Avian vet extraordinaire Scott Stahl (Scott Stahl, DVM, ABVP-Avian - Stahl Exotic Animal Veterinary Services) recommends sprinkling pellet mash in a thin layer at the top of the seed in the seed cup. The logic is that the bird must go through the mash to get to the seed and therefore ends up eating some of the mash.
Pellets and Veggies
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Great vet, I have seen several presentations he has given.
In this context it probably is just ground up pellets. There are three definitions to mash as far as I could find:
Sprinkling a little water helps the powder/bits stick to seeds. An alternate is to use a bit more water that makes a paste, mix seeds into it, then for sure the bird will need to rummage. My dude did not like when I did this, he was not a fan of wet seeds and would just go on hunger strike. This changed later on when we introduced the pumpkin puree, and he didn't seem to mind once he learned how to "forage" (although, I use this term loosely he's still not very adept at it, but getting better).
Here are a few other methods to consider with the powdered pellets:
In these three methods, do try mixing some seeds into it, and gradually reduce the seeds. This video is one of the better ones showing how to create a mixture with declining seed amounts:
You can use any kind of pellet powder you wish, doesn't have to be harrison's like in the video. I use 1 cup pellet powder, one metric plop of puree (1/8-1/4 cup?), one egg, and a tsp of baking powder (unless using a birdie bread mix). I use a small disher to make little balls, which I bake and freeze - my guy would not be able to consume even a small-cupcake-tin sized treat before it goes bad.
The cookie/bread method likely words best if you can get the bird on a flat surface to chomp into the cookie and break it up, then (s)he'll peck at the bits like a chicken. Theory here is, once they are doing that, you can spread a little whole pellet around the crumbs and they'll peck at it and eventually learn to eat.
There are many other methods, too.. it takes patience.
PS: If you don't feel like making your own puree, and are in the usa, this brand has organic canned stuff that my guy really likes:
farmersmarketfoods.com
Whole Foods o365 brand also works if they are organic.
- Harrison's company makes a specific product called "mash" which is either the pellet ingredients before they are pressed into pellets, or, ground up pellets (unknown based on description, and seems to vary batch to batch but this is what my dude eats)
- ground up pellets
- breakfast cereal for birds ("mash" from various cereals/grains like oatmeal and/or oat groats, wheat berries, corn kernels, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, etc)
Sprinkling a little water helps the powder/bits stick to seeds. An alternate is to use a bit more water that makes a paste, mix seeds into it, then for sure the bird will need to rummage. My dude did not like when I did this, he was not a fan of wet seeds and would just go on hunger strike. This changed later on when we introduced the pumpkin puree, and he didn't seem to mind once he learned how to "forage" (although, I use this term loosely he's still not very adept at it, but getting better).
Here are a few other methods to consider with the powdered pellets:
- mix the pellets (better to grind them up, but not necessary) with a little apple or fruit juice (not for long term due to sugar)
- mix the ground up pellets with a vege puree like pumpkin or butternut squash (just enough to get things sticky, does not take much at all, and you can see my thread here on the topic)
- make cookies/birdie bread from the ground up pellets
In these three methods, do try mixing some seeds into it, and gradually reduce the seeds. This video is one of the better ones showing how to create a mixture with declining seed amounts:
The cookie/bread method likely words best if you can get the bird on a flat surface to chomp into the cookie and break it up, then (s)he'll peck at the bits like a chicken. Theory here is, once they are doing that, you can spread a little whole pellet around the crumbs and they'll peck at it and eventually learn to eat.
There are many other methods, too.. it takes patience.
PS: If you don't feel like making your own puree, and are in the usa, this brand has organic canned stuff that my guy really likes:
Farmer's Market Foods Archives | Farmer's Market
farmersmarketfoods.com
Sorry that was really long
Short version: try slowly increasing the amount of water with powdered pellet into a paste mixed with seeds and then reduce the seeds and begin adding pellet to the paste. You can use water, fruit juice (only short term), or vege puree.
Making bread/cookies with the pellets can help, too!
Oh, and do keep a dish of pellet only as close to your bird's favorite perch as possible.
Short version: try slowly increasing the amount of water with powdered pellet into a paste mixed with seeds and then reduce the seeds and begin adding pellet to the paste. You can use water, fruit juice (only short term), or vege puree.
Making bread/cookies with the pellets can help, too!
Oh, and do keep a dish of pellet only as close to your bird's favorite perch as possible.
I think Sweety is getting some pellets now, and some veggies. Only because he has to root through them to get a tiny bit of seed in there. I keep experimenting and inching slowly towards some healthy amount of pellet (dust) and veggies. And seeds are completely limited and basically like a treat, and he only gets them if he also eats some veggies.
Like a toddler
But I’m happy with his progress. Over the past 2 weeks he has basically done a strict diet compared to before. And he’s weathered it well.
Like a toddler
But I’m happy with his progress. Over the past 2 weeks he has basically done a strict diet compared to before. And he’s weathered it well.
I think I have tried every pellet available and the only ones that I have had any amount of success with is canary size Zupreem, one of my birds picks out the green ones and leaves the others
I give LoVey the zupreem canary size pellets and have noticed that the majority she pitches onto the floor are yellow! Do each ofvthe particular colors have their own distinct flavor?I think I have tried every pellet available and the only ones that I have had any amount of success with is canary size Zupreem, one of my birds picks out the green ones and leaves the others
I was curious about this because Mallorn eats hers in order (Red, then orange, then yellow, and she leaves the green or eats them as a last resort before I fill their food bowl LOL). So I was like "Aha, she must like the red taste more, followed by orange, etc." Of course I tried a spoonful and they all taste identical
Birds and especially hookbills tend to be very color-oriented in decision making, I've noticed. I guess they just must eat their favorite color first!
Stahl Exotic Animal in Fairfax VA is the very good clinic! They supported our ill budgie for a long time, our budgie basically lived an additional year thanks to them.Great vet, I have seen several presentations he has given.
Had a pellet breakthrough! He gets it now that he’s not gonna get seeds except at certain times of the day as I portion it out. But he really likes having a full belly so those in between hours he gets hangry and doesn’t like that. So today he finally deliberately ate some fruity pellets in between seed snacks! So proud of him!
He did seem to be picking out certain ones but I wasn’t close enough to see which color. And I didn’t want to go over closer to him while he was eating the pellets because sometimes that spooks him and I definitely didn’t want him to stop.
So for him it seems the trick was getting him to understand there will be hungry times unless he is willing to eat some pellets at least once in awhile. Like finally dieting and being so hungry for so long that rice cakes actually taste good!
He did seem to be picking out certain ones but I wasn’t close enough to see which color. And I didn’t want to go over closer to him while he was eating the pellets because sometimes that spooks him and I definitely didn’t want him to stop.
So for him it seems the trick was getting him to understand there will be hungry times unless he is willing to eat some pellets at least once in awhile. Like finally dieting and being so hungry for so long that rice cakes actually taste good!
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