Sherry S. writes:
HELP! I have a Greenwing Macaw who is almost 30 years old. He has been with me since he was 2 years old. I have been told Greenwings regurgitate more than other breeds.
It seems he is especially bad this year and it’s been going on for months.
Sherry L. comments:
Yes, my birds are fed ‘chop’ (Arlo the grey, calls it ‘bobbity’) This is a new term for what I have done for 28+ years.
Chop is chopped veg, grains, and sometimes, a tiny bit of seed sprinkled on top or a bit of walnut, or something.
I used to cut the vegetables larger because Arlo was pretty accepting of lots of things, and I didn’t have a food processor.
I also (now) feed Arlo a pelleted diet, along with the chop.
She also gets a small amount of fruit, and sometimes about an inch square of chicken breast (baked) or some steamed scallop (yum).
Lisa H. shares:
Since being stuck at home during Covid and not being able to shop as needed (we are both 71) we have really started sprouting alfalfa seeds at home.
We always liked alfalfa sprouts and now it is an easy way to have something fresh.
I have 2 parakeets…is it safe for them to eat freshly sprouted sprouts?
Mary W. relates:
Solomon L writes:
I have a problem with little moths which seems to come from the bird food, they are very annoying.
I have an aviary inside the house with canary and finches, it is 8 feet tall 5 feet diameter in the circle connected with a 6 feet flight path with 8 canaries and 12 finches.
I use the Kaytee brand finch food for finch and the one for canaries.
Before when I had the Higgins premium brand I had no problems, but I could not find so I switched to Kaytee.
Rita C writes:
I misplaced the recipe for the combination of the seed mixture you had for parakeets.
Using Hagens clay, greens, canary seed, parakeet seed.
My budgies really like that combination and I need to make more.
I’m looking for a good quality seed mix for my 4 birds
Darryl Z. asks:
Hi.
I’m looking for a good quality seed mix for my 4 birds – a CAG, a Yellow-Shouldered Amazon, a Meyers, and a Caique.
I’m currently using Vita Parrot by Sun Seed but it’s become really filthy over the years.
I actually, pick out the papaya because it’s so filthy and looks so gross, I don’t want my birds eating it.
So that’s where I’m coming from and I wonder if you could please recommend a few of your top mixes.
We’ve talked about the differences between molting, preening, and plucking in a post found here.
Molting is misunderstood and usually viewed as nothing more than a nuisance.
We have 10 birds in our home.
That means they’re going to shed between 50,000 and 70,000 feathers combined, annually!
Feathered factoid: Ducks have 10,000 or more feathers and swans have upwards of 12,000+.
Bonnie D. wrote:
I have a question for you.
The reason for my switching to Hagen Alternative Formula was because it had no soy or corn.
But I noticed that it has peanuts in it.
I was always told by my vets that the greys shouldn’t have peanuts (or too many) because it decreased the calcium in their bones.
What is your take on that?
