Anxious father

[Pajarita]

I really don't know why avian vets say that baloney about fruit making parrots fat. I had this argument with Dr. Harrison (the pellet maker) years ago and I think it's because they are thinking mammals and not birds (avian vets don't go to school to become avian vets and they don't study parrot or any other bird nutrition). Parrots eat fruit in the wild, lots and lots of it. Same with corn. I was born and raised in one of the countries in South America where quakers come from and we used to fight them for the fruit in the trees we had in the summer house backyard. We had an old, huge fig tree and I have seen a flock of quakers come in the morning and eat the figs until they were full just to come back, later in the afternoon to eat more - and they kept on doing this until there were no more ripe figs left! Also, farmers back home hate them because they eat the entire crops of corn, wheat, etc.(and that's why they are classified as agricultural pests). My birds get large portions of fruit as well as corn (in their gloop as well as corn on the cob as the veggie of the day every now and then) every day and all of them are in good weight. Animals that eat fruit as part of their natural diet don't get fat on it, their bodies are made to digest it properly. The danger is added sugar (lots of pellets have added sugar, the bad sugar, the processed one) because their bodies were not meant to consume sucrose or glucose, only fructose.

[Pajarita]

thank you for that info , but what is heme and non-heme?

Heme is animal-based iron and non-heme is plant based. The difference is that animal iron is attached to heme (from 'hemo' meaning blood) proteins while plant iron is not (plants don't have blood). This makes heme iron absorbable in 15 to 35% while non-heme is 2 to 20%. The other difference is that non-heme iron (the only kind that herbivores would get) is affected by dietary factors while heme is not, you eat it, you absorb it. Period.

[jamcq]

I really don't know why avian vets say that baloney about fruit making parrots fat. I had this argument with Dr. Harrison (the pellet maker) years ago and I think it's because they are thinking mammals and not birds (avian vets don't go to school to become avian vets and they don't study parrot or any other bird nutrition). Parrots eat fruit in the wild, lots and lots of it. Same with corn. I was born and raised in one of the countries in South America where quakers come from and we used to fight them for the fruit in the trees we had in the summer house backyard. We had an old, huge fig tree and I have seen a flock of quakers come in the morning and eat the figs until they were full just to come back, later in the afternoon to eat more - and they kept on doing this until there were no more ripe figs left! Also, farmers back home hate them because they eat the entire crops of corn, wheat, etc.(and that's why they are classified as agricultural pests). My birds get large portions of fruit as well as corn (in their gloop as well as corn on the cob as the veggie of the day every now and then) every day and all of them are in good weight. Animals that eat fruit as part of their natural diet don't get fat on it, their bodies are made to digest it properly. The danger is added sugar (lots of pellets have added sugar, the bad sugar, the processed one) because their bodies were not meant to consume sucrose or glucose, only fructose.

Thanks for the info.... good to know.

Of interest.... I challenged the vet about the cost of some of the tests compared to a local private lab..... turns out the vet is using a university based research lab..... funny how quickly the consult ended when I wasn't prepared to pay hundreds of dollars in tests that even they admitted were not essential..... they also pushed Harrisons pellets over a Vetafarm...... even though from what i can tell they are pretty much the same thing! with same amounts of fats, sugars and vitamins etc....

Hercules loves corn... and really loves grapes! will have to try figs.....will let him have more fruits too.....and I will keep experimenting with other possible options.... I'm sure he will eventually eat a wider variety... he is only 4 months after all.

[jamcq]

I am so happy that everything turned out good for you and your bird. I know that it was expensive but, they really are worth it all. Glad this is over ,but I would tend to be cautious for a while at least to make sure that it doesn't have a chance to return. Just me worrying, maybe excessively.

Don't worry wolf... I think i will be extra sensitive to his health for a while..... Im giving him a probiotic with his food too just to bolster his system and hopefully prevent a return of anything....

[Wolf]

Good deal !

[jamcq]

Hi Wolf and everyone else....

Just wanted to provide an update.

Hercules has been going well since I last posted. He quickly got past his infection once I gave him some probiotic for a week or so and now he is just doing well naturally and has been for some time. He has become a very active, eager, and adventurous little thing and now eats most things but especially tries to steal food from me even when he has eaten and I am working on preventing any bad habits there.

I have successfully learned to make a kind of birdy bread which he adores and a parrot chop with all his favourite things..... he still has some seeds and pellets but theres a good mixture of stuff now.

We have also developed a trusting relationship...... and I'm fairly sure he has bonded with me as he is different with me than others.... he will let others near him but mostly only in my company. He and I have also developed a funny whistle to let each other know where we are in the house as its pretty much his house now! He has also become used to visiting family and jumps into his travel cage knowing he is going somewhere fun!

I've gone through and done some 'bird proofing" in the house so hopefully everything will be safe..... thankfully he tends to avoid electrical things so far but has developed a love of all things made of crystal..... especially my wife's favourite vase which he happily perches on

Still trying to get some "non-blurry" photos..... might have to try a long lensn my dslr as whenever I use my smartphone he licks the lens... lol

I just wanted to say thanks again for the help I got on this board...... it has led to a very good outcome and I am grateful as he is such an important part of my life.

[Wolf]

I am so happy to hear from you again and most especially that things have worked out so well for you and Hercules. Yes I would love to see pictures of him, so I will patiently await the arrival of them whenever you get it worked out.
This thing that he has about stealing some of your food is both a good and bad thing. I think that the best way to approach it is to provide him with his own dish of food when you eat. If you could give him a bird safe version of whatever it is that you are eating then he will be a little less likely to take it off your plate. Sharing food is a very potent bonding activity with parrots and it is one that I find quite rewarding, but that is me, as I am one of those ill mannered people who has always shared my food with my animal friends.

Thank you so much for taking the time to give us this update and if we can assist you in any way please let us know, and please keep the update coming our way.

[Pajarita]

Yes, I second the sentiment, thank you for the update. Believe it or not, here at The Parrot Forum, we all get somehow attached to the birds we read about and are always looking for updates.