new material just added

[robert]

Hope of use community.livejournal.com/captiveforaging/ from Robert and Precious

[bickitrainer]

Oh gosh that's a really good idea! Bicki hates most veges, I'm going to try this out!

But is peanut butter good for them?

[robert]

more new material here. Can someone please respond to Bickitrainer,about peanut butter? from Robert and Precious

[farseeker]

I wouldn't consider it good for them - peanuts are 'treat only' and quite high in fat, and you often find peanut butter has other stuff such as salt added that I'm not really comfortable giving my guys. I think a small amount would be okay, but it's something I would watch.

[bickitrainer]

Ah ok, it should've been obvious since peanuts are fatty. Thanks for answering. ^_^

Might have to try a different method to get Bicki to eat his veges... >.>

Robert, does Precious like veges?

[robert]

Precious does eat dried fruit ,Bickitrainer. He is eating his pellets,more.He was weaned on fresh veges. I can't get him to eat them. I must not be trying the right ones. I have been laying down on the couch, wacthing TV and feeding Precious his pellets seed and dried friut on my stomach,etc. Best Robert and Precious PS also click on the new material above and found this link www.creativeforagingsystems.com/index.html

[bickitrainer]

Those toys are excellent!! I must buy some now!!

I'm going to buy some!

[bickitrainer]

Robert, do u know any websites that sell these things? Much appreciated!!

However, if Bicki doesn't get what he wants, he won't touch it and he'll get very angry. Should I just ignore him and ... force him to eat it? Or just put a bit of seeds in there? Oh yes, I think I've answered my own question lol

[robert]

Bickitrainer,don't force Bicki to do anything. Without mentioning names,I will states the following. Most Bird Vets are adament on the beneficts of a pelleted diet. I do not dispute the beneficts of including pellets. I know a parrot breeder who gets irate ,about the behaviour of vets,here. She has heard of pet cockatiels dying soon after the owner took them to a bird vet. The bird vet tells them to put them onto to pellets The Cockatiels stubbornly refuse. If they are forced to go on to pellets,then they can die. This particular breeder believes this is not rare. Ideally what should happen, is that these birds ought to be weaned on veges or pellets,etc. If not, then at least veges,fot then the bird is used to something else.Bickitrainer,Precious is eating more pellets now. I have encouraged him,by him eating out of my fingers ,while holding the pellets. He is getting there. from Robert and Precious

[bickitrainer]

Thanks Robert for that info!

May I ask what type of pellets you bought?

Also, did u find any links that sell foraging toys for a reasonable price? You are lord of the links of course lol!!

[farseeker]

What Robert said about forcing/introducing pellets and any different food is right - care needs to be taken while doing it and you need to keep a really close eye on what is going on. Some birds will be stubborn and not eat to the point of starving themselves. I think part of the problem when people try to convert to pellets is there's a lot of different ways to go about it, so trying just one method may not be the way to go if that makes sense...but if they're only told of one way they might assume that will work.

The best way I found with my guys was to take all seed out during the morning and put in pellets, and then at some point during the day put seed in so if they weren't eating the pellets they'd still be able to feed. The times were pretty random so they couldn't predict when the seed would be coming to encourage them to try the pellets.

Other methods include mixing pellets and seed together to introduce the idea that pellets are food, and then gradually increasing the ratio of pellets to seed. I've also heard of people soaking it in watered down juice to give it a sweeter taste to tempt their bird, and making little 'seed and pellet' rissoles for the same purpose.

It's really important to keep an eye on their weight though when introducing new foods, because they can hide weight loss quite well. Electric kitchen scales are great for that kind of thing.

As for foraging toys, there are a few sites.

Friendly Bird Inn is run by Lisa from these forums, and has the cheapest prices I've seen around, plus she has gotten in some very unique toys. Very easy and friendly to deal with as well.

Parrot Rescue CentreAlso has some great stuff. They tend to specify what size bird the toy is best suited for as well (small, medium, large etc) which is handy, and their profits go back into helping the birds they care for.

My Parrot Shop also has some interesting foraging toys although the majority from what I can see are aimed at larger birds. However, they also have some interesting enrichment toys and activities unrelated to foraging available. They also sell bird-safe paper bags and cups that can be used to make quick and easy foraging toys.

[robert]

At the moment I feed Precious drmacs pellets. While I like them,I have heard comments on this forum ,by someone who said they are too expensive. To me it is important,to buy the pellets that are good. But it is also important to buy the pellets that the bird or birds will eat. It is no good feeding a particular brand,no matter how good it is,if the bird doesn't like them. It might also be good feeding different brands,so that the bird does not eat the same thing all the time. I have also tried roudybush and wombaroo. I have heard great things about kaytee.There are also pellets in the birdzone mix,which I get. All links in links section. Hope of some help. from Robert and Precious

[bickitrainer]

It all helps, thanks so much for the information everyone!