Gerard
Bronze Member
Hototo
Posts: 165
|
Post by Gerard on Mar 27, 2012 18:20:00 GMT 10
Yep, I know what the work thing is like. We've gone ballistic at the moment. Just FYI I had to take the hen to the vet yesterday for a sinus issue. As luck would have it we have a dedicated avian vet only 15 minutes away. As even better luck would have it this vet has been keeping and breeding Hooded Parrots and Golden-Shouldered Parrots for 25 years. The best luck was that it wasn't anything too serious and he gave her a jab of antibiotics. Then the luck started going the other way. This vet is big on pellets and had all manner of pellets available for purchase including Vetafarm & Harrison's just to name a couple, but I was politely informed that he would be unbelievably impressed if I managed to convert my Hooded Parrots to pellets. He has 7 breeding pairs of Hooded Parrots & 4 pairs of Goldern-Shouldered Parrots and hasn't succeeded in converting any of them. Strangely enough though, I seem to be slowly, but surely, wearing down their resistance. Time will tell. Mango, you will find some photos of my birds on a thread I got Tracey to do for me called "For Gerard".
|
|
Gerard
Bronze Member
Hototo
Posts: 165
|
Post by Gerard on Apr 2, 2012 18:21:15 GMT 10
Quick update on the pellet conversion. I am now operating on a 90% pellet to 10% seed rissole mix. Hototo will now freely eat the softened pellets once the seed is not obviously seen. Chiku on the other hand will rip the rissoles to shreds just to find one seed. She always seems to run about a week behind Hototo in everything including training. It will be interesting to see how she goes over the next week.  |
|
Gerard
Bronze Member
Hototo
Posts: 165
|
Post by Gerard on Apr 12, 2012 18:07:23 GMT 10
Conversion to dry pellets has now been successfully achieved. Yea! I have purchased some Roudybush now that I no longer need to feed them moist pellets. Being patient and persistent was the key. Today was the big test as I left the birds with a bowl of seed and a bowl of pellets. When I arrived home from work both birds were tucking into the pellets and not the seed and I was standing at the door thinking "Well I'll be damned".
Thanks to all members who have either contributed or read this thread. I'm sure that anyone who has taken the time to read through it will have learned something.
Gerard.
|
|
|
|
Post by anzac on Apr 13, 2012 10:14:47 GMT 10
I have just sold the last of my baby turks from this season and they went home with a bag of pellets as I told the new owners that their food consisted of 1/2 pellets to seed. No one had ever heard of them! I wonder if they will keep up that feeding regime?
|
|
|
|
Post by Laraine on Apr 13, 2012 11:35:44 GMT 10
I go to the Gill's surgery as well. They are great with birds (and cats too). Where do you live twr?
|
|
Gerard
Bronze Member
Hototo
Posts: 165
|
Post by Gerard on Apr 13, 2012 18:08:46 GMT 10
Anzac, did you find that your Turks were eating the pellets? The thing I'm really happy with is that my local Avian Vet has 7 pairs of breeding Hooded Parrots and he has not managed to convert one to pellets. The only one he has on pellets is a cock that was hand-reared. He has kept and bred both Hooded Parrots & Golden-Shouldered Parrots for 25 years. I was politely informed that he would be extraordinarily impressed if managed to successfully convert them.
As Mike correctly pointed out, if you can get one onto them, then the other one will see what it is doing and eventually follow. Good luck and keep persisting as you will get there.
|
|
