So Skittles is a little chubby...

[Michael]

Breeders like fruity pellets cause it's easier to ween the birds onto them and not necessarily because they are healthier long term. Just like parents buying lucky charms or trix for their kiddies

[brfussne]

He then just nibbles on a mix of cockatiel food and Zupreem fruit flavored pellets until he goes into his cage.

I've heard bad things about Zupreem. I've heard that the second largest ingredient in some of their foods in sugar. I know they make a "natural" kind of food but be sure to check the ingredients and make sure there isn't any sugar or dyes such as Red Lake 40. Dyes are harmful to your bird. I don't know for sure though, I don't buy Zupreem.

Huh, I bought my pellets from a breeder and she swore by Zupreem. They came in large ziplock baggies so I don't have the nutritional information. I'll see if I can find it online though, thanks.

For the record, I have an eating disorder. I freak out if food is even shaped a certain way. We can't exactly afford a psychologist to work with me right now though. Maybe this will be a chance for Skittles and I to try new food together. I saw the blog post Michael put up about how the parrot wants the food more if their owner is eating it, which I think is definitely the case for Skittles. I'll let you all know how things go.

I tried going to Petsmart's website and looking for the ingredients in Zupreem and couldn't find anything. I also went to ZuPreem's own website and couldn't find jack squat. :/ Like I said though, it's only what I heard. I've heard that about birds too!! That birds will be more willing to try something if they see their owner eating it. You should definitely try it with Skittles.

Breeders like fruity pellets cause it's easier to ween the birds onto them and not necessarily because they are healthier long term. Just like parents buying lucky charms or trix for their kiddies

I still love a good bowl of CocoaPuffs or Cookies Crisps!!

[GlassOnion]

Zupreem pellet ingredients:
http://hungrybirdfood.com/complete-list ... ient-list/

Also, check this out- the Pellet Project:
http://cocosflock.wordpress.com/2011/07 ... nd-flavor/

[GlassOnion]

If you inquire any company for a list of ingredients on their products, they will send it to you.

[GlassOnion]

Also- Totally Organics Pellets ingredients:
http://cocosflock.wordpress.com/2011/06 ... s-pellets/

[liz]

Kristen -I was just picking. My son has a food problem. He was sick and running high fevers at the age that he should have been trying new foods (between 1 and 2).
He cannot tolerate blan foods. The only vegetables he can eat is beets and of course ketchup because of the spices. I used to have to mix his fruit with his strained beets to get it in him.

[dohcsvt]

After reading all of this, I wouldn't worry about 3 grams. There is so much feather on a bird that you can't really tell if one is fat or not (unless they are really big like a kakapo). Using the 95 grams as his ideal weight means he is only about 3% overweight....and I'll tell you this, ... that is better than most humans LOL!! If hes happy and healthy and eating a wide variety of foods and not just seeds, I would leave it alone, but that is just my .02! Also, once he starts flying more often, am sure he will lose some.

[Shelby]

3 extra grams may not be a big deal. But poor diet now will cause health problems later and even shorten his lifespan! I see a lot of fatty and high-calorie foods in his diet. Birds are sensitive to fats. It affects their heart and other important organs. Also, birds are lactose intolerant. A little dairy once in a while isn't bad, but too much isn't good. As far as the grains go, I know lots of bird owners like to give their birds a little oatmeal, *whole grain* bread, or whole wheat pasta. Only give him whole grain products. White bread is crap.

Fruit has lots of sugar, so feed him less fruit and more veggies. Avoid "empty" veggies like iceberg lettuce. The darker green the color is, the more nutritious it will be. Offer it different ways to see how he likes it.

If you *must* feed him peanut butter in the morning, go with an all-natural brand that doesn't have sugar and additives. I think Smuckers makes some that is basically ground-up peanuts. Since he is getting peanut butter in the morning, I would cut out the peanuts later in the day, or switch them for a healthier nut like almonds or walnuts.

Birds LOVE scrambled eggs, and if you add the shell, they are also getting the calcium they need for their bones and feathers. My best friend has a cockatiel, and his favorite thing is a scrambled egg with the shell, peas, corn, and small bits of carrot in it.

I agree with Michael - flying is a great way to burn off the extra fat. And you don't have to cut out his favorite things entirely - use them as rewards for training. Pretend all you ate was candy. If somebody said, "If you hop on one foot, I'll give you a piece of candy!" How motivated would you be? But if all you ate was health food and somebody said "If you hop on one foot, I'll give you a piece of candy," you would be thrilled!