Leanne
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| 25-08-2010 04:15 PM |
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I have been reading all kinds of mixed things over the internet and it seems lots of people have different opinions on which diets are best for parrots and what supplements(If any) should be used. Should you give your parrot a calcium and vitamin supplement or does it vary on the individual bird/species health? I use a calcium supplement called Nutrobal for my reptiles and it says it can also be used for birds and mammals but if a parrot is fed a calcium rich diet will it still need to be supplemented? I have also read it can be dangerous if you give your bird to much vitamin supplement?
 What is the best diet and supplement combo for parrots? Does it vary greatly between each species? and what (if any) supplements should be given...?
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Oodie
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| 25-08-2010 04:44 PM |
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Hi Leanne,
Welcome to Birdline!! What birds have you got? It's a question better answered by the experts on the breed.
Interesting - my vet said to me yesterday "The people(old hands) on birdline have more experience in parrots than any vet does. Vets are trained to cover all animals and could never have their degree of individual/species observations and knowledge". Obviously Avian Vets are a bit more revved up but its very complementary observation anyway.
I feed mine everything seeds, fruit, veg, pizza, steak, omlette etc.....scrambled egg and toast *major new addition!!* are number one. I use powdered supplements but only when they moult or look a bit lethargic. I give them fruit juice (the sort you'd get from a carton, ok but not perfect) every day which is their favourite ritual. They are bursting at the seams with vitamins etc...personally I think the key is a huge breakfast quantity of fruit and veg to eat, chew and throw. Someone once said on here "I give them a slice of apple!" which didn't go down well. I make sure they mash at least a single large apple to mush every day, recycling it if necessary so they can graze.
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Chelly
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| 25-08-2010 05:04 PM |
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Thanks for the helpful reply I didnt realise they could have such a wide variety of human food! At the moment I don't have any birds and so want to make sure I know what dietry requirements they need for future reference. Was really confused about supplements and stuff! Juice cartons is something I would never have thought of- a really good idea and I bet the birds love it! |
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Leanne
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| 25-08-2010 05:05 PM |
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Whoops! Just realised I was signed in on my mum's account lol so last reply was from me not chelly. Thanks again |
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Victoria Whitfield
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| 25-08-2010 07:45 PM |
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I have an amazon here who is a birdy dustbin and begs worse than any dog for food. He truly is all man and the way to his heart is definitely through his belly BUT he was large when he arrived and I have to manage what human food he gets otherwise he would be seriously obese and then prone to serious health issues.
All things in moderation keeps him fighting fit!! |
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Vicky Ford
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| 25-08-2010 08:50 PM |
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My experience is that if they should eat it they won't ie nice healthy fruit and veg and stuff they shouldn't cake, biscuits sweets etc. they love. We have a BL Too who will now try to open the cake tin when she knows my kindly neighbour has brought round some of her almond slices and can sniff out chocolate from yards away!!!! |
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Ann Conway
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| 26-08-2010 07:37 AM |
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For my own healthy birds who are fed a balanced healthy diet, I use calcivet twice a week in their drinking water and vits occasionally. However I do have one who when she first came had to have daily calcium for quite a while, due to her being calcium deficient. Over the years, with her diet completely changed now, she gets it the same as the others.
Everyone has their own regime depending on the condition of the birds they have in.
Having said that, they do all need to be supplemented to replace what they would normally obtain in the wild naturally. |
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Rescue Manager North & Aco for Cumbria. |
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Scarlett
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| 27-08-2010 05:59 PM |
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Same as us then Shell really. Though we limit the amounts of our food, just a tiny bit to try some if it`s not healthy stuff for them.
Ours love cheese Ravioli in the tins, it`s great for Vit A.
Ours will not eat tomatoes unless it`s on a pizza, they love garlic bread, they love pasta, rice and scrambled eggs.
Sweetcorn, soya beans etc.
Ours also get sprouting pulses and Zupreem pellets a couple of times a week. not set days or times, just sort of as and when.
