Parrot 🦜 Chop 😁

[kme3388]

Today was my second time making parrot chop. Nico (The Eclectus parrot) ate it, and he actually put his beak in there. He picked out the pasta, and rice to start.

My conure is afraid to go near chop. She wouldn’t be a conure if she didn’t full inspect her food, and be stubborn to change. A conure is a conure!

I just wanted to thank everyone for the help, and suggestions. This is a great forum, and there are so many helpful threads. It’s nice to come across other parrot lovers that can help me overcome some of the struggles I run into.

Does anyone know how long chop lasts in the fridge? I portioned it out to freeze some of it.

 

[foxgloveparrot]

A big batch of chop can technically last you a whole week, but I recommend only 3-4 days at most, to keep it fresh and delicious!
I like the chop you made, good thing Nico is eating it!

 

[chris-md]

That’s the great think about the rotini: the veggie pieces are small enough that he gets them as he eats the rotini, whether he wants it or no

how long it lasts in the fridge will depend on the ingredients. No more than 7 days, but high moisture/high acid contents can spoil it much faster.

 

[Terry57]

That's a wonderful looking chop! Yay Nico! It is such a good feeling to see one enjoying the fruits (and veggies) of your labour
What all did you put in it? I am always interested in new recipes

 

[WingDing]

That’s the great think about the rotini: the veggie pieces are small enough that he gets them as he eats the rotini, whether he wants it or no

how long it lasts in the fridge will depend on the ingredients. No more than 7 days, but high moisture/high acid contents can spoil it much faster.

In my fridge there is a convenient spot in the back of the meat drawer where things stay right around freezing -- not frozen solid but frosty. I keep a weeks worth of chop there and it keeps well. I dig a little out for each meal, defrost for 10 seconds in the microware, and squish out the extra liquid. This is what is working for me right now.

 

[kme3388]

I added brown rice, garden rotini pasta, green pepper, red pepper, quinoa, corn, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, sugar snap peas, celery, carrots, popcorn kernels, barley, green beans, and kale.

I added a lot more pasta, and rice then I wanted to. I just wanted to get Nico to at least give chop a chance. He ate it this morning. He's still picking out the rice, pasta, and quinoa first. This is so much better then him standing on his food dish screaming because he doesn't like whats in it.

 

[chris-md]

Bravo! it’s actually kind of great ingredients too! Can’t really fault you for anything in there…except maybe the popcorn and the barley.

barley unto itself is perfectly fine and nutritious to serve. But as a chop ingredient, it will guaranteed give your chop an undesirable snotty/slimey texture (one of those things you just learn by experimenting)…same thing with okra and using too much spaghetti squash.

the popcorn kernels, assuming unpopped, 1) are too hard - ekkies don’t have the bite strength of other parrots and can’t eat them, and 2) even if they could, are redundant to the corn you already added. Part of the nutritional game is avoid redundancy where you can do you can maximize diversity, especially in a mix of limited ingredient.

as for proportions, I agree with you: for now your object is just to get the beak into the bowl, you’re habituating. So by all means DO overdo it a bit on the favorite stuff. You can back off into more appropriate proportion in subsequent mixes as he gets used to this feeding method. Nutrition can definitely be a long game in the short term with no ill effects.

 

[kme3388]

Bravo! it’s actually kind of great ingredients too! Can’t really fault you for anything in there…except maybe the popcorn and the barley.

barley unto itself is perfectly fine and nutritious to serve. But as a chop ingredient, it will guaranteed give your chop an undesirable snotty/slimey texture (one of those things you just learn by experimenting)…same thing with okra and using too much spaghetti squash.

the popcorn kernels, assuming unpopped, 1) are too hard - ekkies don’t have the bite strength of other parrots and can’t eat them, and 2) even if they could, are redundant to the corn you already added. Part of the nutritional game is avoid redundancy where you can do you can maximize diversity, especially in a mix of limited ingredient.

as for proportions, I agree with you: for now your object is just to get the beak into the bowl, you’re habituating. So by all means DO overdo it a bit on the favorite stuff. You can back off into more appropriate proportion in subsequent mixes as he gets used to this feeding method. Nutrition can definitely be a long game in the short term with no ill effects.

I boiled the popcorn kernels. I did things redundant didn't I? ha ha. I do plan on cutting back on the carbs, and starches. Was Parker this way when you first got him too?

