New to this forum

[Brit]

Hi,
I am a Brit who has just moved to the states i have two wonderful macaws one a scarlet, Big bird , yeah i know not the greatest name but my son named her, the other is a blue and gold which i acquired 2 weeks ago, he,s still being hand fed. I joined this forum in the hope that you could help me with learning bout whats safe in terms of fruit ( here in the states you have meny types of fruit, veg and trees i have never seen) nuts and wood .
If there is anything else i need to know which could effect my birds please dont hesitate to imform me, one thing i have found since coming here is everything i learned and grow up knowing is now useless lol

[TooLover]

Welcome to the states, and to the board! We have a really great group of people here!
Nancy is our resident expert on macaws, so I hope she will check in with some links for ya!
Again, welcome.

[Brit]

Thanx for the welcome Elwoodblue and thank you very much Tritak for the sites they are far more detailed than anything i have managed to find , now all i need to do is but the name to the fruit or veg , guess shopping with a list is in order :D

[Chariclo]

:) Hi Brit - Welcome to the nest! Glad to see another macaw lover!

[LtlWngdAngl]

welcome to the board!
Wish I could me more of a help...but I stick with the basics just to be safe...grapes, carrots, broccolli, apple slices, mango, etc.

Melissa: I love your new photo! Is that Maia? she's SO PRETTY!

[Chariclo]

Yep - that's my Maia girl! :D I finally got around to getting an avatar.

[kathyellen]

Wow Melissa she is Georgous!!
HI Brit, welcome. I have gotten so much good information off this board. I am going to be bringing home my B/G somewhere around thanksgiving and as a first time Macaw owner...(there must be a better word than owner....) how about this.
we are bringing home our newest family member "baby" in late November. I am gathering up as much info as I can and your new thread has helped me out as well...I have also gone back to the old threads and have found lot's of usefull information. good luck to you and post a picture when you can....
kathy

[The Outlaw]

Welcome, Brit:

I have 4 BGs and one Severe macaw in addition to 2 greys, and Ekkie, a Quaker and a Yellow Nape Amazon. Hands down, the macaws are my favorites. I don't think that our fruits and veggies are so different from what you're used to feeding, but as a rule you need lots of dark, green leafy veggies such as kale, spinach, Collard greens, Mustard greens, turnip greens and beets and beet greens. Also, great feathering will occur if you get lots of yams, sweet potatoes, squash and carrots into your birds. They are all high in vitamin A. I feed about 20% protein in the way of poultry, beef, pork (uncured), lamb and fish. I also provide cooked eggs at least 3 times a week.

I live in Maryland, smack dab in the middle of the Eastern seaboard of the US and we have a fairly moderate climate. My birds get to go outside during daylight hours from May through early October before its too cold. I use full spectrum lighting in the fall and winter months for at least 8 hours a day.

I don't like pellets and can't recommend them though I know of others who do use them. Zupreem and Harrisons seem to be the ones most often actually eaten by birds.

The nuts that my guys actually prefer are: English walnuts in shell, almonds in shell, pinenuts in shell, Macademia and pistachios and Filberts (Hazel). They don't really seem to care for Brazil nuts. I do offer peanuts, but they really aren't nuts but rather legumes. Speaking of legumes, I soak dried bean mixes and offer them with fresh veggies at least once a day.

Foods to avoid are: chocolate, avacado, onions, caffiene and all salted foods and treats. I do offer unsalted crackers and pretzels from time to time and so long as my birds eat what GOOD for them, I'll allow them small bits of pizza and fries (chips).

I roast both white and sweet potatoes in olive oil and a little rosemary and add them to veggies and do offer pasta (both cooked and raw) and rice (usually brown but I'm not a purist).

Fruits are great, but very high in sugar so I do limit how much they get. I look at it this way: I feed them pretty much the same kinds of things that most older folks with diabetes and high blood pressure would eat. Avoid sugar, salt and fat.

My birds usually get some of whatever food I'm preparing for the evening meal. We, therefore, eat healthier, too.

I do prepare omelets, french toast and baked cornbread (birdie bread) and other bread type foods. I will, for example, slice a banana and add it to whole wheat bread spread with peanut butter for an afternoon snack. I usually quarter one sandwich among the BGs and cut a second sandwich into 6ths and give a piece to the remaining birds. Any fruit would work equally well.

I do cook eggshells and grind them into omelettes and breads. I also offer chicken and rib bones from pork or beef. They love them.

In addition, since I have many hens and 2 greys, I grind up oyster calcium and also add that to meals.

In the summer, I add one capful of natural apple cider vinegar to water dishes if they are outside in the heat. I helps inhibit the growth of bacteria.

I only offer seed mixes once a day every other day to my birds. Seed is regarded as a treat and not a meal here. So far, I have 10 happy, healthy, sweet natured birds. No screamers or biters among them.

THE OUTLAW

[Brit]

Love the pic of your baby kathyellen looks just like my Alfie and boy Outlaw how do you cope, my two keep me on my toes but four of them! plus others do you ever sit down lol
Thanx for the advice Outlaw your correct when you say theres fruit and veg thats the same in england (apples bananas ect) but you really do have so much more . I also do,nt like pellets, neither do my birds so the more fruit and veg i can introduce the better, i have already read and stolen some of your idea,s from other posts lol The apple cidar is something i,v never heard of but sounds a good idea. I have a large bird gym in the garden but as we don,t have mosquitos in england i,v been reluctant to use it, do they bother the birds ?
And how do you get your pics on here all i,v managed so far is a pic in the gallay of my scarlet i just can,t get them small enough.

I really do appreciate all the advice, i,v learnt a great deal in the 3 days I,v been using this forum so THANX AGAIN TO ALL OF YOU .

[Winged_Victory]

Hey, those are a couple of great pictures of your birds. They looked very spoiled to me.

How did you get them to post?

Gary