harveyboy
Weaned Todd
Joined: November 2009
Posts: 54
|
food
Nov 1, 2009 5:15:48 GMT -7
Post by harveyboy on Nov 1, 2009 5:15:48 GMT -7
hi everyone
i bought harvey when he was 11 weeks old from an old couple that breed african grey as a hobby, they let me view a batch of babies that i had a choice of (as i was next on the list as interested).He is a wonderful liverly bird that has started to talk.He is my bird but dosent like me very much he has taken to loving my husband but i dont mind i love him lots. I feed him friut and veg but i am worried i am not giving him the right diet can you tell me what you give your birds. I have named him harvey even thou i dont know what sex he is as im not really bothered as im not going to breed. He has pomegranite and bannana in the morning and veggies in the morning and zupreem fruit pellets in his cage and stand he is out most of the day hanging out with my family so has lots of interaction. he sits on the door and watches my hubby play darts most evening. before he goes to bed he has about 10 warmed blueberries which he loves.i would be greatful for any advice.
|
|
|
food
Nov 1, 2009 5:29:13 GMT -7
Post by Jane on Nov 1, 2009 5:29:13 GMT -7
Hello and welcome to the forum. Congratulations on getting Harvey. It is quite common for them to prefer one family member over another, and have different relationships with each. I think you are doing the right thing with his diet with pellets fruit and veggies. On a daily basis mine have a 26 ingredient human grade seed, grain, pulse, nut and fruit mix containing no more than 10% sunflower seed. To this I add pellets (Tropican Lifetime granules) and that forms the basis of the dry mix. They also have Nutriberries, Beak Appetit cooked meals, vegetables and fruit (favourites are apples, peas, peppers, carrots, sweet potato, butternut squash), and anything we are having that is suitable.
Less frequently they have grated cheese, scrambled egg, pasta, rice.
Treats include yoghurt coated peanuts, pine nuts, little bits of toast and biscuit.
Jane
|
|
harveyboy
Weaned Todd
Joined: November 2009
Posts: 54
|
food
Nov 1, 2009 5:45:47 GMT -7
Post by harveyboy on Nov 1, 2009 5:45:47 GMT -7
thanks jane,
I have just ordered some palm nut extract to put on his toast for the mornings. I always give him chicken when we have it which he likes to eat of a plate with us at the table(we have finished eating by then) i think he seems to eat better oh and he has peas carrots and broccoli that i save for him before i salt them. Do you give your bird any added vitamin and mineral supplements.
|
|
|
food
Nov 1, 2009 5:49:35 GMT -7
Post by DF on Nov 1, 2009 5:49:35 GMT -7
Interesting you mentioned warmed BB -- I one time offered Auggie a BB pancake and he picked out the berries. So now on pancake morning he gets his own with extra BB. He really loves them that way over just out of the container.
And Welcome!
|
|
harveyboy
Weaned Todd
Joined: November 2009
Posts: 54
|
food
Nov 1, 2009 6:02:28 GMT -7
Post by harveyboy on Nov 1, 2009 6:02:28 GMT -7
all i do is warm then in boiling water for about 10 seconds, he gobbles them down. The lady that we got him from always done it for the babies every night so we kept it up, he now knows when it bed time as goes to his cage.
|
|
|
food
Nov 1, 2009 6:31:04 GMT -7
Post by Shirl on Nov 1, 2009 6:31:04 GMT -7
Welcome . Sounds as you are feeding Harvey ok . Hope you post some picture of Harvey
|
|
|
food
Nov 1, 2009 6:31:43 GMT -7
Post by Jane on Nov 1, 2009 6:31:43 GMT -7
Sounds great. No I don't give mine any vitamin or mineral supplements. They are not necessary if they are having a good varied diet, as Harvey is, and pellets are already fortified with them.
Jane
|
|
Preston
Super Talker
NEED HELP? WE WILL ANSWER AS FAST AS WE CAN (Note: Preston passed away in 2012. We hold his memories dearly, he was a great person and super moderator.)
Sisika and Pete
Joined: January 2005
Posts: 5,912
|
food
Nov 1, 2009 9:48:37 GMT -7
Post by Preston on Nov 1, 2009 9:48:37 GMT -7
Welcome to the forum. It seems between your offerings and the others posts, he will be a happy healthy bird. Calcium is key and the broccoli will cover that.
|
|
Adriane
Weaned Todd
Diego
Joined: October 2008
Posts: 42
|
food
Nov 10, 2009 11:26:53 GMT -7
Post by Adriane on Nov 10, 2009 11:26:53 GMT -7
I feed Diego mostly seeds i have to admit.. he is SO picky and will barley ever be seen eating pellets. but they are provided for him. He does get other things tho, his favorite has to be grapes, he would die for a bit of my cheeseburger (little junk food), carrots, corn, any mixed veggies. In the morning i spoon feed him warmed oatmeal, this is the most clever thing to get them to eat because you can hide things in the oatmeal, (medications, vitamin supplements etc.) He absolutly DEVOURES oatmeal. I suppose a warm meal reminds him of formula time because ive given it to him since he was young. My favorite food to feed him though and the stuff he loves best is Goldenfeast brand parrot foods. All human grade indregients. They manufacture over 50 different kinds to choose from (different mixes, flavors, species specific etc.) All having more than 20 different all natural ingrediants as well. its a little on the spendy side but Diego loves the stuff. check out their website www.goldenfeast.net/some bird stores have carry it where you guys are all from.
