Double Yellow Amazon - Will not eating hardly any chop cause weight loss?

[CIVILCLERK1]

Rico, our double yellow we got in January has always been a SUPER picky eater. When we got him they said he would eat fruits and veggies but we found that to not be true. He picks at it and will only eat apples and grapes which is not good and we have found out can cause him to lose weight due to pooping too much. I think we entertained this rather than knowing he shouldn't have much of these two fruits. He picks at his pellets and eats some of those, doesn't get seed. They were giving him peanuts at times which of course we don't know how much. Now we took him to the vet again which normally only does a basis checkup, 6 months later and he last lost a good deal of weight (currently at 431 grams) although he doesn't show it. I have a feeling it's because he isn't eating chop like he should and just picks what he wants. We are going to try different methods of feeding chop but does anyone have any ideas? He's a pretty non excitable bird and has been since we got him lol. He sits on his cage door like an eagle and doesn't roam. We could leave him out all day and I'd bet he'd be in the same spot or in his cage. He acts normal, doesn't seem sick, isn't lathargic, he's still eating but just doesn't eat like he should. Any ideas would GREATLY help! We haven't had any tests done yet. I really think we are missing something with his eating but we are concerned.

 

[SailBoat]

Double Yellow-head Amazons have a very wide range in weight from 400 to 680 grams. It is very easy to get overly concern regarding their weight if you are not aware of your Amazons natural Skelton size. Our guy runs a fairly steady 500 grams, is a flier and a major roamer /climber. If your Amazon is not flying, that will contribute to his lower weight as muscle mass provides greater weight. A non-active small framed Amazon will be lighter then the same Amazon who is a flier.

I would strongly recommend that you look at a very healthy quality seed, grain and nut based diet with a high quality pellet (non-colored) additive to the above as the dry food part of the diet. Fruits are important, but more as a reward compared to a major part of the diet. Veggies are very important to the overall health of your Parrot and should be a major part of your parrots diet. NOTE: No Sunflower seed and No Peanuts!

I strongly recommend that you visit the Amazon sub-forum and near the top is a Thread that starts: I Love Amazons Within that huge Thread you will find many segments that will provide you will a ton of information that will be helpful in and living and loving Amazons. Note the Segment that targets Diet!

 

[CIVILCLERK1]

Double Yellow-head Amazons have a very wide range in weight from 400 to 680 grams. It is very easy to get overly concern regarding their weight if you are not aware of your Amazons natural Skelton size. Our guy runs a fairly steady 500 grams, is a flier and a major roamer /climber. If your Amazon is not flying, that will contribute to his lower weight as muscle mass provides greater weight. A non-active small framed Amazon will be lighter then the same Amazon who is a flier.

I would strongly recommend that you look at a very healthy quality seed, grain and nut based diet with a high quality pellet (non-colored) additive to the above as the dry food part of the diet. Fruits are important, but more as a reward compared to a major part of the diet. Veggies are very important to the overall health of your Parrot and should be a major part of your parrots diet. NOTE: No Sunflower seed and No Peanuts!

I strongly recommend that you visit the Amazon sub-forum and near the top is a Thread that starts: I Love Amazons Within that huge Thread you will find many segments that will provide you will a ton of information that will be helpful in and living and loving Amazons. Note the Segment that targets Diet!

Thank you so much for the info! I’ll check it out. We feed him Zupreem pellets but they are the colored ones. He was eating those before although they had him on the HUGE ones. He’s much taller than my Blue Front as far as size so that’s why we are more concerned. And my blue weighs a little more than him at the moment. Definitely great ideas

 

[CIVILCLERK1]

Double Yellow-head Amazons have a very wide range in weight from 400 to 680 grams. It is very easy to get overly concern regarding their weight if you are not aware of your Amazons natural Skelton size. Our guy runs a fairly steady 500 grams, is a flier and a major roamer /climber. If your Amazon is not flying, that will contribute to his lower weight as muscle mass provides greater weight. A non-active small framed Amazon will be lighter then the same Amazon who is a flier.

I would strongly recommend that you look at a very healthy quality seed, grain and nut based diet with a high quality pellet (non-colored) additive to the above as the dry food part of the diet. Fruits are important, but more as a reward compared to a major part of the diet. Veggies are very important to the overall health of your Parrot and should be a major part of your parrots diet. NOTE: No Sunflower seed and No Peanuts!

I strongly recommend that you visit the Amazon sub-forum and near the top is a Thread that starts: I Love Amazons Within that huge Thread you will find many segments that will provide you will a ton of information that will be helpful in and living and loving Amazons. Note the Segment that targets Diet!

Any ideas to get him moving more? He’s a bump on a log lol. When we got him he was in a smaller cage and had not been out of it for we are guessing a few years, maybe 5 just from what we’ve gleaned from conversations and vet records. He had an overgrown beak as well. We just want him to be more active. He has toys but hardly messes with them. Only on rare occasion if it has a bell.

