiet

jen5239 · Post by **jen5239** » Fri May 26, 2006 9:18 am

Hello,

I'm NO EXPERT here but... I'll put my two cents in and hopefully it will help. I've read that sunflower seeds make them aggressive and are high in fat. So they aren't good for them. I would think an occasional seed every once in a while wouldn't hurt. But not a main staple of the diet. I don't think you would have to cook spaghetti or macaroni noodles. They may enjoy trying to crack the pasta when it's raw. I would stay away from salt and spices on the food. My vet told me they can eat meat and it didn't necessarily have to be cooked. I don't know how I feel about that. But the little bit of meat I've given my babies they don't seem to care for. Again I would stay away from spices. We don't know how their little tummies might react to spices. Just my OPINION! I give my babies apples (NO SEEDS! NO SEEDS! NO SEEDS! THE SEEDS WILL KILL THEM!!!), pears, grapes, kiwi (mine didn't like), squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower (mine don't like), green beans, snow peas, water melon (must not give much as it makes their poo a little runny). Do you have any kind of pellets available to feed them?

julie · Post by **julie** » Fri May 26, 2006 9:30 am

with the biscuits only a little bit as a treat (assuming you mean like the bickies you have with coffee).indie really likes mashed potato,mashed potato and pumpkin,he doesnt go for meat either.he loves whatever fruit is in season.if i have nuts i give him some,the seed you described that you can get sounds like what indie eats sometimes are you able to get smaller grained version of that.but like jen says i would stay away from the spices because for me it messes with my belly so its not something i would recommend. make sure no avocado as well.

Nonnie · Post by **Nonnie** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 3:08 pm

I boought some roudybush and he doesnt seem to care for it

how can I get him to eat it?? He came with a large bird food but it has tons of sunflower seed in it. I didnt know that sunflower seed can make them agressive. How can I make him eat the roudybush instead?? Thankyou. Huggzzz

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 3:38 pm

So you feel confident:

They can eat anything you eat EXCEPT chocolate and avocado.

Short of that, they can eat anything.

They need pellets in their cage all day as a stable food. One as free of sunflower seeds as possible. I know from experience it absolutely leads to aggression.

When buying pellets, buy colorless ones. When it comes to food companies, the cheaper the food... the more the sunflower seeds. They use the sunflower seeds for weight/filler. Because they are cheap.

Nonnie · Post by **Nonnie** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 5:23 pm

I have the plain roudy bush pellets but he doesnt like them how could I change them so he will acctually eat??

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 9:23 am

Yep sunflower seeds have been knows to cause aggression but alas it is not proven yet. Also another filler they use is called safflower seeds. Those too are junk seeds that they get addicted to.

Prinny will eat just about anything but she is picky. If that even makes sense lol. She loves her fruits and will destroy most of her veggies without eating them. She likes to tear them into little bites and throw them. So we're working on veggies

Dani

goro · Post by **goro** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:03 pm

well sunflower are high in fat and have little or no nutrtion value.
pellets are not avaliable any where.

I feed my irn kaytee and mazuri ( mazuri being good because it helped him get better feathing and i swear buy it) it more of grey size see if you can get it.

They can eat anything almost any food but no spices. only spice i give my bird is fresh jalepeno or otehr pepers. No salt ( salt = negative on hydration)

join the yahoo group about bird feeding if u need a link i can provide you with it just pm unless admin don't care i post it here.
goro

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:14 am

What goro said.

*Spits on sunflower seeds... pure trash.*

And they turn Baby into a bird I dont even know and it takes very few. He really reacts poorly to sunflower seeds.

CHOMP with a hateful look in his eyes and when he is eating them he looks like a damn junkie getting ready to shoot up (I watch intervention too much).

Kokkewiet · Post by **Kokkewiet** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:52 am

Thanks for the advice, you guys :wink:

I bought the parrot feed (containing corn, sunflower seeds, peanuts and small seeds) and I took out the sunflower seeds. Now my IRN takes out the corn (mealie) and he only eats the peanuts and there is not a lot of peanuts in the mix. What can I do so that he can eat the corn and the other seeds as well?

I gave him macaroni (uncooked) and he thought it was something to play with. He picked up the one piece, threw it to the other side with his beak and then he took another piece, and so it went on.

I gave him pellets as well, but he doesn't like it.

I try to give him other foods as well, but I am so afraid that he is not eating enough due to the fact that I took the sunflower seeds out of the mix.

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:56 am

Hun, you have GOT to get a better brand.

That food is trash. :cry:

The bag should contain MOSTLY pellets (colorless preferably) and a few peanuts, peppers and corn thrown in.

Got to get that baby on a better diet or she will start balck barring and thats so unattractive. Takes a while to get it fixed too.

Your ringneck needs to be on pellets, not seeds.

Kokkewiet · Post by **Kokkewiet** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 6:06 am

Mikaela,

Thanks for the advice.

I am going to ask a very stupid question now.
How does the pellets look? Does it look like the pellets we give rabbits?

