How do you handle weight control?

[anbrownucsd]

I know that Senegal Parrots have a tendency to have weight problems. Mine is still pretty young but has not yet developed weight problems.

My bird will NOT touch pellets, so that is not an option for feeding him. He also loves the fatty fruits. His favorite is banana . He also is not an incredibly active bird. Although he does spend a good amount of time playing, he would much rather cuddle up in my hair on the couch and watch television.

What proactive steps do you guys take to control weight? It seems like most of the seed mixes I buy as parrot food have a LOT of fatty nuts and seeds in them, peanuts and sunflower seeds! Maybe I should make me own? What types of things does one put into parrot food to help control weight?

[Izzy]

I have a meyers parrot, so I assume they're probably also prone to the same problems. She's only been here a month, so I haven't really changed anything for her yet.

However, I plan on making her start to forage for all of her seed/nuts. She's on Goldenfeast, which I LOVE. She also gets Zupreem Pellets and fresh veggies. There are a ton of great foraging toys on the market now. Birds Just Wanna Have Fun - The Store for Fun Parrot Toys and Bird Toy Parts has some great unique ones. Paper dixie cups (not the ones with plastic on them) can be folded around treats too-most birds love this. You can also place small bowls all over the cage, and make them work their way around the whole cage to get food.

Another new concept is meal feeding, where the bird doesn't have food in the cage all day. My cockatiel was on meal feeding all summer (she spent 6-8 hours outside in an aviary with just water, then had food when she was inside), and did great with that. I haven't started it with my guys, because I'm not always home in time to feed them, and because I worry it might make them louder (I'm in an apartment).

My cockatiel's body conditioning is a ton better now that she's flighted. I'm letting the meyers wings grow out too, but she's far from being able to fly!

Most birds are WAY overfed. Try feeding small amounts, so that he has to eat everything offered and can't pick through for his favorites (which are probably the fatty ones). Sprouted seeds are also a good way of feeding seeds - my meyers LOVES sprouts!

Try joining the group FeedingFeathers at Yahoo groups. They'll have a TON more info for you.

[Ashling]

When I last weighed her, my rainbow lorikeet was apparently 17 grams over the average weight, accoording to my scales.... but don't work very well. She was 150 grams and the average is 133. Either way, I was letting her primaries grow so she could fly- a natural way to keep the grams off. A way to keep her weight down while not flighted, was I would prick grapes onto the very ends of a thin twigged branch, and she would have to stretch and position herself in weird poses, and support her weight upside down to get to the prize. Also, teaching the "flap" command helps, where you get them to flap when you tell them. I wieghed her today and she is now 127 grams, which is perfect for her age and gender!