 

[wrench13]

A lot of times, parrots need to be shown how to play with things, how to destroy them etc. THere is also the possibility of your playing with him - hide and seek, gentle wrestling, chasing a jingle ball, stuff like that. Interact with him. My little amazon loves when I play with him.

 

[SailBoat]

As noted in my prior Post, please Read with Understanding, the Thread at the top the Amazon Forum!! I Love Amazons...

 

[Laurasea]

There are many ways and recommendations on diet and diet change. So all I can offer is my experience and what has worked fir me and multiple species and parrots that came to me on all seed diets. Mine all now eat a huge variety of veggies, leafy greens, cooked safe legumes, quinoa, cooked lentils, variety of pellets ect. They are pretty thrilled now to explore new foods. I'm sure as my flock grew watching each other helped. But they can learn from you too.

First I don't limit their quality seed mix. I offer new stuff spread out in a shallow dish or plate on top of their Cage. I let them explore it on their own. I offer some stuff cooked or steamed, raw, whole, in chunks, or diced and minced. I switch it up. Me personally not a fan of pre made minced chop goop. But many have great success with that. Anything I'm eating or making for myself that is parrot safe they get to.

I did start by offering things by hand to the new arrivals, never chasing them with the offering, I hold up they can come investigate and touch or not, then I leave it for them. Taking a bite first and offering helps too. I usually start with offering stuff that is a favorite of most parrots, even offering a seed by hand. To get them used to coming over and taking it. Like a tiny piece if Apple, or one corner kernel, a pice of pop corn, a crumb of bread. The more textures and things they will try the better they will get a t trying new things. I still do this. Sometimes I walk by and offer a pellet, or a seed, or piece of broccoli, or pice of pepper, of anything. They can't run to me fast enough to take a nibble if whatever I offer. Even if the silly ones have a whole plate of it in front of them. Burds understand food gifts. I really think it helps them understand all this new stuff is food!

Each different pellet is in its own dish. Now a days they only have seeds in their cage, as well as pellets always. But they usually only eat seeds in the evening when I put them up. The rest if the day while they are out they y graze in the veggie and leafy greens , and pellet bowls.

They probably eat 35% seeds.. I'm happy with the variety they eat. They are very curious and engaged with food. Even the budgies chow on everything. Different things go in and out of favor with them. I like giving huge hunks of stuff and let them forage on it.

My one quaker Penny took the longest, and is still the pickiest. It took over a year or two for her to eat leafy greens but now she does.

So I say offer a wide selection, in different ways, spread our so they can explore. Expect a lot if waste, and for many things to be rejected over and over, till one day they love it. Share a salad with them, offer tidbits by hand.

I never thought the budgies would eat pellets! They have seed always available. But they do eat pellets and the love veggies so much!!! I never forced our limited. It like abundance feeding lol!

On toys stuff they can chew and destroy, stuff they can pick at or haul around. Try those cage weavers. The yucca chips, bird bagels, toys that you can hide food in. Food is the big motivation or destruction!

For bump on the log rehabilitation, it can take time and that time can be a year...but the more you enrich their life, the more they will slowly respond. Making a hanging perch jungle gym over the cage top. For me I use ceiling hooks and heavy wright fishing one to hang stuff at head level for them when standing on cage top. And I rearrange properly every month. They love to be like monkeys. And I attach millet spray, or treat Stix, or things to shred in different places on the perches, ladders swings. It keeps them busy for hours.

Also target train, and forage with them at first. Burd tricks on you tune has some great forage teaching videos

 

[Newfie-N-Tx]

Hello,
I know your frustration and worries. Of our 5 birds only one (a cockatiel) will touch chop and we have tried so many things. With our DYH we find he gets bored with eating the same foods offered and will not touch chop. One day he will only want to eat peppers the next he’s crazy for carrots. He will not touch anything if it is chopped up. He will only eat it if we cut it so it’s large enough to hold with his foot and eat. He is still young at just 6 months old but since we have weaned him off formula he wants something different each day. If we don’t rotate foods around through out the day he won’t even look at it. With our other birds that do not touch chop we found these metal bird food holders online that are like skewers with screws at the end that you can put any kind of veggie or fruit food on it and hang from cage. The birds all think it’s a toy and go crazy for it and that is the only way we have found to get any of them to eat fresh veggies and fruits. The three birds whom we don’t know their history all have been a bit more challenging to figure out what works for them. It’s harder also when they have a less adventurous personality and timid. I’d keep trying different things people suggest until something works. Maybe yours just needs time. It took us over a year of frustration and fear for their nutrition to find something that works with our pickier three feathered babies!

Hang in there and good luck!