|
|
jessy
Just Hatched
Joined: November 2009
Posts: 3
|
food
Nov 11, 2009 1:31:17 GMT -7
Post by jessy on Nov 11, 2009 1:31:17 GMT -7
In the wild, African Greys eat fruits, leaves, insects, bark and flowers. In captivity, they should eat a varied diet of fruits, vegetables supplemented with some seeds and nuts. Rice, cooked beans, corn, tortillas, pasta, potatoes, bread and cooked chicken are healthy foods for Greys. They also need extra calcium supplementation, so add bones, oyster shell, and cuttle bones to the diet Find out fast about the nutritional requirements for you pet tiny.cc/nHSPB or tiny.cc/wE4MI Thank you jessy
|
|
|
food
Nov 12, 2009 17:09:49 GMT -7
Post by rick on Nov 12, 2009 17:09:49 GMT -7
While all of these other foods can be fed to them, a pelleted diet is the MOST important part of their diet. The majority of avian diseases have some basis on their diet. While it is true that greys eat fruits, leaves, and flowers in the wild it is pretty much impossible for us to recreate this diet because we do not have access to the same species of plants. Any avian vet will tell you that the basis of their diet should be a good quality pellet supplemented with vegetables, fruit, and other healthy things. The exact amount of these extra foods varies among vets (ive heard anywhere from 60-90% of the diet should be pellets). The reason for the high percentage of pellets is that the pellets have the proper vitamins and minerals in every bite. Without pellets it can be very difficult to be very sure that your grey is getting everything it needs.
Try to limit the amount of seeds you feed them. They contain little to no nutrients other than lots of fat. Goldenfeast is a good treat to give as part of diet but in moderation. Greys are genetically programmed to want to eat fat when it is available. In the wild they are always flying around looking for food and avoiding predators using up lots of energy. Fat is packed with calories so when they get an opportunity to eat fat they naturally want to load up since food (energy/calories) is hard to come by. In captivity greys don't move around anywhere near as much so just like with people eat ing a high fat diet without exercising very much leads to obesity. It has been proven that improper diet will cut down their lifespan. Since greys are such a long lived species the difference between an improper diet and proper diet can mean adding not just years but possibly decades to their overall life.
Greys do not need extra calcium supplementation if they are fed a proper diet. Pellets, Broccoli, dark leafy vegetables such as kale and turnip greens, and beans have lots of calcium that is readily absorbed unlike the calcium in oyster shell and cuttle bones. Also it is a myth that greys need extra calcium. They are simply more sensitive to a calcium deficiency. (ie they show much more visible symptoms such as seizures than other species)
Adriane if you are having trouble getting diego to eat his pellets try switching the brand. Many members including myself have had great success feeding zupreem pellets. Some other good brands to try are roudybush, lafebers, and harrisons. You might also try buying a different size pellet since some birds prefer larger or smaller pellets.
|
|
Adriane
Weaned Todd
Diego
Joined: October 2008
Posts: 42
|
food
Nov 12, 2009 22:25:42 GMT -7
Post by Adriane on Nov 12, 2009 22:25:42 GMT -7
Ive heard all youve said about pellets. i know they are good for them and should be fed. Ive read it everywhere, i work at a bid specialty store. i know the importance. believe me ive had birds all my life. I cant force him to eat pellets. If i try and cut his seed back and provide more pellets he throws all of the pellets of of the dish and gets horribly cranky (this has gone on for weeks at a time i have tried to convert him many times), ive tried zupreem, roudybush, harrisons, pretty bird, goldenfeast's goldenobles. None of which he likes to eat. if i basically starved him he would probably eat a couple extra pellets. He always has pellets available, i provide them for him everyday in his cage, he just doesnt eat them much. like i said he gets oatmeal in the morning, mixed veggies for lunch, birdie bread sometimes in the day, carrots, broccoli, grapes (his favorite) and bean cuisine, his treats are dried papaya. I dont think he has the worst diet ever i guess. definitely room for improval. if anyone has any additional pointers id be open to trying anything to get him to eat more pellets.
|
|
|
food
Nov 13, 2009 2:33:13 GMT -7
Post by Jane on Nov 13, 2009 2:33:13 GMT -7
Adriane - Have you tried Tropican Lifetime Granules - these are about the size and shape of lentils and smell fruity because they have banana oil and orange oil in but they have no artificial colours or flavours. You can also try moistening pellets with a little water or fruit juice, I know this has worked for some members. Also, have you tried Lafeber Avi-Cakes as these are 50% pellets and 50% seeds and a good way of encouraging them to try pellets, and Lafeber Nutri-Berries contain a nutritionally balanced variety of ingredients fortified with vitamins and minerals. Nutri-meals are 31% fruit and veg, 36% pellets. Mine like Nutri-Berries best as the Avi-Cakes and Nutri-Meals have a different more gelatinous sort of texture.
Jane
|
|
|
food
Nov 13, 2009 8:59:44 GMT -7
Post by DF on Nov 13, 2009 8:59:44 GMT -7
Diego and Auggie are brothers at heart! I get Auggie to eat his pellets soaked in water and/or sometimes warm water. That's how he started eating his Zupreem when he came to me. Rarely he will eat dry pellets but will if he sees the tiels chowing. Sometimes I can get him to eat the Harrisons but donated that bad to the rescue zoo. I've tried them all - HA! That however defeat the purpose of a good, dry staple food; but that's the routine here. Who trains who ?
|
|
Adriane
Weaned Todd
Diego
Joined: October 2008
Posts: 42
|
food
Nov 13, 2009 11:42:52 GMT -7
Post by Adriane on Nov 13, 2009 11:42:52 GMT -7
I will try the pellets soaked in warm water, he loves his warm oatmeal so i suppose he may try that. I have crushed up roudybush and put it in his oatmeal before, i fooled him there. I have not ever seen Tropican Lifetime Granules around here so ill have to look that up on the internet. He does love Nutri-meals i always have them for him. And nutri-berries as well thats a loved treat of his. Have not tried avicakes yet. I thought about about it but never have.
|
|