Bird Safe Fresh Foods & Toxic Food Lists + Sprouts

[Lady Kakata]

well most bird sites I've been to don't really mention onions or garlic, and on one forum where I asked about spring onions, the reply admitted that s/he didn't exactly know but go with the rule of thumb 'If in doubt, leave it out'

Got the girls some sugar-snap peas, how to prepare?

[chapala]

Onions I don't feed. Garlic, I occasionally add a piece to the fresh vegetable mix in the food processor. I also occasionally add a piece of fresh ginger.

Sugar snaps - raw, anyway your bird will eat them. Food processed with a vegetable mix, or in the pod in which case they probably will discard the pod, peel the peas and eat them.

[Lady Kakata]

I adore garlic personally, but since my grandfather hates it I'm limited to taking garlic pills XD

I'll try them out tomorrow; I'll put in two still in a pod (mostly for Bonnie as she's the destructive one), one half-open to give them the idea, and one with just the peas to let them see that they can eat them

Yay experiments! Knowing them, they'll ignore it first time round but when offered later they'll probably take a gander

[Lady Kakata]

Originally Posted by chapala

Dried peas are different nutritionally than fresh peas, and like other legumes in combination with grains, provide the necessary amino acids to equal complete protein. Two parts grains to one part legumes is what to aim for.

Fresh peas don't substitute for dried legumes, but yes, they are fine to feed in moderation as part of a fresh vegetable mix.

Well I have dried peas in the cupboard; what should I check about them and how should I prepare them for the 'tiels?

[chapala]

If they're whole dried peas, they can be soaked overnight and then sprouted - there is a new sprouting thread you might want to look at. If they are whole peas, I would add a couple of other legumes to round out the nutrition, such as mung and lentils.

If they're split peas, they can be soaked overnight, soaking water discarded, rinsed, then place in pot with fresh water. Bring to boil, boil 10 minutes, then cover and simmer another 10 to 20 minutes until done. You then can mix them with sprouted or cooked grains, fresh vegetables, etc.

[Lady Kakata]

Okay,thanks a lot. I'll have a look as to what kind they are and what precisely is in the peas. They are supposed to be used for cooking (soups, that kind of thing) so I had better make sure that there is no 'extras' such as preservatives

I'll try that next week, as their salad is made for this week; red bell pepper, radish (new veg), brussel sprout, carrot, cucumber (new veg, mostly water so is their 'junk' veg) and brocoli.

I tried a slice of cucumber in their cage today as well as chopped into their veg. There are nibble marks on it so presumably Bonnie has had a taste but not too much so perhaps not too keen today

[Pambakau]

May be you can tell me what are good foods for breeding love bird, thanks