Aggresive or scaried lovebird

[Eric&Rebecca]

It's nothing to do with the factory.... that's to do with toxic materials. Bad factories use bad dyes which actually kill the bird. Crop infections caused by fabric toys is different.

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=10294&p=70667&hilit=rope+fibre#p70667

This happened to a bird on this forum... crop infection from accidentally eating the fibres. The rope cannot be digested in the crop/throat so it sits there in the warm and moist which creates bacteria and the bird gets an infection. Bird's don't digest like we do.

Ok so it hasn't happened so far to your birds but why risk it? I wouldn't. So please read and listen to my advice... I wouldn't tell you if it wasn't right. There's nothing wrong with using the rope perch if you trim the frayed ends or replace it when it becomes worn.

Trixie is ok... not the best though to be honest. Java is the only really good brand around but I get all my perches custom made.

Sunflower should only be used as treats, seriously its soooo bad for birds. Its like giving them chips every day. You can still offer but only 2-4 seeds per day.

The rest should be fresh fruits, dried is ok for during the day when you're not there but lots of nutrients are lost in the drying processes, also vegetables. Fruits are quite sugary you need to be feeding leafy green vegetables more than fruits. Apple is good and banana is good but there needs to be more variety...

my birds eat about 35 different things... I'm quite experienced but you need to start expanding the diet young because its more difficult when they are older and then they refuse to eat it and it just becomes very difficult.

I'm sure you can get TIdymix shipped to you.

[jancijen]

Ok so i ll try to keep rope perch okay Can i burn these frayed parts too ? But in parrot mixes there is everywhere sunflower. I had premium prestige food from friend, who have a lot of lovebirds, cockatiels and a lot of other parrots, and there is sunflower, too. I cant afford these mixes from abroad. In Slovakia there are bad payments ... Dont worry about vegetables and fruits, it is not problem. I give him when i have

[Eric&Rebecca]

No don't burn this releases toxic chemicals. Just trim.

Yes there are sunflowers everywhere! Its really bad... its only recently avian experts have seen the effects of fatty seeds and the market hasn't caught up yet. Tidymix is cheaper than Prestige but Prestige is ok but you need to remove the stripey seeds by hand. That's not so difficult


It is a problem if its not every day and you can't get hold of pellets. You need to be feeding different fruits and veggies every day. Not just when you have them, you will need to buy them everyday I mean I eat the same as my birds... good fruits and veggies, rice, beans, sweet potatoes... etc. If you eat it you're not spending any more money and you're healthier too.

[jancijen]

I feed Riki with sunflower too and he has 6 or 7 years and he is still healthy. I ll try to give him a lot of healthy food but i cant afford to buy something other as sunflower. I ll try find pellets in petshops but i have not seen them yet

[Eric&Rebecca]

Well its there in science you can't just feed sunflowers because they too fatty. You said you had Prestige... I've used Prestige... just remove the sunflower seeds before you give it.

6-7 years it won't show yet... that bird is still young... come 10-15 years you'll see problems. People who are fat live long time but it doesn't mean they are healthy. You can't tell by looking if a bird is healthy or not. Only by blood tests and medical examinations would show this... look it up online. I have checks done on my birds and I've had birds that have previously been on a seed diet like that and have fatty blood so its true... I wouldn't say it for no reason without science backup.

Fatty blood and fatty liver disease is directly caused by fatty diets high in sunflower seeds. Like smoking causes cancer... not everyone who smokes gets cancer or gets sick or dies young but that doesn't make it healthy. A 17 year old can smoke or be fat but its not till they are 40, 50,60 you see problems.

Again because it hasn't happened to your bird yet proves nothing. Its easy to feed fresh foods and things and just remove the sunflower seeds from the mix. The rest is ok providing you are feeding other things.. Harrison's and Kaytee ship worldwide also you just have to email them like tidymix.

[jancijen]

But i cant afford this expensive food see there is sunflower too: http://www.kaytee.com/assets/016/29679_400w400h.jpg

This is horrible It is really stressful...

[Eric&Rebecca]

Well these are usually things you look into before you get the bird not after... but its ok. Like I said when you get the mix... remove the sunflower seeds. It is not hard... just pick them out... then you still have some mix left its not ALL sunflower seeds

You said you had Prestige right? So that is ok, just remove the stripy seeds and let him eat the rest. The rest is ok providing you feed fresh foods everyday. Prestige is a good brand just remove the striped seeds and you can even freeze them then thaw to use as treats...

[jancijen]

what about this mix ? http://www.versele-laga.com/nutri/Nutri ... 6&pro=5107 there are some sunflowers but not large amount. i ve read one article on blog that there should be a bit sunflowers cause of vitamins: http://www.bryansangels.net/2010/05/06/ ... r-parrots/

[Eric&Rebecca]

If you feed fruits and vegetables then you don't need sunflower seeds. Also there are NO vitamins found in sunflower seeds that can not be found in fruits and vegetables and grains or also in other seeds. Also most of the vitamins in the article are contained in the outer shell which the bird doesn't eat, they hull (remove the outer shell) and eat the inside which contains almost none of the vitamins, mainly fat, as that is what the inner seed needs to grow and feed off. So that article isn't exploring deep enough into how the bird eats the seeds.

The only thing in there that isn't in other seeds, fruits and veggies is huge amounts of BAD fats. Also the vitamins in sunflower seeds can be found in MUCH healthier fresh vegetables and fruits without the huge amounts of fat in sunflower seeds. For example, there are good things in potatoes, but a sweet potatoe (the orange potatoes) contain the same if not more vitamins AND have less fats and things. Therefore sweet potato should be fed and NOT normal potatoe.

You can feed 2-4 seeds per day but no more than that. If you feed fresh fruits and vegetables there no need to feed them at all. They will get enough fats and proteins from the remaining seeds in the mix. They get even more of these vitamins if you sprout the seeds!

That seed mix in your link is a good seed mix! Buy that! I've used it before, I just remove the sunflower seeds so there's only 2-4 in the bowl and there you go. You can keep the excess sunflower seeds for later as treats by storing them in the fridge for up to 3 months and the freezer for up to six months. As long as you combine with fruits, veggies and grains DAILY then you shouldn't have a problem.

Removing a few sunflowers and changing a seed mix is not that stressful really and it'll be far less stress than when the bird gets sick from a bad diet with too high fats. THAT would be stressful.

[jancijen]

I hope i ll be able to get it ASAP. Do u think that it is okay to use food which i have and then buy it ?