Got some Harrisons Pellets at the vet today. I asked for budgie ones and the reception lady gave me high potency fine, is this the right size? They look a little big but i know both Ozzie and Blinkie can eat them because they went for them as soon as i put them in the cage. Now they're over the excitement they don't seem so sure. Cookie loves them though. Next time i might try to get super fine.

My birds prefer the Mash, but will eat the SuperFine too. The last time I bought it they were out of the SuperFine so I had to get the Fine, and I agree it is a little big for budgies. If your birds don't really go for it in the size you have, just crush it some. The Fine is probably the perfect size for Cookie. If you ever get the chance to try the Mash, I would suggest it. It is like a powder, even finer than eggfood. The instructions say you can mix it with fruit juice, but my birds like it just as it comes and I've never mixed it with anything. My birds will eat that before any other size. The high potency is good until your birds are converted, then if you want you can switch to the regular potency.

Fine or super fine has worked okay for me. My birds all but snub the mash!

:hap: :hap:

 

That's funny. My girls are just the opposite. The Fine remains untouched, and the Mash is what gets eaten. Sometimes before the seeds, LOL. They can be such finicky eaters!

 

Bea, I think at first you will just have to experiment until you find what they like. If they will eat cooked food like Beak Appetit or beans, try sprinkling some pellets on top so they have to pick through them to get to the cooked stuff. As they absorb some of the liquid and soften a bit they might unknowingly (ahem) get eaten that way....

 

:feedbirds:

Cookie loves the fine as it is. I've been putting the amount for the budgies in a sandwich bag and then crushing it with a rolling pin, they eat it that way. Next time i might try to get superfine.

Ive never even heard of Harrisons Pellets

Hmm, neither have I ... Is it something you use to supplement their seed and fresh foods?

http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/

 

Harrison's is a completely organic pelleted diet for parrots. There are several different varieties and sizes for most any parrot. It looks like you can get it on most continents, and you can get them from your veterinarian also. I personally use it as a part of their diet since it does carry a complete compliment of vitamins and minerals, and supplement around it. It probably comprises about 20 - 30% of my birds' diet (but it is hard to tell). The rest is made up (in order from greatest part of diet to least part) of cooked grains/beans/legumes, cooked veggies, sprouts, seeds, fresh veggies, wheatgrass, and eggfood. I find Harrison's to be an extremely high-quality food, but since it contains no preservatives, shelf life is not as long as other brands. Which is fine by me, at least I know my birds are not getting stale or old food.

 

Good idea Bea, about using the rolling pin....that would have been SO much easier than what I was doing....***don't ask***

Edited October 30, 200618 yr by Rainbow

I have to ask now. How were you crushing them?

I don't know about you, Rainbow, but I used to use a meat tenderizer to crush mine. It felt barbaric...

Using one of those meat hammers crossed my mind but i thought it would break my sandwich bag and i wanted all the pellets contained.

Good point, I'm sure I wasted quite a bit of it doing it that way. But I have to admit, it's a pretty stress-relieving, satisfying feeling anyway.

Haha! Well i can't waste any, it's soooo expensive! Must be made from gold or something.

having not seen these pellets before i may be well off the mark but since you are talking about ways to crush them ... Would a small electric coffee grinder do the job? they are cheap to buy and really easy to wipe clean, you can also get the pellets ground down really fine if so required.. was just a thought, i use one to crush up my egg shells to give to the birds