Got myself an Amazon!

[snakesentwined]

Dunno where you're based, but if you're in the UK and online then I'd highly recommend 'Northern Parrots' as an incredibly reliable source for buying *anything* parrot-related http://www.24parrot.com/. They're sometimes a little expensive, but the variety and service we've experience from them is second to none.

As to brands - Harrison's seems to be about the best, and was the one recommended by our avian vet: it is expensive, but it's fully organic and doesn't contain any added sugars, colours or flavourings. We give Isis the 'Lifetime complete course' and she *loves* it - she even used to pick out the Harrison's in preference to the sunflower when we first mixed the two to ween her off the seed.
(http://www.24parrot.com/Harrisons-Adult-Lifetime-Coarse--Complete-Parrot-Food-P5805a/)

If you're after something cheaper, we've found that Optibird is also very good - with a nice mix of pellets and whole foods that seems to make it easier to transition birds from a straight seed diet. Isis loves it *almost* as much as the Harrison's.
(http://www.24parrot.com/OptiBird-for-Medium-Parrots--4-sizes-P565002A/)

As to the other brands - personally, I've not found any of the other pellets to be very good (especially the 'coloured' ones like ZooPreem or Pretty Bird); they might be cheaper, but all those artificial colours and flavourings can't be good - and if they were really that good, why would they need all that extra stuff to tempt the bird to eat it?

Isis wasn't impressed with them either...

But please remember - even if you are feeding a purely pellet diet, you still want to make sure to provide lots of fresh veg and fruit too! Like captwest, we give Isis a veg-and-fruit meal first thing in the morning: normally made up of lots of green veg such as beans, peas, brocoli, kale, sprouts etc, together with Vit.A rich veg like carrots, peppers and chilies etc - mixed with a few chunks of fruit like melon, apple, pomegranate, grapes etc. She tucks into that whilst we all eat breakfast, and then if there's anything left after a couple of hours, it gets taken away and replaced with pellets for the rest of the day.

In the evening she then also gets a very small sample of whatever (parrot-safe) veggie food we have for supper as a small treat (she *loves* anything pasta based, but also goes bananas for a bit of baked potatoe ) - plus maybe a *small* handful of seeds as individual treats during training or 'out' time. She also has chunks of nuts and dried fruit in a foraging wheel, which she can help herself to throughout the day... (http://www.24parrot.com/Foraging-and-Puzzle-Toys-C101/)

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Congratulations!

There are several threads on the nutrition group about different pellet formulations and how to convert to pellets. I guess my inclination would be to let him settle in a bit before making that change, but I gather there are also arguments that it is easier to make changes when expectations are jumbled up because other changes are going on.

[captwest]

I use Kaytee Exact Orginal (plain color , they don't just pick out their favorite) however the Harrisons is good stuff too. It's a pain switching them over, but necessary. They're some post under health and nutrition, if you have trouble switching over let me know, there's a few tricks that might help.

[tim west]

Hi Guys, thanks for all your help so far. I have ordered some pellets and was wondering whats the best way to switch him, cold turkey or just start adding to the food he has at the moment? Cant see this being easy as he not very food orientated at all. He does get loads of fresh fruit and veg , but he doesnt seem to have meal times just seems to pick at what he prefers through the day. Is this normal?

[captwest]

Yes picking all day is pretty normal, I would try mixing pellets in with old food, and slowly up the ratio of pellets to old mix.i would also keep plenty of water close by as most birds like lots of water with their pellets.some will even dip the pellets, which is why i like a water bottle.but i wouldn't make too many changes all at once.

[Jenny]

Hi Tim,
the method of switching to pellets that Richard describes is the method I used w/my rescued cockatiel, who I don't think ever had anything other than seed before I got him. It took a period of weeks, but the switch was made w/o too much of a problem - I just had to be patient & persistent. I was advised to have a scale so that I could weigh my bird every day during the switch (& I was told it's a good idea to make that part of a daily routine anyway), & in that way be sure that he was actually eating & not losing weight.

[captwest]

Jenny gives some good advice, if you make checking his weight a regular thing, he'll get used to the routine pretty quick. that and it will help dedect illnesses earlyier.

[tim west]

It's a great idea apart from getting him to the scales! If he's on his cage I have no chance of picking him up at the moment, bit im working on it!

[captwest]

Good luck and keep us informed

[Jenny]

It's a great idea apart from getting him to the scales! If he's on his cage I have no chance of picking him up at the moment, bit im working on it!

yeah, stepping up & off would help w/the weighing! I encourage you to take a look at Michael's instructions for teaching those commands, if you haven't already. Aaron came w/the ability to step up, but stepping off was tough. Two things helped w/weighing: 1) the plate on the scale that Aaron had to step off to was too slick, so I put some thin grip tape on it (not so heavy that it severely affected the weight readings), & 2) I always put a little bit of millet on the scale to entice him!