Gloop again

[marie83]

To start off with I had a very basic recipe whilst I was transitioning the birds onto a fresher diet (mainly for harlie as she's the most stubborn bird ever when it comes to eating new things).

The grains I was using needed improvements anyway due to processing etc. I was just picking up what I could find in the supermarket- which wasn't much tbh (only 4 grains) but my plan was to shop online for stuff eventually anyway as I made improvements.

So I've just done that this week and put together a shopping list hoping I could get most things at one place but not even that, I can't find most of what I'm looking for in the UK, not even the wheat grouts which I would assumed would be the easiest to find
- I've found one supplier (on amazon of all places not even a proper wholefood shop) who has one small bag left who wont be restocking??
-various rices- forget it, I could ship them in but that's going to cost a fortune if it even gets through in the first place as I think shipping foods is quite strict?

At the supermarket I can get pearl barley, quinoa, brown rice, rolled oats

Online so far I've found:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lundberg-Blac ... 0762410724

http://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/or ... tAodrmUAmQ

http://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/or ... s-1kg.html


I don't really feel that 6 items is enough? That's assuming these items aren't discontinued too at any point.

Also I'm struggling with Harlie, we started off well and she ate everything in the mix once she got used to it but now she is picking out all the favourites- basically the grain or beans and leaving the veggies. If I feed her less to encourage her to eat all of it her weight plummets because she will happily go hungry (she's always been like this), if I feed her more then she obviously pigs out on the bits she picks out. I'm already chopping it into teeny pieces so short of mashing it up for her (which she doesn't like anyway) I'm struggling. The answer in the past has just to persevere with stuff but she's never regressed once she's started eating something.

[Pajarita]

Look in health stores, they sometimes have whole grains. We are lucky about that here in the States, even my regular supermarket carries little bags of whole grains, they are not organic but, in a pinch, they do well. And you should be able to find Irish oatmeal (aka steelcut oats).

Try starting over and giving her just the whole grains, then whole grains and lentils, then add sweet corn, then baby sweet peas, later finely grated carrots (they stick to the grains and other wet stuff), some finely chopped broccoli, etc.

[marie83]

We do have a small health store here but I'm thinking that if the online "bigger" stores aren't coming up with much then I'll struggle to get anything there either. I will keep looking though and when I get chance to travel up to the store then I'll have a look there too.

I think I'm going to try adding a touch more flavouring to Harlies meals for the moment but if that doesn't work I will start from scratch with her.

[Pajarita]

Oh, yes, flavoring is a must! I alternate between sweetish (just a touch) and spicy. My birds favorites are chili powder and a touch of honey with the merest sprinkle of cinnamon (just make sure it's the real one from Ceylon).

[marie83]

it already is flavoured, I was talking about adding extra flavouring just to her portion to see if that gets her going again.

[tomanyales]

wish u success

[Pajarita]

it already is flavoured, I was talking about adding extra flavouring just to her portion to see if that gets her going again.

Oh, mine is not flavored at all, I add the different flavors in the morning before I serve it.

[marie83]

Ops not coming across very well recently lol. Yes I flavour it each day too but I mean ill add a bit extra to hers to avoid ollie getting picky as well, atm he will eat anything given to him- except peas but I dont put any of them in anyway.

[Polly-anna97]

I too had a nightmare getting hold of gloop stuff, so last night I decided to just make it with what I had, as I felt I was using as a reason to procrastinate ( I have been worried about taking her off her life time sustenance, worried about how stressful it will be for her, how it would possibly damage the bonding process etc, etc ). But I finally bit the bullet last night and made it. My gloop contains green lentils, haricot beans ( I think they might call them navy beans in the states- pearl barley and kamut ( which were sold in the whole foods section of tesco, Marie, much to my surprise) this really long, black wild rice ( tilda, also from tesco), and brown basmati rice.

I cooked all the grains aldente, as specified, added the beans and lentils and a whole tube of tomato puree, which I'm assuming is the same as tomato paste- added some fresh ground, black pepper, and I tell you what, it's a pretty tasty number! The textures are fab! All I needed to do was fry some onion and garlic ( which I thought were bad for the fids), a few more spices , and I had a nutritious, totally scrummy supper, ha. Bonus!

Now I had a bowl this morning for breakfast while I sat with my girl , and gave her hers. I sprinkled some seeds on top for her. I did all the noises and stuff like Pajarita suggested- great fun! But so far all she has done is eat the seeds off the top. I saw her with beans in her mouth, but I think she thought it was seed, broke it open and found only fluffyness.

How does this work, is it like what parents say of their children's reluctance to eat - she will eat it when she's hungry enough- or won't she...? Will she start to hate me when I am going to such lengths to win her trust ( oh the perpetual tedium!- it WILL be worth it), will it make her plain miserable? I know I haven't given it a particularly stonking chance as yet!

I am so worried about the impending and mounting need to take her to the vet without retraumatising her/ making her hate me for keeps, that I have made an appointment for a consultation with a behavioural expert this afternoon. I'll let you know what he says. Very excited. ..

[Polly-anna97]

Rats! Just remembered I forgot to add the ground seed mix I got to add to it. It is milled flax, pumpkin and sesame seeds and goji berries. Yay or nay?