I want to swap my kakarikis over to a new 'healthier' seed mix, as the pet shops varieties are generally rubbish and full of fattening sunflower seeds.. although i try to separate the sunflower seeds from the mixture (i have a full bag of sunflower seeds for 'treats') they throw the bowl all over the floor to find the seeds ive missed.

They dont seem to eat the smaller seeds and thus this creates a waste...

I've been looking at the tidymix (http://www.tidymixdiets.com/products.htm), after reading good reviews of it (and seeing that it would cost generally the same as the 'generic' food).. I have read that too many chillis can make kakarikis ill, which turns me off of the parrot mix.. but the parakeet mix sounds good but id like to give them a variety.

Is there another brand/different type of diet i should consider (pellet or something?).. price isn't an issue as such providing the birds will eat it as i hate to see wasted food?? Perhaps i should try the parakeet mixture combined with something else from the range (in two separate bowls of course!) e.g. the rice mix?

I see the 'fruit treats' are dried fruit.. which again ive heard isn't that good for birds as all the nutrients are taken from it during the 'drying' process?

 For fresh fruit/veg, ive given them premixed salads, chopped very fine, in a separate bowl in the cage, they love apple too which i stick to the bars at various points of the cage, ive also tried bananna which they dont seem to like very much, and cucumber which after a few nibbles they seemed to not like that either.

I plan to try grapes, melon, pineapple, grapefruit, passionfruit..

Im thinking of trying them on different general veg like potatoes, carrots, peasinthepod, etc etc...

Im worried about things like raw carrot being a bit too hard for them to eat so would it be better to cook them (without salt?) or slice/dice them up for them??

Since joining the site ive been suprised to learn alot of you share your 'dinners' with your birdies... im willing to try that but obviously dont want to give them anything that isn't good for them... generally speaking we have chilli con carne, bolognese, chicken curry, and things with 'cheesy mash' (mash with salad cream and grated cheese melted in... it tastes LOVELY)...

Lastly, ive had to throw away potatoes which have started 'sprouting'..  would they perhaps be ok for the birds, as ive heard they like to eat the sprouts and shoots of plants too... is raw potatoe ok or would it be better to cut the sprouts off and cook the potatoe to soften it a bit more (e.g. boil or bake).

Sorry for the long post but im intrigued and due to recently learning about the 'Stone fruits' being toxic to birds I dont want to feed anything i shouldn't... (obviously i know about advocado, coffee, and chocolate)

It can be found at www.tidymixdiets.com I phone and order them that way and politely ask for the 10% discount. It's human-grade quality and our 2 don't like brazil nuts, so I get those

I don't know about specific kakariki diet, but as Vicki says, don't feed raw potato - it can be poisonous.

Our 2 get given some of what we're eating too - but no onions, rhubarb, avocado. Stoned fruits are OK, as long as you don't give them the stones (e.g. peaches, cherries and the like.)

If you want to try sprouting, tidymix do a sprouting mix you can try too.

Posted By Helen W on 18 Sep 2009 02:29 PM

It can be found at www.tidymixdiets.com I phone and order them that way and politely ask for the 10% discount. It's human-grade quality and our 2 don't like brazil nuts, so I get those

I don't know about specific kakariki diet, but as Vicki says, don't feed raw potato - it can be poisonous.

Our 2 get given some of what we're eating too - but no onions, rhubarb, avocado. Stoned fruits are OK, as long as you don't give them the stones (e.g. peaches, cherries and the like.)

If you want to try sprouting, tidymix do a sprouting mix you can try too.

Thanks for the advice.. much appreciated..

You can see what i mean.. i was only told of advocado, coffee, and chocolate but theres LOADS more we shouldn't feed the birds.... 

 i suppose the 'stone fruits' is the same principle as apples (removing the core/pips) but theres plenty of other fruit just to be on the safe side... might give that sprouting mix a go, am also thinking of sprouting some sunflower seeds for them anyway (reduces the fat content).