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sveta
Flutterer
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 171
Location: Canada, British Columbia |
| Spreding out meals |
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I've been thinking that with school starting, how should I spread out Dobby's meals. Now I take him out in the morning, and feed him breakfast: egg, toast, (veggies), mixed with a small amount of seed. I read somewhere that meals for birds should be the same way they are for humans,
Breakfast, lunch dinner/super. Is it OK to feed him breakfast, then leave a millet strand while I'm at school, then feed him lunch when I come back and dinner 30 minuts before his bedtime. Is this better than leaving food in his cage all day? If this isn't a good idea I will just leave food in his cage while I'm at school, and replace it with veggies/ other food when I come back. What should I do? |
Tuesday July 31, 2007 7:00 pm |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7399
Location: Canada, Toronto |
Birds have really fast metabolisms. I imagine he would get really hungry if you left him with no food all day while you're at school. I leave food for my birds in their cages at all times, and that's what works for me. |
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Tuesday July 31, 2007 7:48 pm |
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jletaz
Experienced flier
Joined: 28 Feb 2007
Posts: 1282
Location: CA, USA |
I agree with Shirin. Leave food of some sort in the cage at all times. I don't know where you heard they should be fed like humans  ...but birds should always have access to food. |
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Tuesday July 31, 2007 8:09 pm |
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Fluffy Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10060
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Hi there.. I leave food for my birdies all day.. I try to hide their food. I don't use the foodbowls very often any more. Not at all for Zazu. I also wrap his food in paper. |
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Tuesday July 31, 2007 9:13 pm |
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sveta
Flutterer
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 171
Location: Canada, British Columbia |
What about putting in millet? Then feeding veggies or other food when I get back. So that he always has acsess to food, but at the same time he gets variety??? Because now I feed egg or a small piece of toast in the morning, salade, veggies, whole wheat bread for lunch, and the for dinner I usually make him a dish of clover pedals, grass, and other veggies mixed with seed. I toss out the leftovers, fill the dish with a small amount of food in case he needs a midnight snack
or if he is hungry when he first wakes up. Nevertheless, he always has a food source in beetween. Can I continue to do this? |
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Tuesday July 31, 2007 10:13 pm |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7399
Location: Canada, Toronto |
Bread is not very nutritious unless it's whole grain bread. Even whole wheat bread is still processed and refined, so it definitely is not adequate as a main meal for a parrot. Same thing with millet. Millet is fine as a snack or treat, but again, not as a staple food.
Is there a reason why you don't want to feed pellets? I mean I totally understand if that's what you've decided, but just seems more convenient for someone who's at school all day and doesn't have time to prepare special meals. |
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Tuesday July 31, 2007 11:27 pm |
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sveta
Flutterer
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 171
Location: Canada, British Columbia |
My parents are finding that Harrisons is expencive. And our freinds switched their lovebird on some sort of pellet and he went red!!!! The vet told them to switch food IMIDIATLY! so my mom wants to know EXACLY what they fed to their lovebird before we buy any type of pellet. Dobby eats a seed mix that his breeder provided us with and it is fine, However, when we go for hiss next check up I am planning to buy a one pound bag of Harrison and add it to his seed mix (as it is a lot cheaper than getting Zupreen). I just want to know EXACLY what food made the lovebird go read before buying any pellets. In the mean time is there any food that is available in pat stores and is good for your bird? |
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Wednesday August 1, 2007 12:32 am |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7399
Location: Canada, Toronto |
If you ever do buy Harrison's, don't mix it in with seed, there's no point. Dobby will just pick out the seeds and not touch the pellets.
Why don't you try Hagen's Tropican pellets? It's a popular Canadian brand, and it's what most petstores feed their birds. That's what I used to feed my parrots too before switching over to Harrison's. And it's really cheap, like $20 for a 5lbs bag.
Otherwise, make sure the seed mix you're feeding is vitamin enriched, and doesn't have too many sunflower seeds. And when you're gone at school all day, leave a bowl of the seed mix out for him, instead of just the millet. And the times that you are home, take the seeds away and feed fresh foods. Like vegetables, fruits, whole graines, brown rice, whole grain pasta, and nuts, kidney beans, chick peas, and other legumes for protein. |
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Wednesday August 1, 2007 12:28 pm |
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sveta
Flutterer
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 171
Location: Canada, British Columbia |
The seed I feed now was given to me by my breeder, she orders it from a very good avian vet in Australia, his name is Dr. Bob Marshell, I think. He mixes vitamins into the food and there isn't much sunflower in it. I've also had Harrisons samples and I would mix them in to the food that he eats all of it, so I don't see it becoming a problem. |
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Wednesday August 1, 2007 10:19 pm |
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sveta
Flutterer
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 171
Location: Canada, British Columbia |
Shirin, may I ask you why you switched to Harrisons if you liked the prvious diet? Also what pet stores did you buy it from? |
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Wednesday August 1, 2007 10:22 pm |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7399
Location: Canada, Toronto |
quote:
Originally posted by sveta
Shirin, may I ask you why you switched to Harrisons if you liked the prvious diet? Also what pet stores did you buy it from?
I switched to harrison's because it's organic and free of preservatives and artificial flavors and colours ect. It is obviously a higher quality brand. The only reason I recommended Hagen to you, was because you said your mom wouldn't spend the money on Harrison's, which is understandable. It is quite expensive.
Anyway, your seed mix sounds perfect, as long as you continue to give him the varied diet as you are doing now, he should be fine  |
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Wednesday August 1, 2007 10:30 pm |
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sveta
Flutterer
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 171
Location: Canada, British Columbia |
My mom doesn't for the bird stuff, I do! It's just that after our vet check our vet told us that the birds are in perfect shape with the food they are eating, so she doesn't see the reason to swich, I also have the time to clean out the bottom of the cage, so hulls are not a problem. I still want to give pellets so that he doesn't get hooked on stuff, but like I said it's my moeny I'm spending
I have a fund for food, emergency vet visit, as well as a section for new toys and accsesories.
It's pretty small now, but I put all my allowance into it   |
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Thursday August 2, 2007 1:08 am |
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