probably a dumb question but important

[friendcaique]

Hi this probably a dumb question but do you guys just give your parrots cold tap water. My home has a well. i know that super hot water contains lead from the pipes. thanks in advance!

 

[friendcaique]

also how do you guys give your birds calcium,vitamin b etc do you have any advice for that thanks in advance

 

[chris-md]

Parker gets tap water. As an Ekkie I don't give him supplements. As with any good diet, you shouldn't have to give any supplementation if he's getting all the right food he needs

 

[friendcaique]

so just lots of fruit and veggies nothing else?

 

[chris-md]

That's most of it, along with sprouted seeds (chickpeas, spelt, lentils, among others), dry whole grain noodles (he prefers dry over cooked), brown rice, beans, and as a supplement to this diet (at bedtime for overnight snacking), he gets a bowl full of Higgins fruit to nut mix, which is a dried fruit and nut mixture for parrots. Ekkies need higher fiber diets than other birds.

 

[friendcaique]

oh so how do i lessen the protein to fit a black headed caique diet?

 

[Aquila]

For my conures and my cockatiel which are about the same size as your caique, I feed them fresh food twice a day and they always have pellets in their cage (right now, laefber's cockatiel size but I also have fed Zupreem naturals and am going to try Mazuri)

My conures are on a breeder diet, so they're getting a bit more calcium rich foods and a bit higher fat/protein, but my cockatiel is on a regular diet.

I took a cheap seed brand without any pellets, soak them overnight and rinse every few hours for a day or two until they start to sprout. About a teaspoon of that, with a pinch of flax seed, sesame seeds, pepitas, or crushed almonds which equals about another teaspoon (I eyeball it and toss in whatever I have on hand)

I chop apple, kale, a little spinach, banana, sometimes fresh banana or banana chips, dried unsulfered coconut, a few raisins or cranberries (dried or fresh) and run them through my food processer for a fine chop.

A little cooked pasta, brown or wild rice, quinoa, white millet, oats, barley or legumes like lentils or split peas, again, whatever I have on hand. I think I give about 3 tablespoons of fresh food per bird per serving. Sometimes it's all gone, sometimes it's all on the cage floor.

Variety is the most important thing. Your caique is probably pretty high energy, and if he's out all day, playing, or flying which is great exercise, you can take a little more liberty with the protein and fat content because he'll burn it off. I aim for about 20% seeds and nuts, 40% fresh fruit and vegetables, 20% grains and legumes, and 20% pellets.

I'm by no means an expert and your results may vary, consider getting a scale to weigh your bird so you can make sure he's not gaining or losing too much weight. A little loss is normal during a diet change, but too much means they're not eating. Shop within the season too. Like right now, I've been getting plenty of squash, pumpkin and cranberries, so those are getting incorporated into the diet. I always have apples and bananas at home since I eat them every day myself.

I don't give supplements, except some extra calcium to my breeders and my "dusty" birds, like my Grey and Cockatiel, and that's maybe only once or twice a week at most and it's much less than the recommended, since I do give eggshell and provide a cuttlebone. Check out some of the recipes in this section, maybe even lay out a paper plate with some different foods and see what your caique goes for!

 

[Birdman666]

also how do you guys give your birds calcium,vitamin b etc do you have any advice for that thanks in advance

Mine get tap water as well. I fill up two gallon jugs and put it in the fridge.

I have a calcium perch in each cage. They get scrambled eggs with the shell crushed up and mixed in with it. My birds get a fair amount of nuts, including almonds, and pistacios, and broccoli, which have a sufficient amount of calcium in it so that they will never be deficient.

It's the Vitamin A foods you have to worry about. Vitamin A deficiencies in parrots are common. Mine readily eat sweet potato, and that solves the problem.

 

[chris-md]

Mine readily eat sweet potato, and that solves the problem.

Lucky! Wish it were that simple on my end.

 

[Birdman666]

Mine grow potato beards...

 

[chris-md]

Do they shave with sour cream?

 

[Birdman666]

Unfortunately, they don't shave. THEY FLING!

 

[Amanda_Bennett]

I have found the easiest way to get Zilla to eat sweet potato is to make "french fries" out of them. I cut them, lay on a baking sheet, brush with coconut oil and sprinkle with cinnamon or cayenne & bake. She thinks they are fries and gobbles them up...

 

[friendcaique]

thanks guys i just researched vitamin a foods and found a list with the ten foods that have the most vitamin a.Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin A
are the foods safe?(forget the salmon)

 

[Amanda_Bennett]

thanks guys i just researched vitamin a foods and found a list with the ten foods that have the most vitamin a.Top 10 Foods Highest in Vitamin A
are the foods safe?(forget the salmon)

Why forget the Salmon? Most parrots love Salmon, cooked & cooled down a bit. And it's good for them, great source of protein.

To answer your question, the only food on the list I would be careful of is the dried Apricots, check the packaging and make sure they don't have sulfur or a bunch of added sugar or preservatives.

 

[Flboy]

My baby loves sweet potato too, a trick, use them every way you use regular potatoes. Mashed, fried, etc. For yourself, dice raw, onion, fry, ......Pure yum..

 

[friendcaique]

are the carrots safe or should i just give like one small slice.:11:

 

[Aquila]

Carrots are perfectly fine, just use regular carrots, not "baby carrots" as those are usually higher in sugar content. Slice, dice, carrot "fries" or "sticks" are all great. Caiques like to hold things in their feet (most birds do) so cut into fries or sticks would probably work just fine.