Do you have a photo or something of it? The reason I ask is because here, where I live, we have pellets, but I don't know if it is the same pellets that you are talking about.

Please help.....

Kokkewiet · Post by **Kokkewiet** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 6:22 am

Mikaela,

The only colour pellets we have here is so greenish, dark green. I haven't seen any other colour pellets here yet, and that is the pellets that the pet stores also have.

Is that also ok? :shock:

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 6:34 am

Just like a rabbit pellet or any other pet pellet. Try to get colorless ones (canvas colored) if possible.

This is what I use:

This is the brand but I chose the bag with the peppers, corn and peas in it.

This is without anything... just pellets. Boring.

Order it online from petsmart if you have too.

www.petsmart.com

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:11 am

You know Mik...that looks like it is a great food. Will have to try that!

Dani

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:59 am

Baby LOVES it and it took all the black barring away. Thank god!

julie · Post by **julie** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 3:30 am

indie and cookie both have some seed,and i cook up the veg (lightly steam)then mash it all up together,i use cauliflower,zuchinni,potato,broccoli,corn,beans and whatever veggies we are having with dinner.i find that if its all mashed in together they cant pick things out.

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 4:07 am

God, please dont notice my screen saver on my cell phone is of my birds. Im just sick and addicted and refuse to seek treatment. I want to be a birdaholic so thats never going to change -sigh-

*peeks out looking for the man in white suits to get er*

https://www.youtube.com/user/kingtutone · Post by **ringneck** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 10:25 am

LoL! Hey guys just need to clarify something. Sun flower seeds don’t lead to aggression. :lol:

Feed your ringneck a variety of foods. The foods should be mixed between a stable diet of cockatiel seeds and pellets. Use a variety of fruits and vegetables to supplement his/her diet. Ringnecks are not picky and will usually eat anything you do.

Just stay clear of greasy foods, chocolate, and avocado. Sun flower seeds are only bad if given in excessive amounts. Spices will not hurt the birds either.

Hope this helps, :wink:

Imran Chaudhry

AmandaB · Post by **AmandaB** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 1:36 pm

I agree on the spices, they will not hurt your bird. Of course lay low on the salt. Some parrot owners use Mrs. Dash to flavor their birds food, it has no salt. Some spices are very beneficial, cinnamon for example has important anti-oxidants. I add cinnamon to my birds sweet potato/oatmeal mash, they love it.

My birds don't like the smaller cockatiel foods, they like the conure/parrot sized food so they can hold it in their foot. I buy Higgins/Nederland brand, they have a good many varieties to choose from.

o2onfire · Post by **o2onfire** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 11:02 am

Just my two cents...

Avoid any diet with seed in it, even pellet-based diets plus seed. Pellets (even those in different shapes and sizes, such as ZuPreem's mainstreem pellet diet) are nutritionally complete to the point that NO supplementation is needed (even fruits and vegetables). Fruits, veggies, and seeds are great treats for your birds, but are neither neccessary nor should they be the main portion of your bird's diet if s/he is on a quality pellet. Mikaela, I'm not sure why you recommend a uniform color-shape variety of pellet; regardless of shape or color, each pellet contains the same exact nutrional formula, and variety stimulates natural foraging instinct and some minimal mental stimulation.

Seeds do not lead to aggression, but they lead to MAJOR obesity problems, vitamin deficiencies, weaker immune systems, and most threatening, fungal infections (especially in southern climates).

Top quality diets are Zupreem and Natural Gold. In fact, those are the ONLY brands our veterinary hospital sells.

Sunflower, Safflower, and Peanut are the absolute worst seeds, in that order. They should really only be used during training sessions, if at all, as rewards.

julie · Post by **julie** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 1:34 am

o2onfire wrote:Just my two cents...
Mikaela, I'm not sure why you recommend a uniform color-shape variety of pellet; regardless of shape or color, each pellet contains the same exact nutrional formula, and variety stimulates natural foraging instinct and some minimal mental stimulation.

Top quality diets are Zupreem and Natural Gold. In fact, those are the ONLY brands our veterinary hospital sells.

Sunflower, Safflower, and Peanut are the absolute worst seeds, in that order. They should really only be used during training sessions, if at all, as rewards.

sorry but doesnt the pic that mikaela posted say zupreme on it?????just checked again and yes it does so why did you make a point of mentioning mikaela??and where are you getting your info on seeds from what do you think they eat in the wild?

o2onfire · Post by **o2onfire** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 5:17 am

Julie, no need to get defensive. Even the experts often disagree on the simplest of matters. Mikaela recomends ZuPreem as well, which is great, but the mix she buys contains peanuts, which are high in fat and harder to keep free of contaminants than pellets alone.

The info on seeds is from leading avian veterinarians and breeders in southwest Florida, whom I have worked closely with and for during the last 6 years. In the wild they eat FRESH seeds (the biggest detriment to seed diets being that they do not stay fresh and breed Aspergillus and other fungi extremely quickly), but also eat fruit, veggies, and other things that aren't included in most seed diets and help prevent obesity and the vitamin deficiencies that occur when metabolizing seeds and nuts.

