Proper Macaw Diet???

[BenjaminG]

I have looked up a lot of stuff. seems no one has the same opinion of a good balanced proper diet for a blue and gold macaw. can anyone point me to links of good diets.

i want to purchase a seed mix, plus i see a lot about nuts, and what veggies and fruits are good and bad and all that fun stuff. there are to many different opinions and idk what sites to trust!

and what are good training treats for them

 

[JerseyWendy]

Here is the same link I gave you a week or so ago. http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/34367-blue-gold-diet.html

It's not exactly a science to feed them properly. Find a good mix (I prefer Goldenfeast mixes), pick a pellet of your choice, LOTS of fresh veggies....here is another link: http://www.parrotforums.com/general...afe-fresh-foods-toxic-food-lists-sprouts.html

As for treats you can bake birdie bread, Lafeber Nutriberries, the list is truly endless.

 

[BenjaminG]

thanks i must have missed that when you posted it. im sorry. im so disorganized right now trying to find a new apartment and move closer to work.

as for what i was asking treat wise. i see people in the training videos always using some kind or seed or nut or something. its always the same looking thing. just trying to figure out what that thing is haha

 

[JerseyWendy]

AAAW, you're looking for itty bitty bites for training.

Sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, pine nuts, just about any thinly sliced nut - once you figure out which one your bird goes bonkers over.

 

[triordan]

You might want to rethink an apartment and macaw . They can be very loud and your neighbors won't be happy..... Just saying.....
I have a Green Wing macaw he has pellets always available in his cage he also gets a variety of vegetables especially the ones that are in season,right now that would be pumpkin ,all the different varieties of squash, sweet potatoes,broccoli ,kale, brussel sprouts, carrots, sprouted beans,whole wheat pasta,brown rice, quinoa and then every other day he gets fruit. Everyday he gets two or three nuts, and of course depending on what we have for dinner he gets a little bit of that as well including chicken. Variety is the key~

 

[BenjaminG]

You might want to rethink an apartment and macaw . They can be very loud and your neighbors won't be happy..... Just saying.....
I have a Green Wing macaw he has pellets always available in his cage he also gets a variety of vegetables especially the ones that are in season,right now that would be pumpkin ,all the different varieties of squash, sweet potatoes,broccoli ,kale, brussel sprouts, carrots, sprouted beans,whole wheat pasta,brown rice, quinoa and then every other day he gets fruit. Everyday he gets two or three nuts, and of course depending on what we have for dinner he gets a little bit of that as well including chicken. Variety is the key~

i guess i should clarify a bit better. im trying to get into a house for rent. my neighbors dont like me already. my tiels are against the connecting wall thats very thing and my dog runs around a lot. it annoys them. so i decided im old enough now and starting a real life so im looking for a more perm house. we need more space anyway and i want a yard for my pup to run in and my tortoises to wonder.

and thanks. i figured it was like pine nuts or something cause it was roundish.

 

[tab_xo]

Well, Fargo gets 4 different pellet types, harrisons, pretty bird, vetafarm maintenance, vetafarm macaw nuts

Then his veges, usually its- pumpkin, sweet potato, zuchini, broccoli, capsicum, carrot, tomato, brown rice, spinach, brussel sprouts, beetroot!

Then he gets a bit of fruit, usually used in foraging ways, lime, strawberry, mulberry, apple, banana, pineapple, mango.. a bit of everything!

Then he has a bird precooked mix which has herbs/spices, cooked beans, oats, dried veges- carrot, corn, peas, pumpkin seeds!

AND THEN he has sprouted seed only... He never gets normal seed, its always sprouted, ALOT healthier Mung beans, sunflower, chick peas, barley and some others!

and then he was on 3 nuts a day, but then he started flying and he needed more, so he was on about 6... I just monitor his keel bone and see how it feels!

Nuts are used either for training or foraging... or i just give him one cause hes a good boy haha

I use pecan nuts for training, Fargo would do anything for a little piece of pecan!


and then he has an organic dried fruit mix for birds, which are only used in his foraging toys !


So he has a variety of stuff in his diet! :09:

I have seen 2 avian vets in the past few months, and they were incredibly impressed with his feathers... They both said he had PERFECT feather plumage, and one said he has never seen a macaw with such amazing condition with their feathers, and tail.. Especially because he is so young!

 

[BenjaminG]

Well, Fargo gets 4 different pellet types, harrisons, pretty bird, vetafarm maintenance, vetafarm macaw nuts

Then his veges, usually its- pumpkin, sweet potato, zuchini, broccoli, capsicum, carrot, tomato, brown rice, spinach, brussel sprouts, beetroot!

Then he gets a bit of fruit, usually used in foraging ways, lime, strawberry, mulberry, apple, banana, pineapple, mango.. a bit of everything!

Then he has a bird precooked mix which has herbs/spices, cooked beans, oats, dried veges- carrot, corn, peas, pumpkin seeds!

AND THEN he has sprouted seed only... He never gets normal seed, its always sprouted, ALOT healthier Mung beans, sunflower, chick peas, barley and some others!

and then he was on 3 nuts a day, but then he started flying and he needed more, so he was on about 6... I just monitor his keel bone and see how it feels!

