We're Back! Nutrition Update!

[GreenWing]

Yay, you're back! I was wondering about you and Jacko. Glad that things are going well and this is some mega cool info you've found. I am going to check it all out now!

[KimberlyAnn]

This is almost six months old, but if you are still around, how is the new diet going? I've also started feeding this way...slowly.

[Pajarita]

I've heard of this woman and her theory of no veggies but, the way I see it, a lot of what we call veggies are actually fruits -tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, squashes to name a few. But I do agree on the omega 6 excess of pellets (my birds get flax seed on a daily basis) and, as you all know now, I do not think pellets are the healthiest option. And sugar in fruit is not the same as sugar in starch so yes, lots of fruits are OK, regardless of whether they are 'domestic' fruit species or 'exotic' (which are also cultivated for high sugar). I would not feed starfruit though, they are REALLY bad for birds, they have HUGE quantities of oxalic acid (very bad for the kidneys!).

[Eric&Rebecca]

Are there nutrients missing from what birds eat in the wild that we can only replicate using certain veggies? Or are these all contained within certain fruits, grains or other things?- just interested to know

Also, australian ground feeders in the wild like cockatiels or grass parakeets do eat lots of grains and seeds, so some form of this is still present in their captive diet this is not true for other birds though, I agree.

I do feed TOPS pellets, which I know not everyone agrees with, but this is personally because I cannot guarantee the steady supply of organic and fresh ingredients I need to perform a full fresh diet. This only makes up around 25-30% of their diet though, the rest is seeds, fruits, veggies (including leafy greens), pulses and grains like brown rice. If I have different birds obviously this would be a totally different diet.

I've heard the same about starfruit too... but as I've always said in moderation with other things its probably OK.

I also saw bee pollen, our birds also have this occassionally

[janetafloat]

Awww....I got all excited when I saw this thread - I thought Grey_Moon and friend2parrots were back! But not to be, it was just an old thread that was revived by KimberleyAnn. Where did those girls go??

[Pajarita]

And, actually, parrots nowadays also eat grains all the time. They adjust to what's available and as more forest and jungle have become cultivated fields, they have learned to eat wheat, corn, sorghum, etc. Sheesh, I read that the wild senegals demolish entire peanut crops and peanuts are not even from Africa! So, it's not really true that they don't eat grains in the wild. They do, and I can personally attest to quakers, bluefronts zons, nandays and bluecrowned conures doing it because I've seen it myself with my own eyes.

And, yes, usually moderation is they key but not when it comes to certain things and star fruit is one of them.

[KimberlyAnn]

I just read that quinoa has very high levels of oxalic acid too. :/ My bird safe food list is shrinking! But I'm learning a LOT! Lol

[Eric&Rebecca]

There's a lot of things like that... I don't know if this is right but I don't think it means you can't feed those foods. I think it just means you have to feed them in moderation, there's high levels of something harmful in nearly everything. Perhaps its more about getting the frequency of the feedings right rather than completely excluding the foods.

[KimberlyAnn]

E&R...you are testing my OCD now! Lol jk. I'm sure I will calm down in a few weeks. Once I get a better understanding about how things work! Lol

[Eric&Rebecca]

If you look at everything too hard birds just shouldn't eat! LOL. Its about knowing foods to know how to create a balance of these things. Not to completely exclude (unless of course they toxic!). A high level of something MAY just mean only on occassion rather than complete exclusion.