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Lynzi Marie
Flying tumbler
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Posts: 2052
Location: Utah |
| what's a good nutritous diet for my CAG? |
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I've been doing some asking around, and I think the diet my CAG is on isn't quite good enough...he's eating Zupreem fruity-type pellets and seeds....I wasn't sure what exactly to feed him....but now, I'm getting more 'worried' you could say....
so...
what would be the best diet for him?
what do you guys/girls feed your Grey's? 
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Friday October 13, 2006 12:25 am |
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cheekie_birdy
Experienced flier
Joined: 08 Jul 2006
Posts: 1719
Location: Canada |
I do not have a grey, but I do have an African parrot..
I would feed him uncoloured organic pellets, some seed (not very much) nuts and fresh food like fruits and veggies and healthy table food.
I would only give him coloured pellets as a treat because to get the colour they have to put sugar in there..not the best thing.
Also, greys have a special dietary need for a little more calcium than most parrots..they should be getting high calcium foods like almonds, kale, figs, beans, broccoli, etc.
Good luck with your grey. From the pictures he looks like a real cutie  |
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Friday October 13, 2006 1:06 am |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7402
Location: Canada, Toronto |
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I agree with Cheekie, please change his pellets to a brand that contains no artificial colours or sugar or too many preservatives. If I were you, once you convert him to the new pellets, I would stop giving him the coloured pellets all together. There really is no benifit to them, and they could be harmful, some birds are allergic to certain chemicals in the colours. So they're a waste of money really. The best brand of pellets on the market is Harrison's bird food. I feed my Grey that, and when I switched her over to it I noticed a dramatic difference in her behaviour and feather quality. As well as the pellets, you should feed him vegetables, fruits, and legumes too. You can also feed him some human foods like pasta, rice, boiled eggs, ect. But make sure they have no salt or sugar. Feed the seeds only as a special treat, they shouldn't be part of his main diet.
Also, if your grey is fussy about converting to a different brand of pellets at first, don't be disheartened. It might take a while if he's not used to the new pellets, but keep trying. One method that has worked for me when converting pellets has been soaking the pellets in orange juice first, and then feeding them. After a couple of days, they'll eat the dry ones readily. |
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Friday October 13, 2006 10:43 am |
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fruitynutbird
Fledgeling
Joined: 03 May 2006
Posts: 226
Location: Sydney, Australia |
The problem with colored pellets is not only that they tend to be the ones which contain high levels of sugar, although that is certainly the case.
Another problem is that the red coloring agent used is not very stable, and so manufacturers add a rather nasty chemical called
ethoxyquin
in order to stabilize the red coloring agent. Unfortunately, ethoxyquin is a known carcinogen (ie, it causes cancer). Ethoxyquin has also been implicated in the condition known as toe-tapping or wing-flipping in the Eclectus parrot.
From memory, Zupreem is one of the many brands that does contain ethoxyquin, but please check the ingredients list on the packaging to be sure. I know that Harrison's does
NOT
contain ethoxyquin. |
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Friday October 13, 2006 1:22 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
No, I use Zupreem & it doesn't contain the "e" word. |
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Friday October 13, 2006 2:04 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
UNLESS it's disguised as another word! |
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Friday October 13, 2006 2:05 pm |
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Lynzi Marie
Flying tumbler
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Posts: 2052
Location: Utah |
| thanks |
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Thanks to all of you for your help! I'm actually going to the store today to buy some new food!! I'll look for Harrisons....
thanks again!
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Friday October 13, 2006 3:02 pm |
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Lynzi Marie
Flying tumbler
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Posts: 2052
Location: Utah |
What about Kaytee products?
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Friday October 13, 2006 5:12 pm |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7402
Location: Canada, Toronto |
I'm not familiar with their products, but I think they're good? Just read the ingredients to make sure it has no sugar, or artificial colours and flavours, or ethoxyquin.  |
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Friday October 13, 2006 5:53 pm |
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Lynzi Marie
Flying tumbler
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Posts: 2052
Location: Utah |
okie dokie! I'll sit [[on the floor  ]] and read EVERY package at the pet shop......
I'll make sure it's ALL natural....
but I did some research on the Harrisons and I'm gonna pick some up on our next vet adventure....they only sell it in the Vet's offices.....
to me....that means it's good!
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Friday October 13, 2006 6:51 pm |
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fruitynutbird
Fledgeling
Joined: 03 May 2006
Posts: 226
Location: Sydney, Australia |
I just found this list of brand name pellets and any undesirable ingredients in them on our very own Fluffies' "Diet" forum. It's a great list! But things change (hopefully for the better!) as manufacturers smarten up, so please still check with the ingredients label on the packaging, just in case the information on this list gets outdated:
http://www.fluffies.org/en/viewtopic.php?t=218
Fluffies is full of so much useful information! Thanks, Fluffies!!
Andrew |
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Friday October 13, 2006 10:34 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
Hey, thanks for finding & posting that link, I've looked for it before in the past but wasn't able to find it. |
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Friday October 13, 2006 11:34 pm |
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Lynzi Marie
Flying tumbler
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Posts: 2052
Location: Utah |
| foooood |
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well...I went food shopping and spent almost an hour there reading ingredients of different foods...
and I found a couple!!
I bought Pretty Bird Natural Diet...pellets...and for my Tiel...I got ZuPreem Natural Diet....
I'm happy, I gave my babies their dinner just a minute ago...and the first thing my Conure went for is the new pellets!!
yay!!
my Tiel isn't at all particular....
he just gobbled up whatever was there...ahhh....like mother like son...
lol
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Saturday October 14, 2006 1:09 am |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7402
Location: Canada, Toronto |
Yey! That's great that they weren't fussy about trying the new food What about your grey? Did he try any? |
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Saturday October 14, 2006 12:57 pm |
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Lynzi Marie
Flying tumbler
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Posts: 2052
Location: Utah |
quote:
Originally posted by shirin
Yey! That's great that they weren't fussy about trying the new food What about your grey? Did he try any?
he sure did! he loves it...he was a little wary at first, so I left his food in there a little longer than usual...but he gobbled it up!
I wasn't actually worried about him liking it...he eats everything...lol...
but my conure used to just forage around looking for seeds....
now he just eats the new pellets...
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Saturday October 14, 2006 2:32 pm |
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