 

[chris-md]

Smart. Excess carbs in general can cause hormonal behavior

I got lucky, Parker started off very curious about food so adoption wasn’t too big a challenge. It helps that I started off foraging practices early (stuffing a bell pepper with his favorite treat, etc) and got creative with presentation.

but even when he takes right to it, you can still be prone to bad chop batches that just make you cringe. Even now: I Have Parker’s current chop I’m cringing at, I used too much spaghetti squash, and it MIGHT have been either a bit overcooked or simply starting to turn bad.

 

[WingDing]

Here's a question about moisture control: Our birds don't like the food to be real wet. I end up squishing the moisture out of the chop after defrosting but I feel like that is throwing away good nutrients. What can be added to sop of the juice and not unbalance the carbs/proteins?

Even now: I Have Parker’s current chop I’m cringing at, I used too much spaghetti squash, and it MIGHT have been either a bit overcooked or simply starting to turn bad.

A couple of times, I've had chop go rancid long before I thought it should have. I've made it a policy to give everything a good whiff and taste everything the I give to the birds right before I dish it up. It it tastes or smells even a little sour, it gets thrown out. That hasn't happened in a while.

 

[chris-md]

(Meant to be comical, text doesn’t always convey tone)

You’ve got quality ingredients in your chop, and your concern is some excess water runoff? Find something else to worry about

 

[WingDing]

Ok. Ageed. I've been watching videos on maximizing nutrients in "people food", which is a whacky world where everyone has an opinion/facts based on "science".

 

[kme3388]

Ok. Ageed. I've been watching videos on maximizing nutrients in "people food", which is a whacky world where everyone has an opinion/facts based on "science".

Jane Fonda clothing, and aerobic's is the cure all to health issues. "The Science" says so

 

[parrottoys]

Today was my second time making parrot chop. Nico (The Eclectus parrot) ate it, and he actually put his beak in there. He picked out the pasta, and rice to start.

My conure is afraid to go near chop. She wouldn’t be a conure if she didn’t full inspect her food, and be stubborn to change. A conure is a conure!

I just wanted to thank everyone for the help, and suggestions. This is a great forum, and there are so many helpful threads. It’s nice to come across other parrot lovers that can help me overcome some of the struggles I run into.

Does anyone know how long chop lasts in the fridge? I portioned it out to freeze some of it.

If you pm me your email on FB I will send you all the PDFs of a diet you make at home that is balanced and was used on the now archived group Feeding Feathers on FB. You can make a large batch and freeze it in small baggies. ALL VEGETABLE BASED DIETS MUST HAVE THE ADDITION OF PELLETS. THE PELLETS ARE FORTIFIED WITH VITAMIN D AND VEGGIES ARE NOT. Also ... an all raw diet causes MALNUTRITION!

 

[Terry57]

If you pm me your email on FB I will send you all the PDFs of a diet you make at home that is balanced and was used on the now archived group Feeding Feathers on FB. You can make a large batch and freeze it in small baggies. ALL VEGETABLE BASED DIETS MUST HAVE THE ADDITION OF PELLETS. THE PELLETS ARE FORTIFIED WITH VITAMIN D AND VEGGIES ARE NOT. Also ... an all raw diet causes MALNUTRITION!

This chop was made for an eclectus, and they do not have to have pellets in their diet. In fact, giving them fortified pellets can cause multiple issues in eclectus.

 

[kme3388]

The place I adopted Nico (eclectus parrot) from had him on a seed mix diet, and over the counter roudy bush pellets. When I got Nico home all he ate was almonds sense he had a choice (the place I adopted him from gave me some of the food he was eating to start me off). Yes, he toe tapped, wing flipped, and his feathers were very dull.

I myself, and the place I adopted Nico from clearly weren't aware of the sensitivities that ekkies have. I didn't learn this until I brought him to the vet. Yes, vets are aware of ekkies, and their sensitivites. Even among vets the ekkie diet is debatable. It appears to be a very sensitive topic.

I will add that I am NO ekkie expert. I will always admit that I adopted Nico because I fell in love with him. I wasn't aware that they are prone to medical issues, and have sensitivities. I wasn't aware that their feathers are different then other parrots feathers. I compare Nico's beak to that of a toucan. Just because they also have a softer bill. They also tend to be prone to medical issues, and have a sensitive digestive system (forgive my wording I'm no doctor either). Yes, I blindlessly adopted a parrot I fell in love with. I have the best of intentions to help Nico, and to get him as healthy as possible. I want to help him the best that I can.