Switching brands of parrot food

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Switching brands of parrot food

by Lynn
(Southern Maryland)

When you switch brands of parrot food from say, Harrison's to Roudybush ect., do you need to introduce the new food slowly? Both of my parrots are picky eaters nothing (except for nuts and a few fruits) seem to be their favs. I know that the pellet should be @ 80% of their diet.

They seem to be maintaining their weight w/out any problems as we weigh them weekly. Any suggestions on what or how to try something different equiv. to the pellet? I have a Blue Throated and a Blue and Gold Macaw. Thanks for any advice in this matter.

Lynn

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Switching brands of parrot food

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Nov 30, 2011

Switching food on parrots
by: Tracie

If they KNOW these pellets are food, then it will be fine. If they don't see them as food yet, then I would try introducing them on your days off.

Nov 30, 2011

Switching brands of parrot food
by: Lynn - From So. Md.

Hey thanks Tracie for taking time to respond to my question... I think I will try this! My only thought is, I leave the house at 7:15 am and don't return until about 4:15 pm. Do you think this is too long to go w/ only pellets? and putting the other dishes in when I get home. (The other dishes include a variety of cooked and fresh foods prepared daily x2 in one bowl and the other bowl contains a variety of nuts and dried fruits, nutriberries etc.) The pellets would consist of Roudybush and Harrisons:coarse & pepper both, but; this would be all that they would have access to until 4:15ish....What do you think?

Nov 29, 2011

Switching parrot food
by: Tracie

It really depends on the birds. You say your birds are picky, but you may be surprised and they may like them right away or take a year to decide to eat them.

Our avian vet wrote the Switching Birds To Pellets article and it is good. We have a different method that works for us.

We find that if birds have anything else but pellets available during the switch, they will not try the pellets. So we only offer pellets first thing in the morning, when they are very hungry and more likely to eat them.

We count the pellets, to see if they eat one or more when we are not looking. Once we KNOW they have eaten the new food and see it as food, regardless if they prefer it, then we only offer that food every day until they have either eaten most of their quota or late in the day.

They get treats according to how much pellets they have eaten. Sometimes they don't get treats at all, but that is rare. (We have sneaky birds, I swear they try to trick us out! LOL)

Just last night our bird cheeped as if it didn't have food. I went over and most of it's pellets were still in the dish. I stirred them around, told him he had better eat them, and sure enough he ate ALL the pellets in the next 30 min. He was just hoping I would give him his treats instead. ;-)

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