What fresh foods should she be eating?

[Rrrma]

I got a grey at the beginning of this month, she is about 13-14 years old and was kept in a barn with a bunch of breeder birds. I don't think she has ever had fresh foods and she is absolutely adoring most of what I offer her.

I have an eclectus and I know they need a LOT of fresh foods and little to no seeds/nuts(they need a very low fat diet). I'm wondering how much and what kind the CAG needs though. More fruits? More veggies? More beans?

I also have an amazon I'm trying to figure out the ratio for. From what I've been reading, the grey needs less fruit than the zon or eclectus. But I want to make sure I'm offering her a good variety.

 

[Spiritbird]

Greys have more need of calcium rich foods and protein. They are rather carnivorous critters and like to munch on a chicken wing at times. Other than that it is pretty much what you said in your message above.

 

[Rrrma]

So I should give her chicken bones?

 

[Erithacus]

Mine eat egg yolk, chicken bone, fish, vege, fruits, oats, potato, sweet potato, palm nut and blend of grounded almond, walnut and flaxseed.

 

[HRH Di]

Fresh, leafy green veggies are good. And fruit. Pretty much any fresh produce except for the toxic ones - mushrooms, avocados...

I'm learning that Greys (at least my CAG and my friends TAG) are the little piggies of the parrot world. The only thing Ruby hasn't gobbled up is fresh cherries. She gets very excited when we give her chicken or eggs.

SB is correct about the extra calcium. Our breeder recommends ground cuttle bone sprinkled on their food. You can put a cuttle bone in the cage but some birds just don't like them.

 

[Rrrma]

She is very skiddish about things in her cage. She has never had a toy of any kind, or any accessories. I've gotten her used to her bowls being on the side of the cage and her rope perches... but even the blandest of toy she freaks out over. I've gotten her into liking the shredding boxes and continue to try and introduce her to things, but no luck so far.

I might try the ground cuddlebone or maybe breaking it into pieces.

 

[Birdamor]

I don't believe in giving parrots (which are classified as herbivores) any kind of meat. People argue they eat insects in the wild and that is true but it's an occasional kind of thing (they are not insectivores) and insects have no cholesterol whatsoever so it's not the same as giving them chicken, beef or any other kind of meat. My birds eat cooked whole grains (wheat, barley, brown rice, triticale, buckwheat, teff) mixed with cooked vegetables (broccoli, corn, carrots, peas, green beans, wax beans and sweet potatoe), pulses (chick peas, lentils and, during breeding season through moulting, white beans) and some flax seed, except right before and during moult when they also get sesame seeds. They also get one raw veggie, one raw fruit and one leafy green, a different one every day. My greys' favorites are apples, oranges, watermelon, blueberries, cantaloupe, mangoes, red papaya, grapes, celery and artichokes (cooked hearts, only).

 

[Mel]

I don't believe in giving parrots (which are classified as herbivores) any kind of meat.

Parrots are actually classified as omnivores however the amt of meat needed varies on the species. Birdamor is correct AG's are not insectivores however they can benefit from the occational chicken bone - insects are part of thier natural diet.