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Post by goldschatzi on Oct 2, 2005 19:07:08 GMT 7
I am just wondering what alternate foods to feed my cockatiel, what can I stimulate that brain of his eg toys and so forth can someone help me, should I feed him some greens etc? Thanks for your help in advance.
What exactly are their dietry requirements.
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Post by Amanda on Oct 3, 2005 4:19:39 GMT 7
Dietry requirements are that seed is a substitute to the diet! But some yummy things are apple, silverbeet, Broccoli (that's also fun) cucumber, fresh grass seed heads are fun too. you just plant some of their seed! You can try fruits like kiwi, melon, pear, grapes etc and you'll soon find out what they like or dislike. BEANS ARE BAD! don't feed beans they are poisionous or something. Corn is yummy and they get a toy at the end....the cob! Chilli's and capscium, chilli's left whole are a challenge cause they roll around. peanuts in their shell are fun too and the shell is soft so it's easy to destroy. Celery leaves are soft to chew and the stalks are crunchy and easy to play with. Celery doesn't really have much of a nutritional value so only use it sparingly.
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Post by Peter on Oct 3, 2005 7:07:31 GMT 7
Just dont feed them avicarto!
What amanda said is right! Maybe even if you sprout some seeds for them. just soak them in water over night, then rince them and drain them and let them begin to sprout. Milk thistles are good. the ones with the yellow flowers.
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Post by kim on Oct 3, 2005 16:47:29 GMT 7
hmmm i think that's avocado LOL Yes as Amanda says.... I feed Cricket EVERYTHING I can possibly find in the fridge! & I have alot. I also grow his seed so he has fresh shoots to eat. Tonight Cricket has cucumber apple kiwi squash spring onion celery snow pea & sunflower shoots egg rice zucchini capsicum corn chilli bok choy, & that was just for tonight LOL & the best thing about it is he loves & eats a piece of everything!!!! he loves his veg.
Beans? I had no idea they where bad. Thank god Cricket has never had any beans!!
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Post by Sparkles on Oct 3, 2005 18:17:49 GMT 7
Sounds good what Amanda said! Basically steer cleer of Avacado and you should be right! My boy Whoopi has never been keen on fruit and vege but now that I have 3 of them plus my eclectus and galah I have been doing heaps of reading up on bird diets and which foods are highest in which vitamins, different recipe ideas, etc and heres some stuff that I found; - Corn or Popcorn (as in hard kernals, etc) - they love it as a 'sweet treat' so soak in water overnight then boil it until it triples in size. It makes it soft on the outside and chewy in the middle - my guys love it! - Mash potato - minus the milk/butter/etc - just plain potatoes. I put sweet potato in it as well. My eckies especially love this one - they get it all over their beaks and look so funny - beware though of the 'fling' factor (hope you have washable paint on your walls). - There is a really great article on www.landofvos.com about sprouting seeds, how to sprout and which seeds are best for sprouting/health/etc. - Cooked brown rice (must be brown) and pasta are great sources of carbs for the birds. - Hard boiled eggs crushed, shell and all are the best source of protien for birds. My guys get one every second day (thank god I have 3 chooks). - Birds love fresh juice - so if you have a juicer go for it! Ummmmm - I think thats about it for now. I am still on google every night searching for more info. All I can say is my birds eat soooooooooo much better than I do hey! A big tip I can offer which I find really handy - particularly with the tiels because they are small, but also with my male eckie because he has a problem with his beak GRATE EVERYTHING - well as much as you can anyway. I find it so much easier than chopping into tiny little pieces and makes it all nice and juicy to! From everything I have read, basically the concept is 'if you wouldn't eat it then don't give it to your birds' - so if it's bruised / going rotten / unnatural and processed etc then don't give it to your birds. Hope this helps!
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Post by goldschatzi on Oct 3, 2005 18:35:32 GMT 7
Thank you so much this has been a real eye opener for me its much appreciated and I am going to give him a few more things now and occupy his mind a bit more thanks very much I am sure he will enjoy himself more as well.
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Post by Amanda on Oct 3, 2005 20:09:03 GMT 7
Don't you hate it when your Birds eat better than YOU! I can't remember why beans are bad I just remember that they are. I'll see if I can find out why.
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Post by goldschatzi on Oct 4, 2005 6:31:21 GMT 7
thanks amanda please look for photos of stretchjko in the introductions of birds.
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Post by Sparkles on Oct 4, 2005 18:20:13 GMT 7
They eat so much better than me - I spend so much time preparing their meals and then am buggered and end up having vegemite on toast for dinner myself!
I'm not so keen to eat raw brocolli and apple together though so don't really envy them!
Hey I got my eckies some chilli tonight - I have never seen them eat something so fast!
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Post by Amanda on Oct 4, 2005 19:41:03 GMT 7
Sounds Like my Dougal, see's the chilli and devours it in minutes. I've given him the large green/yellow ones knows as the sweet chilli's they are huge chilli's, this one was about 30cm long! It took him half an hour to destroy it completely. They are Dougal's favourite treat! I don't know broccoli and apple sound great to me....mmmmm salad!
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Post by Natenla on Oct 6, 2005 9:10:11 GMT 7
If you feed him apple, make sure to remove the seeds!! The seeds are poisonous for birds!
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Post by Tankara on Oct 31, 2005 3:43:27 GMT 7
oi !!
Apple seeds are poisonous for all birds?
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Post by Peter on Oct 31, 2005 5:09:33 GMT 7
I never new that! we feed all our birds whole apples (seeds and all) and have never had any problems! so does a friend of ours who is a major breeder! and he has many many many birds who all get apple seeds with their apple???
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Post by Natenla on Oct 31, 2005 5:59:14 GMT 7
Well that is what I have been told anyway, to avoid advocado and apple seeds! So I do just incase!
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Post by Matt on Oct 31, 2005 11:03:33 GMT 7
Yes apple seeds can be toxic in high doses. Usually the birds do not eat enough to get affected by the toxins though.
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