Question about fruits and veggies

[Jennd5184]

Ok, we've had our macaw Tiki for almost 2 months now. We're not real sure what her previous owner really fed her....all he told us was that she loves apples. We have moved her to a mostly pellet and some seed/nuts diet with fresh fruits and veggies every day. I guess my question is....does everyone give their macaw an assortment every day of different things? Or just one or two? I have been giving her an assortment, like today was some broccoli, spinach, a carrot, a couple pieces of strawberry and a blueberry or two. She just never seems to eat all or even most of it....am I feeding her too much? Or should I only offer one or two different things a day? She LOVES green beans, and will eat quite a few of those, but it seems like everything else, she just kind of nit picks at. She seems happy and healthy, so I assume she's eating everything she needs to, but it just seems like I'm throwing away quite a bit of food every day. Am I feeding too much maybe? Also, I want to introduce her to other things...what fruits and veggies does everyone else feed theirs? We've tried blueberries, strawberries, mango, kiwi, apples, bananas, green beans, broccoli, spinach, carrots, corn on the cob, and squash. Thanks in advance!

 

[Grinder]

Remember that most parrots actually enjoy eating the same thing each day. It has proven to be safe to them so they trust a diet that is the same. That isn't to say you can't introduce new things to her. Macaws generally need more fat from seeds in their diet. Quality pellets can help balance a diet, although some people won't feed any pellets to their parrots.

She may be somewhat set in her ways and may only take to a few new foods. I remove the seeds and pellets from our parrots' cages in the morning when feeding them fresh veggies/ fruits in the morning. After and hour or so I remove the food and put in fresh pellets and seed mix for the day until dinner time.

 

[Bird_Mom_to_Coby_the_GW]

As I'm sure you know birds like to do things as a "flock". In general you usually have better luck having them eat more and more variety if you are also eating it at the same time. I know my Coby eats more if he is eating with me. A couple of other foods that are my Coby's favorites are blackberries, plums, peaches and peas. My Coby also loves all of the shell nuts (in the shell). One of his all time favorites is pistachios. Pecans and Brazil nuts are probably is next favorites. I think he enjoys breaking them out of the shells almost as much as he likes eating the nuts. You may have to offer new foods many times before Tiki will even try it but once she discovers something new that she likes she will chow down. Coby eats lots of different things each day. I change it up all the time and he seems to like most everything that I give him.

 

[Jtbirds]

Well to introduce new things eat some yourself and then the bird will probably respond to that. As well always offer it again even if the first time she didnt eat it. As for the amount your feeding daily i'd say if you wasting then cut back a little. I've got it down to a science now what my guys will eat and how much is acceptable usually. Soo just watch and see what is being eaten and whats being wasted more.

My macaws get a pellet mix which is zupreem and pretty bird pellets, then on top of it i feed sunburst macaw from higgins. Then i usually add in shell pistachios, walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts no peanuts though. I give them like 3 in shell nuts so maybe 2 pistachios a walnut and a almond for one day then the next day something else. I also do a lot of fruits and veggies i try to do vitamin a veggies often with some other kinds mixed in. My macaws love oranges and apples and bannanas, pine apples, berries, kiwi, etc... they are never ending holes i swear.

 

[Pinkbirdy]

I used to do pellets some seed and fresh fruits and vegs everyday.I was worried they would get bored. So every other day she gets a mix that has 12 beans in it ,veg pasta ,frozen peas,green beans and carrots 1 birdy mini muffin and fresh 1 veg and 1 fruit.On the offday she gets pellets ,seed ,muffin and fresh fruit and veg for treats dried fruit and almonds are the only nut shes interested in.Once in awhile we will do an omlette or share a banana. Theres lots of other things I want to try theres a chop mix and mash that look good. Ive seen a big change in her feathers since Ive done this .Their gorgeous.

 

[tab_xo]

Fargo gets sprouted seed and fresh fruits in the morning, that might be a bit of apple, grapes, mulberries, passionfruit, kiwi fruit- at lunch he gets his vegetable mix- he will only eat it cooked and chopped up, so thats stuff like carrot, sweet potato, zuchini, pumpkin, potato, beans, corn, peas, beetroot,broccoli! Which he loves! Every now and then he gets some egg mixed in with that mix, and sometimes vege pasta.. He then has 3 nuts during the day, and has dinner which is pellets! His foraging toys are filled with a dried fruitty mix which he snacks on as well

He seems to enjoy getting the same vege mix every day, he thinks its yummy, and he has very healthy shiny feathers!

 

[yagen]

LOL thats great you have a fb page for Fargo! I just opened one for my macaw Aro!! he is pretty awesome!!

Aro the B&G Macaw | Facebook