The mold issue

[goran]

Hello, the community. I'm happy, because this year I got an ekkie girl and she lives with me around a half of year already

But I realized I can't solve the mold issue I have and I really scaried. I already know some basics about the diet and I decided to make sprouting seeds to feed my birdy. I tried different ways...
First time, I put seeds under water tonight and at morining put without water for 8-10 hours of sprouting. It needs some control and washing seeds one per 3 hours to prevent a mold. Next, I put it to the fridge for 2-3 days and even mor sometimes.
This approach worked well, but some day I found a mold on a small part of the seeds in the fridge.

I changed the approach and did it with the sprouting machine, just for one day already (not for 2-3). And once I found something white, which could be a type of mold. It anyway wasn't something good.|

And I changed the way again. I just put seeds under whater at night without sprouting and gave at to my parrot next day.

But yesterday I gave her some seeds tonight and today at the morning I found the mold directly in her bowl... and before I never checked for the mold any seeds I gave tonight. I thought it's no problem, because after night all of the seeds usually became dry enough.

I removed and throwed away all of the seeds and today my parrot without them. I really don't understand how to do this amymore...

Now I'm cleaning everything I can. My flat is clean enough, I thought it was really protected for any mold. It's scary I think how many mold really could eat my birdy.

The seeds I used I bought at a vegan's shop, it was specially for sprouting.

How do anyone solve it? I have no idea. Even the special machine doesn't work perfectly... That's really dangerous, I just want to feed my eclectus really safe.

My current decision - never give her the seeds tonight. Just this way it will work safe I hope

 

[Laurasea]

Welcome to the forum!!! Congratulations on your Eclectus!!!

I don't do sprouts, tho i want to, because of the mold fear. So hopefully a member with experience will be along and offer advice for you.

 

[chris-md]

It’s hard to say what the problem is without seeing exactly what you are doing, but mold is always a sign of too much moisture. Always.

I use the mason jar method: overnight soak, rinse and drain 2x per day - storing inverted so water drains out - for three days. I then dump them onto a paper towel and spread them out thinly to air dry for 10-12 hours.

Getting rid of moisture is absolutely key here. And when using the mason jar method you definitely don’t want to oversprout. Don’t want to crowd the jar. When starting out, I don’t fill my quart mason jar more than an inch high with the dry grains when I start soaking. And even then an inch may be too much depending on what you’re sprouting.

Some people also rinse with grape seed extract to help stave off mold and bacteria. I find if you sufficiently rinse, then remove enough moisture when you go to refrigerate/store, I’ve had no problems with rancid sprouts. They go in dry enough that they’ve lasted 8-9 days before I decide to throw them out (by that time I’m smelling them daily before I serve to be sure, and have thrown them out even if they still smelled fine just to be safe).

 

[goran]

Welcome to the forum!!! Congratulations on your Eclectus!!!

I don't do sprouts, tho i want to, because of the mold fear. So hopefully a member with experience will be along and offer advice for you.

Thank you! But what do you do instead? As I know, the diet is something like 60% of fruits and vegetables and around 30-40% is sprouts and sometimes some nuts and other solid seeds. But some people say sprouts is not so important

 

[goran]

It’s hard to say what the problem is without seeing exactly what you are doing, but mold is always a sign of too much moisture. Always.

I use the mason jar method: overnight soak, rinse and drain 2x per day - storing inverted so water drains out - for three days. I then dump them onto a paper towel and spread them out thinly to air dry for 10-12 hours.

Getting rid of moisture is absolutely key here. And when using the mason jar method you definitely don’t want to oversprout. Don’t want to crowd the jar. When starting out, I don’t fill my quart mason jar more than an inch high with the dry grains when I start soaking. And even then an inch may be too much depending on what you’re sprouting.

Some people also rinse with grape seed extract to help stave off mold and bacteria. I find if you sufficiently rinse, then remove enough moisture when you go to refrigerate/store, I’ve had no problems with rancid sprouts. They go in dry enough that they’ve lasted 8-9 days before I decide to throw them out (by that time I’m smelling them daily before I serve to be sure, and have thrown them out even if they still smelled fine just to be safe).

Thank you so much! I'll try this method

 

[Laurasea]

Hi,
I don't have an Eclectus. So my parrots can get seeds, pellets, and veggies. But sprouts are so great for all parrots, that I'd like to include them too.