Well today i was reading the news and i came across this story below -
Haribo sweets were used as part of a mission to rescue a missing parrot after he was found up a tree.
Cookie, an African grey parrot, was enticed down from a silver birch tree in Lillibrooke Crescent, Cox Green, when he was offered his favourite snack on Friday morning.
The bird had been missing since Wednesday afternoon after it flew out of an open window at its home in Cox Green.
The pet’s happy owner, who did not want to be named, said: “He climbed down the tree using his beak and got to the end of the lowest branch before jumping on to my husband’s arm.”
She added: “He must have got caught in the rain overnight because he looked really clean and fluffy.”
African greys can live to more than 60-years-old and are considered to be one of the most accomplished mimics.
Well no wonder the owner wanted to be un-named giving him his favourite snack ”Haribo sweets” do they not know that JUNK FOOD has a high fat content and can lead to things like FATTY-LIVER disease in a parrot! Yes they Can live to the age of 60 plus but they wont do being fed treats like Haribo or any fatty junk food for that matter.
Whats your thoughts on this people??
i have my african grey 3 years today and i would offer him anything if he got away from me…
Well me too. Anyway Harribo does not contains fat.
I remeber that my friend who also has African grey convince him to return home with pepsi-cola and brownies
Fat is not the only thing harmful to parrots, in fact it all depends on fat. Fat found in nuts and seeds is not harmful in limited quantities, and very beneficial as it contains essential omega acids necessary for the beautiful plumage, proper brain function and lots of other processes in the body.
Fat found in brownies, chips, butter is saturated fat and at times trans-fat, both are harmful to african greys and can lead to heart attacks, strokes, obesity, malabsorbtion, malnutrition and very premature death.
Haribo doesnt contain fat but it contains tons of sugar. Sugar promotes the growth of yeast and pathogenic bacteria in the gut, which can lead to very serious health problems in the long-term, but it can also has a profound affect on parrot’s behaviour. The addition of artificial colourings and other synthetic ingredients can make birds hyperactive, overly aggressive and in many cases cause feather plucking and self-mutilation.
Pauline, if you want you parrot to get away from you find him a new loving home.
I feed my Congo Grey, Kiko, Red Palm Oil. i mix it into his food. I feed him the best quality seed mix (NO raw peanuts), human baby food, pasta, grits, sweet potatoes, etc. Greys eat palm nuts in the wild and Kiko gets about a teaspoon mixed into his food. I also add flax seed oil from time to time. He is a fairly large Grey, averaging 500 grams. I weigh him almost every evening.
Walt, your Grey’s diet sounds very good. Palm nuts are a great source of vitamin A and are very good for them. a little tip – you will get more accurate reading of Kiko’s weight if you weigh him in the morning straight after his big morning poop and before breakfast. Then his weight won’t fluctuate depending on what and how much he has eaten throughout the day.
Great tip, Irina. But I am pressed for time in the morning and Kiko is content to just wake up and listen to me while I talk to him and give him his days food ration (made the night before and refrigerated) and fresh water. When weighed in the evening (as I do), he weighs anywhere from about 480 to a max of 508 grams. I don’t give him the palm nuts as they are apparently perishable but the oil is not and mixes well with other foods.
Walt, Kiko’s diet is good…but greys don’t need any type of GRIT…it could result in crop impaction.
i’m looking after a rescue grey at the moment(as well as my own greys)the rescue grey is suffering, having had a real bad diet,(yeast over growth)…its that bad due to his previous diet the food goes through his gut to fast.
the last few weeks he/she has lost his appetite.
it’s really not nice, but we won’t give up