I mentioned Mikaela specifically because I'm curious why she recomends colorless, uniform pellets in particular (like Natural Gold). This is an internet community where we're free to openly exchange ideas.

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 5:26 am

No Hun, I use Zupreem wild n spicy and *mine* has never had a peanut in it. I have had probably 20 bags, no peanuts.

[EDIT]

I *urge* you to research the ingredients in my brand, then you can better discuss what I feed my birds.

Cute how people better know what I feed my bird than I do. -giggle-

And feel confident enough to talk for me. :shock:

Look at my post... See any peanuts? Nah Uh.

'onfire' I am dumb-founded by you stating ANY brand is COMPLETE in nutrition therefore fresh food and vegatables arent needed. Incorrect information.

[EDIT]
An Indian Ringneck needs FOOD , OTHER than just pellets or seed. No exceptions to this rule. I dont care if God sends you food to use, you still MUST add fruits berries and veggies.

[Edit]

Ingredients for Zupreem Wild n Spicy are as follows:

Ingredients: Ground corn, Soybean meal, Pepitas (dried pumpkin kernels), Dried corn kernels, Ground wheat, Dried chili peppers,Wheat germ meal,Vegetable oil, Dried tomatoes, Sucrose, Dicalcium phosphate, Calcium carbonate, Ground vegetables (carrots, celery, beets, watercress, spinach), Iodized salt, DL-methionine, Choline chloride, Ascorbic acid (source of Vitamin C), Natural mixed tocopherols, Rosemary extract, Citric acid, Natural and artificial colors, Manganous oxide, Zinc oxide, Copper sulfate, Calcium iodate, Sodium selenite,Vitamin A supplement,Vitamin D3 supplement,Vitamin E supplement,Vitamin K supplement, Niacin, Calcium pantothenate, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Folic acid, Biotin,Vitamin B12 supplement

Still looking for those peanuts.

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:00 am

o2onfire wrote:Just my two cents...
Mikaela, I'm not sure why you recommend a uniform color-shape variety of pellet; regardless of shape or color, each pellet contains the same exact nutrional formula, and variety stimulates natural foraging instinct and some minimal mental stimulation.

Seeds do not lead to aggression, but they lead to MAJOR obesity problems, vitamin deficiencies, weaker immune systems, and most threatening, fungal infections (especially in southern climates).

Now while I will agree about seeds leading to obesity and problems is birds they have a need to crack seeds. I do not feed just a seed diet to my baby but she does get a small amount of them (minus the sunflower and safflower) so she can go at them. BTW it is known by most of us that sunflower seeds DO cause aggression...my wonderful Prinny gets cranky and a grump when she has a chance to at them. Hence NO sunflowers for her...

Also they DO need fresh fruits and veggies...we can never ever truly recreate their diet in the wild so we have to supplement for them. DO NOT leave out these wonderful foods that are full of everything they need.

I don't know why you thought Mik was reccomending a different pellet...she uses Zupreem. Maybe you read her wrong but all I can say is please don't go after members here. We can have friendly discussions but lets not get into big fights over what we feed our birds. It is our choice ultimatly what we feed them.

Lets play nice about feeding and housing. I don't know why these are such touchy topics for bird owners but these are the ones that start the fights.

Dani

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:06 am

We all know where 'this' is coming from so ignore it and like cancer it will lay dormant as it has been in remission for weeks now.

Guess boredom set back in over there. Point is... dont play into this. Its obvious what it is and the IP's dont lie.

This is NOTHING more than a way to start drama and we dont have that here at IndianRingneck.com.

The attack is obviously personal. They cant even get that right. Cant be so obvious in what you are doing ya'll. Thats why you failed last time at taking my job.

Look, Imran wants me to be his site admin. THATS NOT GOING TO CHANGE. So stop all the hard work for nothing. He IS NOT going to take my job and give it to you. You know who YOU ARE, as do we all. Cant steal Mikaela's job so darn... have to start my own board! -pout-

Give it up ladies.

Thats my best advice.

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:10 am

Mik...silly we want you as our site admin too! Though I agree with you about the attacking. Not cool and it won't fly if it continues.

As I said lets play nice...

Dani

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:12 am

The ones that DONT are the only ones that want my job.

It brings in a 6 figure income, ya know. Imran pays very well and the benefits are crazy!

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:18 am

*giggles* Like all the Zupreen you can eat? How about unlimited Nutriberries? Handsome men flocking to your perch? Oooh...site admin is sounding better and better...

Just kidding...gawd only knows how much work you have on your shoulders Mik. You have no worries about me fighting you for your perch...you can have that one

Dani

Mikaela · Post by **Mikaela** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:23 am

I know, right lol

I do it out of love for the board, the people and of course... the majestic species. But, you're right... it is alot of work but I do love being a part of it.

Lets lock this while its sweet, k?

IndianRingNeck.com

PLEASE, PLEASE ANSWER :-)

PLEASE, PLEASE ANSWER :-)

sun flower seed