Food questions

[Leah00]

I'm so confused! I feel like a new mom who just left the hospital with a newborn she knows nothing about...or a mom who had another kid 20 years after the first one and everything's changed!

With my old gcc conure I used to feed him Zupreem fruit blend pellets and then fruits and veggies.

Now I'm reading that the fruit blend is not healthy at all and that birds are supposed to have seeds too.

Right now my new Quaker, Yoshi, is eating some sort of mix that has mostly seeds and some pellets, nuts, and dried fruit in it. I think it might be made for larger birds as it has whole peanuts and big banana chips in it. They just gave me a small container of it when I picked him up yesterday.

I'm limited with what brands I can buy. I don't like the idea of buying online (scared I might forget and run out). The only stores I have sort of local are Petco type stores. Are the Zupreme natural pellets ok?

Am I supposed to buy a bag of seed based diet and a bag of pellet diet? Do they have anything good that comes pre-mixed (pellet based with some seeds)?

I think Yoshi probably had pellets and fresh foods at one time from his breeder (at least I hope so), so fingers crossed that it's not too hard to switch him.
Any certain fresh foods (or frozen) that many birds take to easily? I have a bagged mix of corn,peas, green beans, broccoli, and pepper strips in the freezer so maybe I'll try that tonight...

 

[Birdman666]

Nothing's changed. That diet works. Zupreme plus fruit and veggies.

A little seed mixed in as a treat, not too much. I use straight safflower seeds myself, those seem to be the favorite.

Should be fine.

 

[MikeyTN]

As far as I know excess safflower seeds isn't good for them either.

Pellets with fresh fruits & veggies works just fine still.

 

[Terry57]

My guys love the mixed veggies in a bag that you mentioned. I just thaw it out under running water rather than cooking it

 

[Leah00]

Ok. Thanks.

Another questions I had was what size pellets do most Quakers do well on? I've seen the tiny ones for parakeets, the little ones for cockatiels, and then the little bigger conure size.

I'm a bit of an overthinker...lol.

 

[MikeyTN]

Cockatiel size one works perfect!

 

[Leah00]

Thanks so much!

I just tried to offer a little bit of banana but no luck.

 

[Leah00]

Ok, now I have some more food questions but I didn't want to start a "More food questions" post. Haha.
Hopefully someone will see this update and help answer my new questions!

I bought Yoshi some Zupreem natural pellets today. I really want to eventually switch him to something better but that's all I could find local. He picks them up and chews on them but it doesn't seem like he can break them up. He rolls them around in his mouth until they fall out. I got the cockatiel size and they seem pretty small to me. Should I try grinding them up or something?
Right now I have them mixed in with his old food (which was a mix of seeds and dried fruit).

My other question was if anyone feeds the blends from My Safe Bird store and if they are a good food for everyday use? It looks yummy with pellets and fruits and veggies. I'm planning on eventually switching Yoshi to either one of those blends or Harrison's.
If I went with Harrison's, would I need to feed the high potency one for 6 months like it says?

 

[MikeyTN]

He should be able to eat the pellets just fine as it's not too big or hard for him to chew. Have you tried soaking some with water???

 

[Leah00]

No, not yet. I just got home with the pellets a couple hours ago so all I've tried so far is giving him a few outside of his cage (which he mouthed then dropped) and then mixed some in his food dish with his old food.

I wouldn't think that these little cockatiel pellets would be too big or hard for him...? Maybe he's just not used to having to try that hard?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Here are 2 helpful links for you:
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html

http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...afe-fresh-foods-toxic-food-lists-sprouts.html

I have previously purchased the blend from MSBS, and was quite impressed with it.

 

[Leah00]

Thanks! I'll look through those links.

I'm starting to think that I was lied to about his diet. I was told that he was weaned onto pellets, veggies, and fruit but that the people who originally purchased him put him on this seed diet. They supposedly only had him a couple weeks....but so far I've had no luck getting him to eat any vegetables or fruit and he doesn't seem to know how to eat the pellets.

 

[MikeyTN]

If they were to be put onto a seed diet of course they would rather go for the seeds then pellets. Then they play with the pellets and toss them around. It doesn't mean they don't know how, just be patient!

 

[Leah00]

Lol...yeah. I'm a worrier and an over thinker.

I was thinking about trying Harrison's but now I'm thinking TOPS. I annoy myself sometimes!!

 

[JadeC]

Sometimes they will eat something at one place but once in a newer place, they decide they don't like them anymore. Lol He'll probably come around. Or you can change it up and see if he likes something else. Like Mike said, be patient.

 

[MikeyTN]

When you become impatient or inconsistent, the birds will run you over. When I took in Java the U2 the previous owner tried getting him to eat fresh food plus pellets. She couldn't do it for over 7 years and I had him completely switched over in one week. So be patient and consistent, wait and see, don't predict what he can or can't do cause that causes problems.

 

[palmetto941]

Hi Leah00!
How old is Yoshi? I receive my quaker next Friday....hatch date 11/11/13.... I'm curious if they are close in age.....and if Yoshi is older I'll know whats coming.....lol

 

[JadeC]

Palmetto, the only thing about Quakers that I found with mine is when they get older, they are VERY cage aggressive. Just don't take it personal. Mine passed when he was 8, but he was the best bird once out of his cage. Haha He would go after any hands that came near his cage.

 

[Leah00]

Hi Leah00!
How old is Yoshi? I receive my quaker next Friday....hatch date 11/11/13.... I'm curious if they are close in age.....and if Yoshi is older I'll know whats coming.....lol

Palmetto! My Yoshi was hatched on 10/10! Lol. That's cute...10/10 and 11/11. October 10th is actually MY birthday too.
So yes, they are close in age. Yoshi is a sweet little thing.....but he is really mouthy so we are working on that. He is also becoming cage aggressive which I didn't expect until he was older. He doesn't attack me but he will bite me when I try to get him to step up to come out. Which is so dumb because he wants to come out...lol. I think I'm going to start teaching him to step up on a perch just to get the little brat out. Once he's out of his cage, he's a normal sweet bird.

 

[JadeC]

I would just let mine bite me, but he never drew blood lol I'd get him out fast!