Scarlett |
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Our Flock.......
Oliver-Greenwing Macaw
River and Diesel-Harlequin Macaws
Maxwell and Molly-Scarlet Macaws
Matilda and Dylan-Blue and Gold Macaws
Phoebe-Catalina Macaw
Harley and Lucas-Severe Macaws
www.scarlettsparrotessentials.co.uk |
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Leanne
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| 27-08-2010 06:32 PM |
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I think it's great that they can eat such a vaired diet, because obviously the different tastes and textures will be good fun for them! Should I supplement them with a kind of prepacked "Complete" parrot food? What shop bought foods do you reccommend? If any? My pet hate is mixed feeds I prefer foods that come in a complete pellet so they can't pick and choose and leave the less tasty but generally healthier bits of the mix! I know that chocolate can cause problems with the nervous system etc but why is avacado so dangerous to a parrot- i've always known they can't eat it, just curious to know why.. |
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Helen W
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| 27-08-2010 07:57 PM |
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Leanne, pellets may be a 'complete' food but many birds would go on hunger strike rather than eat them - our 2 are certainly in that group! We give them tidymix (looks a lot like good quality muesli - and is human grade lol.) Many BL folk use AS20 from Dietec, but the diet, size and mix of seed/pellet may be predetermined by the bird that comes to you is already used to.
As for supplements, Greys should be given regular calcium supplements and I think a good multivitamin is also good - especially since we are generally dealing with birds that have less than ideal histories or whom we know little about. The only vitamin that is toxic in high doses is vitamin A, but many BL birds have actually been found to be Vit A deficient. To prevent the risk of overdose with Vit A, you could use beta-carotene instead. |
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nigel
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| 27-08-2010 09:10 PM |
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Hi Leanne, I joined BL just over a year ago and have found the forum and its contributors great for help, particularly the subject of diet and supplements, I do have a query which I hope you don't mind me adding onto yours, like a lot of birdies, mine (a cag) is not over keen on the fruit part of his diet, tends to eat the favourites - apple, grapes etc but the rest is used as amusement! the question is do other owners consider fruit/veg juice (typically the carton type stuff) a reasonable substitute for the real thing, not the cheap rubbish but the better "pure" products? if it is recommended, what sort of quantities?
we also have a beardy!
cheers, Nigel. |
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Helen W
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| 27-08-2010 09:26 PM |
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Nigel, fruit juice is OK, better than nothing but if you can get Danny to eat any kinds of fruit or veg it is preferable. However, I do understand the problems with getting them to eat anything nutricious Have you tried different shapes/textures (raw, cooked, mashed, wedged, etc.) - I'm sure you have - and have you tried pomegranate? Our 2 think that's the best thing since palm-oiled granary toast lol. A number of the more experienced folk have said that veg & fruit are best given as a first in the morning offering - when the birds are hungriest That way they are most likely to eat them. |
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Ann Conway
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| 28-08-2010 06:59 AM |
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As Shell has said, every bird is different and what works for one, doesnt for another. Another way to get them to eat fruit is to disguise it in home made muffins, veg can mixed in mashed potato or with pasta or rice.
Some of mine prefer it served warm.
One my safehouse birds will not touch raw fruits but loves dried fruit.
Its trial and error, but I usually manage to get it into them some way.
They have a variety of human foods, pasta, rice, chicken, mashed potato, fish,runner beans,peas,broccoli, cauliflour,carrots.
Hard boiled egg or omelette occasionally, and they love a digestive or rich tea or ginger biscuit. Their seed AS20 or Tidymix makes up about a third of their diet.
Walnuts are another favourite. |
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Leanne
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| 28-08-2010 01:56 PM |
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Thanks very much to everyone, Everything i've read has been really informative and useful, I'm going to take everything into consideration and have some really good ideas now about the different methods and foods I can use to encourage a healthy diet when I get my Birdline parrot Really interesting that avacado is so toxic to most animals and yet humans can eat it no problem! Thanks again! |
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