Wasting Pellets -_-

[Teddscau]

Okay, so I'm having serious problems with Rosie wasting her food. Like, I know parrots like to turn their pellets into powder, but Rosie's been turning over 90% of her daily rations into powder. Like, when the budgies eat pellets, they might, at the very most, waste a third. But Rosie just destroys them. And it's not fair to Noah because she ends up hoarding all of them for herself.

Oh, and don't even get me started on their seed! I quit giving them seed because she throws all of it on the bottom of the cage! Like, sure, my female budgies are known for goofing around with their dishes and kicking the food out, but Rosie's unbelievably wasteful! Seriously, I know how wasteful parrots can be, but Rosie's beyond wasteful!

I pay good money for their TOPs and Goldn'obles, and I can't have her wasting 5/6 of what I feed her! Any thoughts? Oh, and I thought about teaching them to eat the TOPs crumbs, but when I took a lick I realized just how horrid their texture is! Blech.

 

[chris-md]

The powder can be used! Just sprinkle some on any fresh food you serve. Or bake it into birdie bread.

 

[bug_n_flock]

Alex powders his pellets, but then will eat the powder. Will Rosie eat the powder or get stubborn?

From phone

 

[wrench13]

In the process of making them into powder some may be consumed. To know for sure, weight the pellets before and after ( minus what lands on the cage floor). I weigh out Saltys pellets and the pine nuts I use at night for treats, so I know exactly how much he is getting.

tell me you not surprised they waste 5/6ths .... sounds about right to me. Unless its blue berrie or hard boiled eggs, Salty has to waste about that much , maybe a little less.

 

[Flboy]

Make friends with the squirrels!

 

[Teddscau]

My birds are actually really good about eating what they put in their mouths, especially Tiki and the budgies (they hardly waste anything). Honestly, I don't think Rosie is eating the powder. I worked with her for half an hour on trying to get her to eat the powder by mixing a bit of water in, and I guess she sort of ate some of it?

I actually quit making birdie bread for a while because some of my budgies were allergic, but now that they've died (man, I miss them so much!), I'm going to start baking for them again, and I'll toss in some powder.

I'm going to be honest, I haven't been giving them too good of a diet during the winter. Well, I mean, I doubt too many humans eat well during the winter. Anyways, now that the growing season's coming along, they'll be getting grass, sprouts, mash, birdie bread, chop, weeds, nummies from the garden, pellets, etc. Ooh, and I'll be buying Tiki larvae from the Worm Lady! I've never had her bugs before, but I hear they're amazing! Man, I'm sure Noah's going to be excited when the lilacs bloom! He loves nibbling on them . Man, seasonal food's great, but it's only available for a short time, unfortunately.

 

[Oliver17]

I like the idea of spreading the dust on their fresh chop

 

[Tami2]

The powder can be used! Just sprinkle some on any fresh food you serve. Or bake it into birdie bread.

What a great idea. Can’t believe I never thought of that. Ha.
The only pellet Levi powders is the Tops. The others he eats very well. I just figured it was a much softer pellet that crumbles easily. He does like them. He’ll search through the dish seeking them out.
I usually just put his leftovers out for the birds.

 

[clark_conure]

Good advice above about recycling, only thing I could add is, you know they don't have lips....might as well get used to it....also sometime they just like to chew stuff up.

In the end...isn't it worth it? Thats all you have to ask.

 

[Jottlebot]

Could you try moistening the pellets? Don't know what TOPS are like, but it will make it harder to crumble and she might find the texture more pleasant to eat.

I also recycle the crumbs by mixing with a bit of coconut oil and putting in the fridge to harden and slice it into squares. I give it like birdie flapjack and the oil helps McCoy's beak and feet look gorgeous too!!!

Thinking about it I used to feed Harrisons and crumbling was an issue, but I now feed a mix of Nutribird and Harrisons and there is hardly any waste. Have you checked how much you are feeding? When I did I couldn't believe how little I actually needed to feed, it didn't even cover the bottom of the bowl. I keep a track of weight and don't over feed and I hardly ever get more than 20% waste - excluding the veg he decides he's not in the mood for every now and then!

 

[Bogie's Mom]

Bogie my Macaw and Geno my cocatoo just digs in their bowels and it goes everywhere. How do I seperater it easier from their poop?

 

[Flboy]

Bogie my Macaw and Geno my cocatoo just digs in their bowels and it goes everywhere. How do I seperater it easier from their poop?

Easy! Don’t! The vet bills that could come from that can easily go into the thousands!
Or, worse!