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Conference 7.286::pet_birds

Title:Captive Breeding for Conservation--and FUN!
Notice:INTROS 6.X / FOR SALE 13.X / Buying a Bird 900.*
Moderator:VIDEO::PULSIFER
Created:Mon Oct 10 1988
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:942
Total number of notes:6016

536.0. "Switch to Pellets" by SALSA::DEFRANCO () Fri Apr 19 1991 15:44

    I've been trying to get my birds to eat pelleted food with some luck. 
    Actually they will all eat it but still WANT THEIR SEED.  If they don't
    get seed they fuss and make my life miserable.  I know they are not
    starving because they clean out their veggie disk and I do see them
    eating the pellets (with resentment).  
    
    My questions are: Are there any birds out there that eat NO SEED?
    
                      Would veggies/fruits/rice and pellets be considered
                      a good diet?  
    
                      Do birds need seed for their mental wellbeing, as I
                      was told by several breeders?
    
                      Now that I know my birds will eat the pellets, should
                      I simply cut out the seed and put up with their 
                      withdrawal once and for all?  It seems that if they
                      know seed is available they will moan and groan unitl
                      I give in and give them some.
    
                      
    
    Thanks for your help!
    
    
    Jeanne
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
536.1Just Right.....LESCOM::KIRSCHBAUMHave You Hugged a Parrot TodayMon Apr 22 1991 14:2713

	I have started feeding my Macaw Exact, it is the only "pelleted" food
	that does not end up entirely on the bottom of the cage.

	however, they suggest always keeping 1/4 of the birds daily food
	a seed mixture.  The local pet store [Fins & Feathers in CHelmsford]
	has a nice seed/nut/fruit mix w/o sunflower seeds that I am using.

	Along with pizza, chicken, pasta etc. of course...and lots of fruit,
	especially now in the summer, since he loves peaches.

	-dick
536.2SWTHRT::RIVES_JTue Apr 23 1991 16:0817
	We have a yellow fronted amazon that NEVER eats seed.We have had her since
 she was three months and gradually at the beginning got her off the seed.This 
was on the advice of our Vet.At the moment she is in a big time molt so we 
make sure she gets her vitamins every day in addition to her regular food.
	She eats whatever we eat.Her favorites are mashed potatoes,brocolli and
pizza.When we started her on new things we have to make a big deal over whatever
it is.We try to give it to her and she always shakes her head no.After much 
fuss on our part she will try the new morsel and ultimately eat all.
Patience is the key.We had her annual check the other day and our Vet is 
thrilled with how well she is doing.
	I will say that very rarely when we want to brighten up her day we give 
her a few sunflower seeds.She takes each one,holds it and and says WOOOOOO,
WOOOOO,very good. 



				Caliope's Dad
536.3Grey's and Great, B&G's Finicky!WR2FOR::BONAZZOLI_MAMon Apr 29 1991 17:4715
    I have a Congo African Grey, who I have converted to LaFebvres Pellets
    and a B&G Macaw who won't touch pellets at all. The Grey eats no seed,
    pellets during the day, and veggies, fruit, people food, etc. at night.
    He's VERY healthy. Getting him to pellets wasn't easy. I put a third
    bowl in his cage, gradually decreasing the amount of seeds I was giving
    him, and increasing the amount of pellets. I also switched the location
    of the pellets and the seed...the pellets went in the bowl where the
    seeds usually were, and the seeds went into a seperate bowl which is
    now gone. When I say gradually...I acutally measured the amount of
    seeds precisely, decreased slowly, and this took about 2 mos. to
    accomplish. The macaw, unfortunately, will have nothing to do with any
    pellets.
    
    Nancy
    
536.4no sunflower seeds?SELECT::BRUCEIt is the Adventurers who accomplish great things.Mon Jul 08 1991 18:445
I'm new to the conference (my S.O. and I would like to get a bird) and 
I've quickly picked up that sunflower seeds are not recommended food.

How come?
-Tanya
536.5My $0.02DPDMAI::MCQUEENEYImminent Cerebral MeltdownTue Jul 09 1991 13:387
    
    Sunflower seeds are very fatty, and very difficult for birds to digest
    even with added grit.  I keep a bag of seeds on hand to help train
    Cricket, but his staple food is pellets supplied by the Vet.
    
    McQ