Meat madness?

[LoveMyConlan]

My Gcc, Conlan, has always been a fan of any food I'm putting in my mouth... Pasta, cookies, crackers, veggies... She will tap the cage with her beak and hop up and down to get my attention to share.

Yesterday I decided to eat in my room, something I don't do often. We were having spinach cheese stuffed chicken with garlic oven roasted green beans, and homemade mashed potatoes with gravey.

As usual, I left some green beans(without the garlic) for the fids so they could 'eat' too. However, Conlan, just sat in her cage hoping. And I mean shaking her branch perches. Mind you she had already had her meal of seed/pellet that morning and her fruit around 2 hours before.

I opened her door and she launched into my hand, unusual for her since she's being hormonal. I sat her on my bed with her beans.

She dove into my plate. Right after the chicken. Happily chirping away as she took a bite of everything. and no matter how many times I tried moving her away she just came back and would try to grab a garlic bean, or a mouth full of potatoes, or a chuck of chicken. Then all but climbed into my Apple juice cup. I've never seen her so excited over a meal. And she's eaten with me multiple times when I've had bird safe food for her to pick on.

I've noticed she loves chicken, cheese's, and her absolute favorite I found out accidentally is islay's chopped lunch meat ham.

But as crazy as she goes for them, I'm hesitant to give them. Isn't all the protein and fat bad? I'm especially worried about the ham. All that salt and fat and oil. She's so bad with that I can't even eat a sandwich in the same room. I feel awful.

Am I worrying too much and should let her have a bit here and there or are those a no no?

 

[LoveMyConlan]

I would like to point out that she gets 1.5 tablespoons of Lafebers pellets with about just under 1/4 cup Higgens seed mix(filled with fruits and nuts) every morning. Plus fresh fruit and vegetables when I get home from work around 2. And she usually snacks on something with me for dinner. So it's not like I starve her lol.

My Jenday is a food lover too. But I watch his sugars because he's a over active ADHD kinda boy ROFL.

 

[Aidualc]

Like for humans.. everything in excess is bad.. but that doesn't mean some guilty pleasures now and then will hurt- ok some will, but not all. Protein is very variable.. it's not bad.. it is very important for general health, and I don't think you can overdose on proteins. Proteins get broken down to amino acids which in their own right become building blocks for new proteins or vitamins or.. well.. many other orhanic molecules required for a well functioning body. Furthermore, proteins are particularly important during molting as feathers are primarily made of protein. So in those circumstances an increase in protein in the parrots diets is a good thing. I am not sure about this, but I think I have heard that during.. um.. the "hormonal period" that they also require additional protein but I am sure there are people here that know WAY more than me. As for fat.. well yes.. but again it depends on your parrots energy levels. If they mostly sit on your shoulder and don't do much then this should be restricted as much as possible. I would argue that animal fats probably is the first one to rule out just like sugars, but there is nothing wrong with giving parrots a bit of lean meat- preferably steamed or boiled without salt. My parrots also LOVE meat.. I don't give it to them often but more as a treat here and there ! Hope that helped