Bird ID

[Wolf]

I think that for the most part I would increase the amount and variety of fresh raw produce so that they are getting them every day.

I do not feed any of my birds pellets and even if I did I would avoid Zupreem as they are known to use a lot of substandard ingredients. I do a cooked food that we call gloop on this forum, it consists of partly cooked whole grains, vegetables and thoroughly cooked white beans and lentils. There are several post on this food in the health, nutrition and diet section of this forum. I also feed fresh raw produce daily and a seed mix for their dinner.

Quality ingredients are not the cheapest, and I don't know how much leeway you have in controlling their diet or how much effort you are willing to put into it.

[Pajarita]

Small species love their greens so I would try to give them a nice selection of them (a different one every day). I also don't feed pellets but, if I did, I would never use the fruity ones. I feed gloop, raw produce and a good quality seed mix for dinner. As to cost, I really don't think that gloop is more expensive than pellets... if anything, I would say it's cheaper.

[owlyssa]

Brynna, I'm glad these birds have you to look out for them and coax them back into health and happiness. They need someone like you on their side!! I hope you continue to keep us posted, especially after seeing that poor 'tiel's possible eye infection...

Also, this is the first time I'm hearing of this "gloop" concoction, and now I'm curious! Time to do some digging around in the forums...

[Navre]

As she doesn't live there, and is only there every other day, it would seem that she needs to free feed. Maybe one of the low-fat pellets along with gloop and greens every other day?

[BrynnaCC]

I'll look up some gloop recipes and try them out! I'd have to probably limit it to every other day. I don't imagine gloop would last through the days I don't see the birds? I'd hate for their food to get moldy.

Is there a better brand of pellets any of you can recommend? The Zupreem was what the owners bought, and I'm almost out of it, so I do have leeway to change the brand on this next batch.

Edit: Oh, and also, does anyone sell a homemade pellet? I come from the planted aquarium world, where our equivalent is flake food, where the commercial brands are garbage but some people on the forums make some really good quality flakes.

[Wolf]

So far this is the only pellet that I would recommend, if I had to feed a pellet.

http://www.windycityparrot.com/Totally- ... _2963.html

[BrynnaCC]

Alternately, is there a more nutritional dry mix of some kind that would be preferable to a pellet? I'm pretty much just looking for something that will last through every other day when I can't make it out there.

[Wolf]

I can't really say, but TOPS also makes a crumble as opposed to a pellet that would be easier for the birds to eat.

The biggest problem that I am having in coming up with food ideas that might help is that the food need to last for 48 hours instead of 12 to 24. I mean that there are various fruits and vegetables that could last long enough if they could drain as they age as it is the moisture remaining with the mix that increases the risk of bacterial growth. I mean that apple will look like crap but still be good to eat in 24 hours, but I am also thinking of larger pieces that they would bite pieces out of. Same with vegetables like green peppers or corn on the cob. These would be skewered and then hung about the cage where they could easily reach them.

This is one of those areas that seagoatdeb or pajarita would be better at than myself, but I am trying to come up with ideas that might help.

[Pajarita]

Well, although I could probably come up with a couple of suggestions (corn on the cob, carrots, broccoli, cooked grains, bok choy, etc come to mind) I would never suggest feeding birds only once every 48 hours. I mean, you can get away with it on a special occasion but you can't do it as a matter of regular husbandry if, for nothing else, that you need to check them visually twice a day to make sure they are not showing signs of disease.

[BrynnaCC]

I'll check out that crumble. The skewers thing seems like a good idea; I'll see what I can rig up!

Yeah, if they were my birds I'd be doing the twice daily thing. The best I could negotiate/have time for was every other day. It's not ideal, but it's better than the once-a-month feeding/maintenance they wanted me to do. I initially suggested they rehome the birds, but they insisted they wanted to keep them. I get the impression they inherited the birds with the house and don't really know anything about them.