.

[Wolf]

My parrots taught me that food treats are great and when starting out can be a useful tool but once they get the idea then they often think that our praise can be worth more than a food treat,

[marie83]

Pajarita, you say your conures get even lower protein than your other birds. Can I ask how much your others get and how much your conures get?

I have mine fairly low protein anyway but wondering if it's still slightly too high for them.

[Pajarita]

They get the same gloop but larger pieces of fruit and a lower protein seed mix (either plain budgie or half budgie/half cockatiel instead of cockatiel 'doctored' with nuts as the larger ones get which also get more insect protein during the spring and summer).

[marie83]

Do you know how much lower it works out at though?
mine get 50/50 grain and veg in the morning with 2-3 fresh fruits depending on the size of them & one fresh veg/salad leaf and budgie seed or TOPS in the evening. TOPS is usually 3 evenings a week.

I've got a note of the total daily protein percentage somewhere which I will dig out tomorrow as I can't remember it off hand. It's only on the days they have TOPS that I'm not 100% sure of the total as it has a minimum value rather than exact Grrr.

They do get the occasional sunflower seed, piece of plain pasta, toast, nutriberry etc. as treats which screws my calculations up a bit but not very often.

[marie83]

Not sure if this hasn't been seen or if nobody knows?

[Pajarita]

My budgie mix has from 12 to 14% protein and the tiel mix has 14 to 16%. The only time when they get the whole tiel mix is at the start of the breeding and the molting season, then I switch it to half and half and plain budgie during the winter. I don't feed any other source of high protein, except for the insect protein added to the gloop twice a week in the middle of the spring and then reduced to once a week until molt (this is what I am planning to do this year, I just started adding the insect protein last year and it wasn't as often - I am still experimenting with it).

[marie83]

What about beans and lentils in the gloop? They are fairly high protein. Thanks

[Wolf]

Not only do beans and lentils contain protein many whole grains are also sources of protein. Many plant proteins are incomplete proteins but if different plant proteins are fed some combinations will result in a complete protein. Now. I am not sure which combinations would result in complete proteins. I am pretty certain that I can get a breakdown of the nutritional values of the beans and lentils in your gloop, but I will need a listing of the ones that you are using. There is so much to learn in this area.

[marie83]

Wolf it's ok but thank you so much, I already know what my main recipe contains as i have access to a programme that adds all the ingredients up and works out a total amount but obviously can't be accurate with the inclusion of TOPS in their diet.

The fact that I'm wondering whether if it is still too high in protein is a concern since Pajarita feels they need less than other species.

What I'm trying to ask is what the total amount if protein per day should be for green cheek conures?

[Wolf]

I really can't say as I nave not seen much other than that African Greys require a protein level of 10 to 14% and that the protein requirement for an adult budgie is 6.8%. I have never seen the actual requirement for any other parrot. All that I have ever seen is that it depends on the size of the bird as to how much protein they require.