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[mossdog]

Hi guys, not been on for a while as silly busy with work.

I just wanted a bit of advice on Jambo's diet . .  .

He was weaned onto seed when we got him, i gave him pellets from day 1, which he wasn't interested in at all.  I then read on here about mashing veg, so made a batch up of mash containing....

Sweet potato, carrot, parsnip, butternut squash, palm oil and soaked harrisons pellets.  The whole lot was blended and Jambo adores it!  I did used to feed it from a spoon to start with, gradually lessening the spoon feeding and leaving it in his cage, now i fill his bowl with it every day and he eats a full silver coop size cup a day.

I'm more than happy to keep making the mix, and will do as he loves it.  I was just worried that it may mean he won't eat other foods.  I have maintained leaving a bowl of pellets in the cage at all times, a mix of fine and course high potency.  He will now nibble at these and does sometimes eat a decent amount.  I also leave a bowl of other fruits and veg in raw chunk form which again he picks at and destroys . . . . eating some and some just playing.

He was seed and nuts in his toys as they seem to be the only think that makes him forage!  I also brought some little plastic square feeders that you slide between the bars, they are quite narrow and i often stuff them with the mash so he has to work to get it out.

The soaking pulses he is funny with, one day he'll devour an entire bowl and other days rarely touches them?

I also made some harrissons bird bread, individual mini muffins and he loves them.

He has always seemed to favour veg over fruit, is this a common thing?

I will keep offering and trying him on various bits and bobs, and given that he's still a baby i presume his tastes will change.  Really just wanted to know if giving him the mash above is enough for his main diet??  It works out at 50% harrisons pellets and 50% veg, with palm oil added.

We are loving having him, and he's very much part of the family now, his love affair with the labrador has intensified and they hang out together all the time.  His talking is coming on now too and he's learnt to do "high fives"!!

He's also growing his full tail which is coming through a beautiful bright red, he still has a very laid back and relaxed approach to life, always wants to cuddle and lay with us and is generally just good fun to own . . . apart from the mess!!


Any advice welcome.  Many thanks. 

[Mrs Piker]

It's brilliant that Jambo is doing so well 

If you're worried about his food, maybe pop a little less mash in his bowl as that would encourage him to also eat more of his pellets when he's hungry 

When I give mine mash, they get roughly the same amount that would fill one cube of and ice tray each, they also get pellets, toast in a morning etc.

But since his mash consists of 50% Pellets I would not worry too much as it sounds like he's getting everything he needs for a healthy diet 

Fruit should really only be given 2-3 times a week as a treat, so since he's not that fond of fruit, it's not a problem. Mine prefer veg over fruit unless it's pomegranate.

Gosh it seems like I've waffled 

So here's the main points again: Maybe give him less mash as this will encourage him to eat more pellets, but his diet sounds good as he's getting lots of healthy foods anyway, also don't leave your mash or fresh veg etc in his bowl for too long 

I hope this made sense, I've completely lost track of what I was writing 

Julie

[mossdog]

Thanks for the reply Julie. 

I am sure we are worrying over nothing, but being new to the whole parrot thing.  I will maybe try to lessen the amount of mash and see if i can get him munching pellets a bit more . . .  . He doesn't seem to be overly large given the huge amount of it he puts away . . . but then he fly a lot and is growing so i guess sit balances out.

Thanks again. 

[Mrs Piker]

No problem, we're all here to help each other out and we're all always learning 

If you have anymore questions post up and one of us members will be more than happy to help and reassure you 

Julie

[tracey1966]

cookie isnt that kean on soaking, what are you soaking exactly and how often do you give it? is it warm or cold?

with the pellets you could always put less of everything so when he gets hungry he can go eat them.

Cookie prefers mash over any other veg or anything its he's all time favourite.

does your birdy like bright colours or not.

try him on other treats that may get him to forage for other things, such as harrisons power treats,cookie would forage all night for them.

[mossdog]

cookie isnt that kean on soaking, what are you soaking exactly and how often do you give it? is it warm or cold?

with the pellets you could always put less of everything so when he gets hungry he can go eat them.

Cookie prefers mash over any other veg or anything its he's all time favourite.

does your birdy like bright colours or not.

try him on other treats that may get him to forage for other things, such as harrisons power treats,cookie would forage all night for them.

I soak Harrisons Course pellets, half a 1kg bag in hot water, till it makes a paste, then add the same amount in volume of mashed veg, chuck in some palm oil and freeze in batches. He gets this every day, and eats a full bowl daily, then has AZ pellets, pulses and fresh veg daily to graze on . . .  some days if i'm really busy, i don't give him any bowls of food at all,m and just fill his cage with foraging toys, he will work all day to get food out.

His aviary arrives in a month or so and my plan is to not feed anything from a bowl in the aviary at all, he'll only be in there in the daytime.  I want him to forage and work for his food whilst out there and then he will have access to bowls of food in his cage once in the house in the evening. 

[tracey1966]

What sort of thing do you try and make him forage from?

you might have to try different textures and feels of things so he gets used to it
you could try things from here:
http://www.northernparrots.com/reusable-foraging-toys-for-parrots-dept110_pg1/



but scarletts is much cheaper that just gives you a rough idea

[tracey1966]

i recommend getting one of these
best product ive ever brought
http://www.africangreyparrotcentre.co.uk/african-grey-forum/environmental-enrichment/nico's-baffle-treat-cage/

does your birdy like to destroy toys such as wood??