BOGIE BULLETIN #2 (Need Pellet Advice)

[BirdWhisperer]

Hi Everyone:

A short update on Bogie. He is talking and now is working on learning "My name is Humphrey Bogart". If he can say that as clearly as he's saying "Bogie Baby" and "Come Here," he has Baby Peter potential.

Trying to get a few pictures that will show his real color. Why is it so hard to get violet? Turns out too blue.

Still working on getting Baby Peter's tapes made into MP3s. Will let you know when this becomes a reality.

Does anyone have a trick on getting these little guys to eat their pellets? Bogie loves peas, broccolli and apples. He gobbles up his soak & cook but leaves the pellets and he just nibbles the pellets in another dish. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Am I overly concerned? I want him to be healthy. Years ago found a budgie on a hiking trail near our home and brought him back from near death. After a year he developed a tumor. The vet could not help. He lived a few years after we discovered it and was a happy boy however it was a painful thing to watch. Eventually the tumor was almost as big as he was.

Barbara

[BobbieSD]

I would like advise as well. Bobbie came from a seed diet-and I dont have the heart to let him go without for 3-5 days until he eats pellets. I have tried fruit, plain, and spicy vege and none of these pellets interest him. In fact, he would rather eat a piece of dog food. He is great with mash, vegies, fruit, but not pellets. I have even tried getting the smaller pellet, mixing it with millit, and putting it on pinecones to interest him.

So-how do I convert him, and is it really a big deal if he is getting the parrt blend of seed (1 tblspn) with 4 Tblspn of pellets...okay-one more seed at the end of the day too...and of course vegies, or mash, or oatmeal, or fruit.

[BirdWhisperer]

Hi Theresa:

Even though Bobbie is quite a bit larger than Bogie, I stumbled upon something that just might help. I tried it tonight and hope it works through the night.

I crumbled and chopped up the pellets. For some odd reason Bogie likes the very small dusty debris left after crushing. At least it got him into them tonight. The big test will be tomorrow.

For anyone that is familiar with a Violet Pied, there is a pic in the photo section. I still have no idea what Bogie is, but he sure is eye popping. Still just a baby but seems to be growing up so fast.

[homebird]

From all the posts i've read - Budgies are often not interested in pellets. They are OK with some seed & lots of opportunities to get other fresh foods or baked bird foods.

I have not been successful with pellets - although i do put some on their seed every time i offer it - just in case they need the extra vitamins.

Try carrot tops, fresh grasses [washed of course], & continue offering fresh foods. Budgies are primarily seed birds, in the wild.


PS ~ Very cute Budgie - nice & dark - that's the violet i'm sure, that won't photo well.

[svolk]

I'm a believer in more seed than pellets, but I do offer some pellets as well - the pellets I feed are in the Lafeber's Nutriberries and Avicakes. All of my guys took to the Avicakes especially right away. When I feed them and Avicake from my hand I see them eating both the seeds and pellets. In addition to these I add in a small amount of seed mix, as well as fresh foods daily.

[Monica]

When you think budgies don't like pellets, and don't do well with them, and you've taken one in who was/is a die-heard seed junkie, you put out some conure/parrot sized pellets for a larger bird who's not even interested at the moment in eating, and so hear comes along a budgie to check out whats in the dish! Picks a couple up, twice the size of her mouth/beak mind you! and starts playing around with them in her mouth before maybe spitting one out and going on to the next!

[Oscars Mom]

i got my birds to eat some pellets by putting themin a treat dish with a mirror. Pellet companiesrecommend this and it works I dont know why. If you have a single birdsometimes mirrors arent good cause they think the bird in the mirror is realand get frustrated.You could also put a little mirror on the floor of the cage at night so it will be there in the morning when their hungry.Also if your bird grazes the cage floorsprinkle some on white paper towels. Roudy bush and other companies will mail you free samples so you dont waste money. I think pellets are a good addition to the dietand am glad mine will eat thembut Ilook at them kind of like vitamins .I think they should just be a part of the diet. It takes a long time to get most keets to eat them you have to be patientannd keep trying. Ialways use a treat cupso i dont wastealot of food the dishes that came with my cage were wayway too big. i

[BirdWhisperer]

WOW!!!

All of you out in BB our wonderful. Am I crazy or are bird people just great. I think so. Thank you for all of your input.

Here's an update: Tonight we had dinner plans with good friends to go to a great place. They showed up early and Bogie was still in the office. I was trying to get ready. Our friends are afraid of birds. btw it happens all the time.

Usually at around 5:45PM, Bogie "looks at his watch" and realizes it is time for the news and time to go into the kitchen to his playpen. That is the time that SEED comes into the picture. He's had pellets and soak & cook, plus all his fresh veggies. Somehow, and you all know what this is like, he knows there are seeds in this airtight container and a spoon, and he walks across the kitchen island and waits for the seed.

Well, tonight, there was no time for his ritual. No nightly news, no apple, no pounding on penguins or pulling on chains and things. AND there were people sitting in the living room terrified of Bogie the Budgie.

He was scooped up and shoved in his sleeping cage with a WONDERFUL GREEN CUP filled with seed ... much to his awe and delight ... wisked off to his room (he has his own room), partially covered and we left.

When we returned minutes ago, I checked him. I saw a very happy Bogie ... sound asleep, full of his favorite food.

Tomorrow ... it's back to the "PELLET CHALLENGE."

Am I totally insane? This little purple baby has become so important. I really do believe that Baby Peter is alive and well and living inside Bogie.

Barbara

[homebird]

No you're not insane - they are just too cute! You just want to hug them - but Laker is not into that. & Rio certainly isn't.

I'm happy for him - at least he got a treat even tho he was shuffled off to bed so quickly. I also think we get too controlling - it is nice to let them do something impromptu once in a while.

[svolk]

I enjoy Bogie stories, I can see it play out as I read your posts - he sounds wonderful