Nuts are used either for training or foraging... or i just give him one cause hes a good boy haha

I use pecan nuts for training, Fargo would do anything for a little piece of pecan!


and then he has an organic dried fruit mix for birds, which are only used in his foraging toys !


So he has a variety of stuff in his diet! :09:

I have seen 2 avian vets in the past few months, and they were incredibly impressed with his feathers... They both said he had PERFECT feather plumage, and one said he has never seen a macaw with such amazing condition with their feathers, and tail.. Especially because he is so young!

where do you find sprouted seed??? and also obviously they get separate meals. how do you know how much to give them?

 

[tab_xo]

HAHA YOU have sprout it You cant just buy it... (although i think you can ) But just buy the seed, put it in a draining container thing- you can find these anywhere, cheap to buy- sprouting containers- and then just rinse them off with water, and they will grow quickly!

This is an old picture, but Fargo loves his sprouts!


Sometimes i just chop it all up and put it in with his precooked mix, other times just give him a big chunk fresh!


I just give however much Fargo wants to eat in that meal, usually twice the size of his crop, because they leave scraps as well, and may accidentally drop some, but never fill the bowl up fully, just bits at a time so its always fresh and ready!

He gets a little bit of pellets and a nut at about 6am, then at 10am he gets a precooked mix (beans, veges, sprouts) then at about lunch+ he gets some fruit for foraging, then at 4-5pm he gets his vege mash

At 6 he finishes eating all his veges, then just before bed time he gets more pellets to fill up his crop fully

2 nuts after lunch, and a nut for dessert

 

[BenjaminG]

What if you cant feed him like that. Some days im home all day, others im not home much. Its like half and half. Im always home at least 5 hours a day. Could you put in enough pellets and seeds for the day ans put nuts in the toy where he has to work for it. Then for lunch do a mix of fruits and veggies??

Also how long does it take to sprout like that

 

[tab_xo]

I am out from maybe 8am till 6pm maybe once a week?

So i will just put 4 nuts in different foraging toys, and dried fruit pieces hidden in different toys..

Then he will get enough pellets for 2 feeds- morning and night

and then fruit in a foraging ball

and then a bowl of his veges!

Then when i get home, cause his bedtime is 7pm, he usually just fills the rest of his crop up with some pellets..

For some reason he wont fully fill his crop up before bedtime if i am away, he just fills it, but not to the max like usual Sometimes i get home late, 8:30 maybe, and he will still quickly get the rest of his pellets before bed!


So yeah, you can just feed for the full day!

Ummmmmm I am not entirely sure how long it takes :S I have never actually timed it.. Um maybe a week?

 

[MonicaMc]

Depending on what you are sprouting and how long it takes to sprout said seeds, it can be as short as overnight (8-12 hrs soaking) or as long as 5-6 days (8-24 hrs to soak, then the rest as keeping moist but drained).

You can leave dry food in the cage all day long, cooked food shouldn't be left in the cage for more than a few hours at a time, and fresh food could be left in the cage for a few hours to all day (but not overnight). Depends on your climate.

 

[tab_xo]

Monica, does it matter if its in there but he doesnt eat it?

Fargo only eats his food when its fresh, he doesnt touch it if its been in there for more than a few hours anyway..

But the days i go out, i put the fresh food in there (so he has something to eat) but its in there all day? But i know he hasnt touched it after a few hours.. So does it matter?
Now you have me worried

Of course if the bird is eating it if its been in there for 8 hours, then it would have a problem because of the bacteria and stuff

and warmer climates would make the food spoil faster? So my room being kept cool all day would be fine ?

 

[Abigal7]

I only have a Hahns macaw but like all macaws he eats nuts such as natural cashews, almonds etc. It sounds like Tab and the others have pointed you in the right direction. I of course feed Captain Jack pellets, fruits and veggies. He also likes boiled eggs and cooked beans. Mysafestore carries Bountiful Harvest Blend and ever Goldenfeast. I like to mix some Bountiful Harvest Blend in with his pellets http://www.mysafebirdstore.com/cart.cgi?group=537&child=1569 Mysafebird store also sells cookable food for birds which I buy once in awhile.

 

[MonicaMc]

The concern is just over spoilage and bacteria and/or fungi forming on the food.


Fresh food can last longer than cooked foods can, although saying that, fresh is usually best anyway!

 

[BenjaminG]

Is this a good brand and if so which bag or bags do i want to get? If its not can i get a link on like amazon or something so i can order good food

 

[JerseyWendy]

I mix Zupreem NATURAL under my mix, but I don't pay anywhere near those prices. Check out www.mysafebirdstore.com

 

[BenjaminG]

thanks i will check it out. i see that a lot of people mix fruit and veggie ones together though. would you not suggest doing that?

 

[dialupslim]

Thanks for all the info!

 

[terrygore87]

Does anyone know if sprouted seed can be frozen in batches, I would love to start feeding sprouted seeds to my Macaw and making enough to freeze and use throughout the week would make my life much easier lol