Food question (and a success story)

[sunshine.within]

Hello parronts!

So, I bought Bianca a pound of Harrison’s High Potency coarse food and, what do you know, she doesn’t like it.
Do you think I can try mixing it with some oatmeal tomorrow morning?

Also, I bought her a ton of toys. She likes the stacking cups, the popsicle sticks and the cardboard box they came in (LOL) and has finally become more playful. I can hear her go crazy with the cups from the living room. Yay!


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[noodles123]

Yeah..been there, done that. Store it in the fridge if you want to keep trying.

 

[Scott]

Have you tried Harrison's conversion techniques? I found some initial resistance so followed their protocol. Within 2 weeks all 8 were enthusiastic consumers. (6 cockatoos, one TAG, one BFA)
Diet Conversion: Medium to Large Bird | Harrison's Bird Foods

 

[MonicaMc]

If I want to get birds eating pellets, I find it easy to make the pellets into powder, then mix with their seeds with some water to make a thick paste and feed as either "balls" or "cakes". As they forage for the seeds, they are tasting the pellets.

 

[sunshine.within]

Thank you all for the advice! I should have taken the powdered version I guess... meh.
I’ll try mixing them with her regular food tomorrow and then I’ll make a plan for an actual diet change.


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[ChristaNL]

Good luck, and do not give up too soon.


I've been trying to get my CAG Japie to eat banana for 3 1/2 years or so (could even be longer, can't remember) though the other 2 practically inhale banana he still eyes them as if I am trying to poison him ... LOL
He is a pellet-and-forget-about-the rest bird by choice and I want him to at least try stuff for variation, stave of boredom, keep his mind engaged etc..
(He will eat lots of other things, but it took him a long time!)

 

[ToMang07]

I had a hard time switching Willow from high-sugar Zupreem to Harrisons... It reminded me of watching an addict detox.

That said.... with patience and understanding that you might have a moody bird for a few days.... keep working at it....she's gonna eat eventually, lol

 

[sunshine.within]

I had no idea that feeding her something was going to be a challenge. She is fed a mix of seeds and nuts at the moment. Is that a lot worse than pellets?


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[ChristaNL]

For a 'too nuts can by too fatty pretty fast (so are some seeds) - it's a challenge
(with every homebound parrot, but 'too's are extra finicky)
but if you can't find a pellet that works, there are wose things your bird could be eating.

Just try to get them to eat a load of veggies daily; lots of interesting trace-elements and no fat.
(Fruit can be too sugary sometimes, but veggies are almost always okay)

Everything is complicated at the beginning, you'll get used to it No worries.

'Pellets' is easy food when you look at it nutritianally: they get the same of everything with every bite (and pellets are boring as <insert bad words> to eat, that why all the other nice, interesting fooditems and extra fouraging options are a must as well).

 

[Scott]

Good luck, and do not give up too soon.


I've been trying to get my CAG Japie to eat banana for 3 1/2 years or so (could even be longer, can't remember) though the other 2 practically inhale banana he still eyes them as if I am trying to poison him ... LOL
He is a pellet-and-forget-about-the rest bird by choice and I want him to at least try stuff for variation, stave of boredom, keep his mind engaged etc..
(He will eat lots of other things, but it took him a long time!)

Never give up! My wild-caught female Goffins ignored pear for literally decades. Finally one day she took a bite and now loves them! Of course pear is not a critical food, but you get the idea!

 

[sunshine.within]

OK so I added some pellets to the oatmeal and she ate one nugget!


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[TiredOldMan]

Congratulations

Baby steps are still steps

 

[sunshine.within]

Just out of curiosity, is it ok to feed baby food to parrots?


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[MonicaMc]

Thank you all for the advice! I should have taken the powdered version I guess...

I've never purchased a "powder" pellet.... I just use a coffee grinder or food processor! A bag and a rolling pin could also work... just grind up the pellets that you *DO* have into a powder!


As far as baby food goes... you'd want to read the ingredients... you don't really want something with salt and sugar in it.

 

[sunshine.within]

Thank you all for the advice! I should have taken the powdered version I guess...

I've never purchased a "powder" pellet.... I just use a coffee grinder or food processor! A bag and a rolling pin could also work... just grind up the pellets that you *DO* have into a powder!





As far as baby food goes... you'd want to read the ingredients... you don't really want something with salt and sugar in it.

Right! I’ll see if I find anything acceptable on my next trip to Whole Foods


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[sunshine.within]

Thank you all for the advice! I should have taken the powdered version I guess...

I've never purchased a "powder" pellet.... I just use a coffee grinder or food processor! A bag and a rolling pin could also work... just grind up the pellets that you *DO* have into a powder!





As far as baby food goes... you'd want to read the ingredients... you don't really want something with salt and sugar in it.

And yes, I can totally put the pellets into the food processor. I thought Harrison’s made a “fine” pellet version though, don’t they? Well, for next time


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[Inger]

Harrison’s makes a fine, which are pretty small, and an extra fine which I assume are powder-like.

I tried to grind some regular sized Harrison’s pellets in the food processor. No joy! They just bounced around and looked about the same.


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[sunshine.within]

Harrison’s makes a fine, which are pretty small, and an extra fine which I assume are powder-like.

I tried to grind some regular sized Harrison’s pellets in the food processor. No joy! They just bounced around and looked about the same.


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LOL ok I’ll try with a towel and the meat tenderizer then


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