Advice needed pls on routine feeding

[Ecclipse]

I have been trying to get Rosie off sunflower seeds and have been feeding her fruit/frozen veg and a seed mix with pellets, dried fruit etc. I would very grateful if you guys/gals could let me know if you feed at a specific time of the day, take away the pellets/seed mixes when feeding fruit/veg, give different things at different times of the day etc.

Im trying to find a way to make this process more for Rosie and maybe if I can try use your ideas she will get into a better routine and the process of weaning her off the sunflower seeds goes quicker.

She was on sunflower seeds only and I then got her onto this mix. I have been struggling because she eats the sunflower seeds first then scratches around. I have decided to do tough love and leave the bowl in her cage the whole day with the eaten seeds gone. I have then got worried because she hardly touches the other food. I would then chuck the mix and give her a new batch with the sunflower seeds in it. The cycle would then carry on. I have been giving her veg in a bowl and have taken her seed mix bowl out and put the veg bowl in. She takes a bit or two but thats it. She then runs along the bottom of her cage looking for sunflower seeds. She will pick up every empty shell and check if she didnt miss anything.

Any advice that I could follow would be great - Im scared she is starving herself. Hugo loved his food and ate a huge variety of fruit/veg. His pellets were left ad lib and he still ate everything he needed. Im really not used to this...

 

[sprice37]

When we converted Marya to a pelleted diet we started with Supreme spicy (since he likes spicy) and slowly transitioned to Harrison's pepper lifetime coarse. It took a while and some patience but made for a better bird in the end Hehas calmed down and feather plucking has all but stopped He is also in lower psycho factor environment P.S. Make sure to watch weight carefully with the tough love method.

 

[greycloud]

I keep pellets available 24/7. They get a mix of fresh fruits, veggies, brown rice in morning. Evening they get small amount of see, human grade mixed nuts, and some birdie bread. If Rosie likes birdie bread and fresh mixes, you can add pellets to them to entice her to eat them.

 

[Ecclipse]

Thanks for the advice, its tough getting them on the right diet!!!

 

[Spiritbird]

We all do this differently with the end result of a health bird. I take out all food from the cage at night. This way my Rosie is hungry in the am and I have nothing in the cage to draw insects.

I have also found with trial and error if there is a food I want her to eat I will give her just that food in a bowl or foraging item. She will usually eat it. If I give her that food mixed with others she will eat out what she wants and leave the rest. Our captive birds do not always know what is best for them when it comes to food.

I just read that some breeders "plump up" the birds they are selling to make them look good to the buyer. Then we have to deal with the addiction to sunflower seeds. I would just give her less and less SS as the days go by. Give her pellets in the am. My Rosie eats he pellets after her am meal and about 1 hr. before bedtime. Don't forget to have Rosie with you when you are eating so she can nibble from your plate. Or, have a small plate for her with the same food. Hope this helps some.

 

[Ecclipse]

Thanks SB, here is what I was thinking of doing - what do you think:

1. Will take her food out when I put her to bed - she goes to bed at 8pmish and wakes up between 6-7am. I have read that birds can become impossible in all areas if they are tired. She sleeps in the same room as me, my moving around and working on my laptop shouldnt keep her up????

2. I will take out the sunflower seeds and give her everything else but the SS (I am going to wean her onto pellets only slowly so have a mix of other seed, dried fruit, pellets etc.)

3. I will put out fruit - Im trying one at a time at the mo to see which one she likes (after she eaten from her bowl - cross fingers)

4. Lunch time - frozen veggies in a bowl - take out bowl with mix in

5. Evening - ???? must I give her some SS

What do you think?

 

[antoinette]

My word Rosie May sure has a mind of her own, and I will sought her out.

Mishka's routine, I try sticking to it, sometimes not able to, but do my best.

5am 2x 20ml of formula through a syringe
I leave pellets in her cage for her to nibble on.
9am 3 nuts Pecan Almond Cashew plain
12pm Small chili or chicken bone
3pm Small pieces of fresh fruit Apple Banana Cranberry, whatever is in season.
5pm Small portion of fresh veggies, nibbles bits of our dinner
7pm Small amount of yoghurt

Only fresh water in her night cage at night.

Try mixing the pellets with a bit of fruit or veggies, leaving out the sunflower seeds altogether. Give her variety, so she has more to choose from, and hopefully forgetting that sunflower seeds ever existed.

 

[Ecclipse]

5am?????????? Good grief - wahahahaha....you go gal - I pray that Rosie doesnt start waking up at 5am - lol.

Thanks for your routine - will get cracking on it. Blasted sunflower seeds - I have nightmares!!!! lol. When I had supper tonight she was eating potato and rice because I was eating it then when I put her in her cage she rushed to the ignored frozen veg I had given her and started eating the potato - guess she realised it wasnt so bad after all.

Cant wait to get cracking on all the advice I was given thanks Ant, SB, GC and Sprice. Will keep you posted.

PS Im going to tell RM that Im going to put her aunt on speaker phone and she will get a ear full

 

[Ecclipse]

Hey Ant, I know Im nuts but where do your buy your nuts from? Very nervous about nuts carrying all sorts of nasty things hahahaha...

 

[antoinette]

Hey Ant, I know Im nuts but where do your buy your nuts from? Very nervous about nuts carrying all sorts of nasty things hahahaha...

you are nuts

Remember nuts is my business

I purchase from a few suppliers, know who do deal with, and who to ignore.
Remember I get fresh stock in weekly, but I always check it out first, before giving Mishka any.

 

[triordan]

pellets in the morning around 7:00 am, a small treat when i get home(nuts) and then dinner at 6:00, alternate fruits/veggies with rice/pasta/raisins...nothing at night except water