I think i might be over feeding my baby Lolli

[yorkshiregal]

So everything is working out great with Lolli my new baby GCC. I have a few questions about Lolli but i guess i should post a new thread for each? Anyhow Lolli is a very greedy bird. I would love for a few of you peeps to look over it and see if I'm doing this right?
This is her/his feeding schedule.
I keep her pellets in her cage at all times and I know she picks at them in the AM while I'm sorting out the dogs etc. After we play(we play all day) i feed her at 10. I give her oat groats maybe some wheat flakes or a bit of cooked farina, celery, peas, blueberries some dried fruit. I mix it up every day trying new foods.
At around 6 i'll give her some cooked veg, fruit and the oats again? and fruit. during the day we give her juices, spinach etc if we make it. I also give her the vitamin enriched food for a snack and millet. But she still begs for food. We had Thai for dinner one night and she flew over and started running around on the plates like a crazy bird!! She will dive in my cereal, jump on my toast she's hilarious. I always feed her meals in her house.

She poops like crazy of course and it can be very watery. Do you think i'm giving her too many new foods? I know she needs protein and I'm concerned and confused about that? can she eat canned beans i heard some were poisonous?? and then sprouted shoots? where do i get them? What about nuts?
I would love to know if this is a normal appetite for a baby bird (she doesn't eat everything on her plate) Am I over feeding. I don't want to give her a complex lol! i would love to know how you feed your conures?
Thanks!

 

[EnglishMuffin]

Growing dinosaurs need lots of nourishment! Here's how to tell if she's getting chubby:

feel down her stomach from the crop. There is a thin bone here called the keel bone. Now gently feel the soft tissue either side of that. If the shape made from the point of the keep bone feels like an M shape (i.e. bulges out from the keel bone)- she is too fat. If it goes concave or is like a V she is too skinny. If it feels like a U or a slightly bowed-out V, than she is a healthy weight. If she hasn't been to a vet yet, it might be a good idea just to take her for a general health checkup. You should also definitely buy a set of gram scales and start weighing her every day or every other day (in the morning after the 'big poop' is the best time to weigh). That way you can keep track of her weight gain and see if she loses weight suddenly.

As for the diet: variety is the spice of life! Protein is needed but in small doses. Fresh fruits and veggies and wholegrains are most important, and if you're feeding her pellets too then they probably provide protein for her. Beans and pulses are great but be sure to buy them in bulk, cook them through and feed them cold. Don't feed from a can as canned foods contain lots of salt, sodium, and preservatives.

Also spinach and dark greens like kale and collard greens should be fed only twice a week or so since they bind with calcium and prevent the body uptaking and using it.

 

[EnglishMuffin]

Addendum: Nuts are a great source of protein. I feed a mix of peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews and the occasional brazil or macadamia (she is not keen on either, though). Sootica has pellet mix and seed mix which she gets about a teaspoon of each every day as well as fruits and veg, nuts, etc. Try to keep millet as only a treat since it is very fatty and unhealthy.

Make sure you feed her lots of bright orange foods as these have key nutrients that conures need: papaya is especially good, as are yams, carrots, apricot, mango...you get the idea!

You might also want to try mixing in some chia seeds (make sure you soak them in water or juice for at least ten minutes first, as they expand up to 4x when mixed with liquid and you don't want this happening inside your birdie's body!) and some cooked quinoa to her diet. Delicious and nutritious

 

[yorkshiregal]

Oh thank you so much! I read somewhere canned beans where ok? thanks for clearing that up. I give her carrots and i gave her kale this week. Chia seeds thats great advice and the Quinoa. Ill get the nuts tomorrow. No wonder she went crazy over the millet. It makes a mess so i can count that out!! The only thing she doesn't like is oranges? What about Brown cooked rice and dried fruit raisins cranberries etc? I heard organic baby food like sweet potatoes? I was thinking of giving her some weetabix in the morning if you know what that is (saw the English)
I found an Avian vet and I'm making an appt next week to have her DNA done and her first check up. Ive been wrapping her in a blankie to prepare her lol she loves to snuggle already. Thanks for the great advice!!!!!

 

[yorkshiregal]

oh i will try the chubby test too!

 

[EnglishMuffin]

Check the salt content on the weetabix- i know some of those fortified cereals also tend to be high in salt and sugar! As long as it's just wheat it should be good- although of course don't put any milk in since dairy is bad for their systems.

I feed mine cooked brown rice with nuts and dried fruit mixed in, she loves that. She is also crazy for macaroni- i give her quinoa and wholewheat macaroni elbows with peanut butter, mashed yams and carrots and chia stirred in

If she doesn't like something I'd tend not to force it on her, although sometimes just changing the shape of it can help. Sootie was frightened of blueberries when i first tried to give them to her but then i sliced them in half and now they're her favorite! She also won't eat ground, chopped or whole almonds, or almond butter, but she goes crazy for almond slices. They're weird like that

I've used organic baby food too, when i was feeling lazy. It's useful to have a jar or so around for a quick dinner if you don't have time to make! I batch-make cooked mashed veggies with rice or pasta or quinoa in and freeze it in ice cube trays to defrost and mix with nuts and fresh veg as i need it/

 

[yorkshiregal]

I like the chart! will print it. The weetabix has a little salt. I have whole wheat pasta and I bought frozen tropical fruit. Lolli loves Blueberries and peas which i defrost in the morning. I tell you my house looks like the produce aisle lol I drink a lot of chamomile tea is she ok taking a sip? she stuck her foot in it the other day to try the temp and depth for a bath? Mash potatoes ok? She loved cooked Cauliflower. I just love to see how her character is forming pretty hilarious. Your being very informative, i felt like i was getting into a rut although its only been around 3 weeks!

 

[EnglishMuffin]

I had bronchitis a few weeks ago and was making myself chamomile tea with honey and lemon a few times a day, and I kept having to pour a little out into a seperate bowl for Sootie because she went NUTS for it! I couldn't drink it without her climbing all over my face and the rim trying to get to it, haha! So yeah Chamomile tea is fine as long as you don't use sugar in it- honey or agave is fine. Mash should be good as long as you don't add any butter/ milk/ salt. Sounds like you're doing a good job with her diet

Frozen fruit is a great trick if it's a hot day. I just run it for a couple of seconds under warm water to soften the edges and then she picks at it still frozen while it defrosts. I do that in the morning if I'm going to be out for a while so she's got fruit to pick at for a few hours that won't go funny in the heat.