Food allergies and owning parrots

[idrial]

Does anybody else here have food allergies and keep parrots?

I've recently figured out after 20+ years that most of my chronic health problems are caused by wheat, soy, and peanut allergies. I am still adding more and more to my list. Its been frustrating trying to figure out everything that will trigger a reaction.

One thing I was told is that I need to be blunt with my family and insist that they not bring any food even into the house that could affect me. I react even to "clouds" (i.e. particles in the air).

So it finally occurred to me... my parrot is eating food that I am allergic to. I could be reacting to what I am feeding her despite the fact I am not actually eating it.

I am not expecting you guys to have an extensive medical knowledge... I was just curious if anybody else with food allergies has had to enforce it on their parrot as well.

I am not sure what I can feed Delenn if I have to cut wheat, soy, and peanuts out of her diet. I am also afraid I might not give her proper nutrition. I know her pellets currently have wheat in them (Zupreem)... and Harrisons has soy. I also have a bag of mixed nuts I give as treats... peanuts are some of them. I am not aware of anything other than seeds that I could switch her over to. I don't like the idea of feeding her seeds just because I might be reacting to her food.

Anybody have any comments? I'd appreciate any sort of advice since I am having a hard time figuring out how to keep both of us healthy.

Thank you in advance.

[brdfvr]

Originally Posted by idrial

Does anybody else here have food allergies and keep parrots?

I've recently figured out after 20+ years that most of my chronic health problems are caused by wheat, soy, and peanut allergies. I am still adding more and more to my list. Its been frustrating trying to figure out everything that will trigger a reaction.

One thing I was told is that I need to be blunt with my family and insist that they not bring any food even into the house that could affect me. I react even to "clouds" (i.e. particles in the air).

So it finally occurred to me... my parrot is eating food that I am allergic to. I could be reacting to what I am feeding her despite the fact I am not actually eating it.

I am not expecting you guys to have an extensive medical knowledge... I was just curious if anybody else with food allergies has had to enforce it on their parrot as well.

I am not sure what I can feed Delenn if I have to cut wheat, soy, and peanuts out of her diet. I am also afraid I might not give her proper nutrition. I know her pellets currently have wheat in them (Zupreem)... and Harrisons has soy. I also have a bag of mixed nuts I give as treats... peanuts are some of them. I am not aware of anything other than seeds that I could switch her over to. I don't like the idea of feeding her seeds just because I might be reacting to her food.

Anybody have any comments? I'd appreciate any sort of advice since I am having a hard time figuring out how to keep both of us healthy.

Thank you in advance.

I think FoxersArtist posted something about this subject.

[idrial]

this one? Its about lorys. I have a sun conure and canary.

I sorta love lorys secretly.... but let's keep me from getting too distracted. I already think too much about a new GCC.

[sailorkelly]

Totally Organic Pellets, Organic Pellets, Organic Bird Food, Totally Organics


I found this. I don't know anything about it. I just did a search on google. Maybe it will help

[Bellco]

TOPs would meet all your requirements and they are a pretty good pellet. I know I am working on getting my guys to switch to it and so far both my conures will eat them.

[girly]

Eating a sunflower seed can kill me. Therefore, I don't bring them into the house and Jezebel won't ever eat one. No problem, though, because she's happy and healthy!

[usamma]

That's a tough one!

Is it only peanuts or all nuts? I wonder if you can convert them to a more natural diet like they would get in the wild with more fruits and veggies, and certain seeds. It would take some research. I wonder if you can present a list to the avian vet and see what he or she thinks. If you are that allergic, even a birdie kiss could make you sick. Maybe you can make them a home-made birdie bread with a lot of nutrition packed into it, and dry it to make crouton type stuff. You can add a multivitamin, eggs if they are okay, different nut butters (like almond butter if you are not allergic), etc.

We have multiple (and I mean multiple!) food allergies as well as a child and husband with Celiac disease on our house. They are not to the point of anaphylaxis except with me and my sulfite allergy. So I don't worry as much. If they ingest the foods they just get tummy problems. With my kids, I just don't allow them to handle the pellets and nuts. And of course I don't feed the birds anywhere near the kitchen.

[Franciscus]

You are lucky about the fact that Delenn is young and therefore relatively easy to switch diets. It's tough finding pellets without those ingredients. What is your schedule like? If you are home a lot of the time during the day switching to a predominantly fresh diet would be the way to go. The reason you would have to be home is that after a few hours the uneaten food should be removed as it starts to grow bacteria. You could try this: Seven Layer Salad In place of wheat pasta you could try brown rice pasta (I use those, I have a wheat issue). Sprouting would also be very good.

[Eloise]

I'm not sure what anyone's veiws on Roudybush are, I am not farmilar with the brand really, but they do carry a product for birds that have allergics, which in your situation may help.

Ingredients: Rice, Rice Bran, Rice Protein Concentrate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Choline Chloride, L-Lysine, Potassium Chloride, Biotin Premix, Vitamin B12 Premix, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Copper Oxide, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Riboflavin.

All my allergies are fruit based so I just dont buy those fruits much harder for you with grain/nut allergies. hope that helps.

Sorry the product is call Roudybush Rice Diet

[sodakat]

Originally Posted by Franciscus

You could try this: Seven Layer Salad

This looks like a great recipe, however I want to give a head's up about the Harrison's High Potency. I am NOT talking the Adult Lifetime, I am talking the High Potency that is mentioned in the recipe: I fed these pellets along with a very good fresh diet similar to the layered salad for exactly the last year. When I took LaFitte for his blood work last August his cholesterol was 232. Last month his cholesterol was 532! The Harrison's High Potency was the ONLY change made to his diet. My vet did some research and learned that the High Potency pellets are known for this. We now switched to Harrison's Adult Lifetime pellets.

On a side note, I have tasted both pellets and the High Potency has a bit of a rich nutty flavor, sort of like they smell. The Lifetime smell more like alfalfa to me, but taste sort of like dried, fresh greens and veggies. LaFitte readily accepted the Lifetime, when I did the switch last week.

I absolutely believe there is a place for the High Potency, such as an underweight bird, a young bird, sick birds, etc., but I don't think they should be fed on a long-term basis without speaking to your vet first.

Kathy