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Post by kim1 on Oct 26, 2004 11:05:21 GMT 10
Hi I just wanted to get opinions on weither feeding egg and biscuit to weaning cocketiels is dangerous, I recently had a very sick weanling and couldn't work out why. I did notice the only thing it would eat was the little black poppy seeds out of the egg and biscuit mix, I kept handfeeding so it was getting it's nutrients but it got worse and became very jittery and continually ground its beak and acted very nervous. I took it to the vet and after he had it for 3 days he took away the egg and biscuit as he felt the bird was abit addicted to it. Guess what 1 day latter and it seemed to pick up and within 1 week it was fine. The vet felt it was the poppy seed, to much of a good thing. What do you guys think, anyone else had a simular experience?
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Post by Catbird on Oct 26, 2004 13:04:32 GMT 10
I used E&B the first time I hand-raised birds, because I wasn't aware of any other way. E&B is pretty low in essential vitamins and minerals, except protien - its got heaps of protien. If you feed E&B its usually advised to add calcium to the mix.
Finch keepers feed a lot of E&B dry to the adults, who in turn feed it to the chicks, which is fine as some finches need a lot of protein, but most parrots don't.
I like to feed E&B when the tiels are weaning, because a) its cleaner than the mixes when trying to get them to self feed, b) its cheap, so it doesn't matter if they throw it all over their cage c)its easy for them to eat. My weaning mix consists of E&B, soaked small seed, and some multivitamin added for good measure. I mix it into a crumbly paste and place on a flat dish in the weaning cage. They get it all over their face, but seem to have fun and its easier to clean off than the other formulas which tend to be quite sticky.
- Claire
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Post by lovemytiels on Oct 26, 2004 14:02:32 GMT 10
Hi Kim, I have been using E&B mix in my weaning mix for tiels ever since i started h/rearing them. I mix it with the h/rear formula, soaked grainy bread, weetbix, soft seeds & a natural paste of almond brazil & cashew, till it is soggy for them to eat & I have not had any problems with the birds. Hope that this helps. Cheers for now Anna  |
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Post by kim1 on Oct 28, 2004 8:53:47 GMT 10
Hi guys just to clarify, I use vetafarm handraising mix, and as well as the egg and biscuit when they are weaning I have on offer, frozen peas, carrot,corn, as well as chooped fresh carrot apple corn and celery, also ryvita biscuits wholemeal bread and soaked seed, so tis cocketiel had a variety to choose from but seemed to be addicted to the poopy seed in the egg and biscuit, I never ever feed only egg and biscuit as it doesnt have enough nutrients. I also food egg and biscuit to my breeders and they love it.
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Post by lovemytiels on Oct 28, 2004 9:47:33 GMT 10
Hi Kim it sounds loke you are doing the right things with the egg & biscuit mix re mixing everything together. Their are 2 things I know about poppy seeds & they are 1/ They have a very high concentration of a substance callled oxalic acid which can interfere with the absorption of calcium & 2/ The poppy seeds do come from the opium poppy so maybe that is why the babies become addicted to the seeds. I once read of a women who consumed up tp a kilo a day trying to get a high from it Lol. I also use the weaning mix bit a bit dryer for the mums & dads when they are feeding their young. Perhaps you could sift the egg & biscuit mix to get ridof the poppy seeds if it made the birds sick. Tedious I know but better safer than sorry Keep up the good work & i hope that i have been able to give you a little more info on poppy seeds. Cheers for now Anna |
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Post by tielkeets04 on Oct 28, 2004 14:31:41 GMT 10
did they always put poppy seed in it , 30 years ago befor they invented hand rearing mix , I used egg biscuit to hand rear budgies and peach faces and never had any problem with the chicks
Tanya
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Post by hillcresttiels on Oct 28, 2004 20:23:13 GMT 10
Hi Kim this has nothing to do with the topic but i would like to know more about your residency as not too many live up in the whitsundays please share you lucky bugger cheers frank
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Post by kim1 on Oct 29, 2004 12:29:16 GMT 10
Hi, yes lucky us. it is beautifull up here, but it's very tourest oriented, its getting to the point that the locals are up in arms about all the development eating up the rainforest and the fishing spots, sad really. But when I sit out the back under the palm trees with the sea breeze blowing and watch my birds it is heaven.
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