Sunflower Seeds

[Lisbet]

Are sunflower seeds really bad for parrots? When buying mixed seeds there is always a goodly amount of those seeds in the mix.

My zon loves them, and also pistachio nuts.....he will do anything for a pistachio reward!

I would rather that he ate pellets and have bought Harrisons to try and wean him off of the seed diet. However, I have had a bag of Harrison's Pepper Lifetime Coarse which smells a tad rancid! So, I crushed a pellet between my teeth to taste it, and there is a slight rancid flavor.

Which pellets are the most nutritious and healthy, and also sppeals to the birdie-taste? Elliot gets table food, a tropical dried fruit and nut treat, and every once in a while a piece of cookie or cracker. He gets a vitamin supplement in his water cup....especially during the molting period.

Any advice?

[tielfan]

Sunflower seeds contain a lot of nutrients but they're also high in fat, so you need to limit the quantity with birds that are prone to obesity. Which generally includes Amazons.

Harrisons pellets are organic and pesticide-free, which means that they WILL go bad if they aren't used quickly. I keep mine in the freezer and only put out a day or two's worth at a time. This solves the problem. The company says not to freeze them but I don't see any reason not to - I suspect it's a sales tactic more than anything else. You'll end up buying more if the bag goes bad before you've used it all.

[truelove]

Well... they're not "bad." But like with millet, too much isn't healthy for your fid. Actually, too much of anything isnt healthy for anything or anyone! What I do is give millet and sunflowers to your babies about 1-2 times a week.