Need help with a new friend

[Kevingoff]

First of all, I apologize as I am sure that the answers to all of my questions exist within this forum already but I'm not having a lot of success finding the information that I need. I have the opposite problem on the internet as a whole...I'm finding TONS of information but it is conflicting and I don't know where to turn.

Secondly, the background. I was adopted by a rose breasted cockatoo four days ago. I was told that he is a he and that he is four years old. I really can't be certain about either of these things. He has been dubbed Alden, after the wine (there is a significance to that wine for my wife and I that make it a special name for him). Alden(the wine) and Alden(the bird) have the same coloring. The proprietor of the store where Alden and I came together was not very helpful and I have lots of questions.

I want to start at the beginning though, which for me is figuring out what to feed him. The aforementioned proprietor recommended a bag of Macaw food. This is mixed seeds and nuts and some hard wafers that I can't really identify. There are a lot of large bits such as whole nuts and those wafers that don't interest Alden in the least. He digs through those in order to get to the smaller seeds, which make up a reasonably small percentage of the bag. I'm convinced that this is not the right thing for him but again the internet is going multiple ways and there doesn't seem to be "cockatoo" food but rather just large, medium, and small bird food. I think Alden counts as "medium" but again I'm not certain. So here are specific questions:

1. Seed or pellet?
2. What kind? In this I mean size, content, brand...what's the best approach?
3. I keep seeing warnings about oily foods. One thing that Alden is getting from his current food is sunflower seeds, which are included in those warnings as an oil rich seed. I don't understand though what "too much" is or how much of a danger is really posed...any specifics on what is/is not okay would be greatly appreciated.
4. Alden's favorite food at any given time is whatever I am eating. I am quite fond of the behavior on his part of sharing my meals but I also don't want to harm him by sharing people food that is not good for him. What foods, if any, should I restrict him from sharing? He does not ever consume much volume from these foods.
5. Should I keep food for him in his cage always or just feed him at set times?
6. I got a couple of "honey sticks" that seem to be designed for small birds. He tore through the first on in a day. Is this a good thing for him to have?

Forum decorum question: I started this in the nutrition forum because my first questions are diet related, but I hope to grow from this into other areas. Would it be best to continue in that direction in this thread or start over in other forums as the conversations go into other directions?

Thanks to all that help make Alden's life the best that I can provide!

[GreenWing]

Hi there, welcome to the forum. Alden sounds like a wonderful bird and I love the name. Rose breasted 'Toos are *gorgeous* and wonderful birds. As to what to feed him, do a search here on the forum for the "vitamin A foods for parrots" and "other foods for parrots" lists (I would provide those links for you but I am currently using my smartphone). Parrots should receive mostly fresh food but they do need some hard seed -- such as safflower -- in their diet for the crop. Pellets... it is up to you but most on the forum like Tops. The mix you are feeding him for parrots "Macaw" sounds like it might be Avian Science diet? I use it myself... but am personally leery of free feeding sunflower seeds which I think should be reserved for trick training and treats. You may want "Hookbill" instead? Some seeds/dried fruits (banana chips, coconut) and vegetables such as peas and peppers are great and are included in "Hookbill." It is good to share food with your bird that has not been in touch with your saliva and is a food the bird can have (i.e. baked yams, for instance with whole grain cooked rice). Also, make sure your cookware is parrot safe, as well.

Free-feeding/food management is up to you. I only slightly food manage and it it fine. Others are more liberal or strict, depending on the bird and hormones. Feed twice a day.

I would avoid the honey sticks. There are better treats to give for training.

[Pajarita]

Well, you have to be especially careful with toos and even more so with galahs because they tend to become one person birds and, when they are hormonal, this is not good news for the unchosen ones as they don't want anybody even approaching their beloved. Food is an important part of hormone management because food rich in protein brings them into condition so you are on the right track asking about it.

Personally, I don't like pellets. I understand that they are very convenient to people but they are not the best option when it comes to feeding a parrot - the best diet is fresh food with a bit of a good quality seed mix. My cockatoos get gloop (dish made of cooked whole grains and legumes -I use wheat, barley, brown rice, kamut and oats- mixed with cooked and diced vegetables -corn, peas, carrots, broccoli, mote, sweet potatoes always but I always add a different extra one on each batch and this could be beets, artichoke hearts, palm hearts, cauliflower, etc- and flavored daily with different stuff -one day fruity, one day spicy -the final product should be half grains/beans and half veggies but I also add a bit of flax, sesame and chia seeds to it) and raw produce (one fruit, one veggie and one leafy green) for breakfast and all day picking and a smallish (enough to fill the crop) measured portion of a cockatiel mix that has very little sunflower and only striped at that (none of that cheap black oil ones) to which a couple of nuts are added (walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts, pistachios, etc).

Now, both my toos came to me as adults (one at 17 and the other at 20 or 21 years of age) and they did not eat a whole lot of variety in their previous lives but they both love fresh food and they took to the gloop and raw produce like champions so I am sure that yours will too.