August 16, 200816 yr We feed him the home brand of food. But we have lately notice that he is picking at his food not eating it!He is eating his food but not much of it!! Smokey picks at his food too, and only eats the bits he likes... but I am sure the bits he doesn't like are the healthier ones, so I try to make sure I blow the husks off then just top up his seeds without tipping out the ones he's left behind... that way there's a bigger proportion of the bigger seeds, and not so much of the little millet seeds in there... and I cross my fingers and hope he'll end up eating a mix of seed, rather then just his favourite bits! It really funny to look at his seeds after I've blown them, because what is left is pretty much made up of just three or four kinds of seeds rather then the whole mix!
August 16, 200816 yr As MB said, your budgie should be getting more than just seed - veggies are very important for them. Eating only seed is like people eating just bread or rice. We need more than that to stay healthy and so do budgies. Being thin, not eating much and green poos mean that he is not healthy at the moment. Their poo should have a dark brownish/black colour which holds its shape (not runny), a white dot, and a tiny bit of liquid. Those signs make me think there might also be something else going on with him so watch him carefully. Other than being older with less nutrition, home brand mixes also commonly put in 'filler' seeds like sorghum. It is a hard, red seed, which it seems to me that budgies can't eat anyway. (Could this be part of the problem for you CaspersRose? I only worked it out after seeing my budgies always leave it at the bottom of their dish and seeing that others here said the same thing). So home brand is more expensive for less value in the long run. Edited August 16, 200816 yr by Chrysocome
August 16, 200816 yr We had this convo a few months back that sorghum seed. It is a complety **** seed! ( that is my opnion ) they range from orange to a red color . When i first started with my birds i used the Home brand Budgie mix it is 85% that seed and only 15% good seed ... Homebrand, Black & Gold, No Frills etc use it in their mixes - Trill is great ( for keeping a few birds ) More birds then it becomes expensive unless you buy it in bulk BIG W have I think it is wither 15kg or 20g for $19.00 ... I know buy in bulk from produce stores
August 16, 200816 yr Author We had this convo a few months back that sorghum seed. It is a complety **** seed! ( that is my opnion ) they range from orange to a red color . When i first started with my birds i used the Home brand Budgie mix it is 85% that seed and only 15% good seed ... Homebrand, Black & Gold, No Frills etc use it in their mixes - Trill is great ( for keeping a few birds ) More birds then it becomes expensive unless you buy it in bulk BIG W have I think it is wither 15kg or 20g for $19.00 ... I know buy in bulk from produce stores The home brand seed has got the red and orange colours in the mix of seed. The seed also has some flakey bits in it that are really smoothe and make your fingers really smoothe and funny so I'm deffinatley not going to buy it again. Edited August 16, 200816 yr by Marlo & Charlie
August 16, 200816 yr Him being thin and green poos is also a sign he isnt eating enough and if the seed is rubbish and he only picks at it he is kind of starving himself. Best you buy a good seed immediately and with the homebrand seed you have left...plant it in a pot and water it and then feed him the greens that grow from it. Saves wasting the homebrand but you really should not keep feeding it to him until its gone as he isnt keen on it, its rubbish and he isnt eating as well as he should be because of it. Edited August 16, 200816 yr by KAZ
August 16, 200816 yr Well, Charlie is always full of energy!!LOL!! We feed him the home brand of food. But we have lately notice that he is picking at his food not eating it!He is eating his food but not much of it!! His poos are a light green with the white dot in the middle. I'm not sure what the sndwich maker is made of. I will tell you when I ask my mum. Hello Marlo!! Okay, Im putting this here so you can read it at Dads and maybe stop worrying about Charlie so much. I've had another look around the site, his poop is an okay colour. Its not really light green,its a darker green with a white dot in the middle. Sometimes it changes colour but mostly it seems to be okay. I had a look at Coco's poop and Charlies is really okay! *His feet are fine! There's no marks, no blisters, they're not red and he's using both feet happily. But I am still checking them out a couple of times a day. *The sandwich maker has a teflon base. *Also after reading info on the site, yes I think he is too thin. I can easily feel his breastbone. He is eating his seed as there are always lots of husks everyday but he is also tossing a lot of it out too....on the floor! I will go out tomorrow (Sunday) and buy him some Trill and some Cockatiel seed so he can have both. *Im soooo glad that you're not going to buy him any more home brand seed! Dont forget you have to clean out his cage when you get home. Oh, and after brekky, I let him out (AFTER the toaster had cooled down) but I forgot the cat was inside! Charlie was on the kitchen bench picking at the crumbs around the toaster when Missy ran into the kitchen. I quickly grabbed her and then picked up Charlie. He was trying peck at her fur and she just stared at him with big wide eyes. Then she tried to sniff him. He flew off and went around the kitchen a couple of times then came back and landed on Missys head!!! I had to shoo him off very quickly and I told him that only a stoopid bird lands on a cats head! LOL To the other members here, is it okay to feed him thawed out frozen veggies or do they have to be fresh. And with food like carrot, do we give him chunks or should we grate it? Marlo, I'll see you when you get home. Luv u (and Paris) xoxo
August 16, 200816 yr Good to see you here Marlo's Mum as your own ID on here. Frozen vegies are fine....better than tinned. Grated fresh carrot is better than frozen....but frozen peas and corn is good Great to hear Charlie is okay. Maybe when Marlo's friends are there Charlie should be in his cage so he doesnt get coinfused about where he should and shouldnt be in the house. Good also to hear the terrible homebrand will eb a thing of the past. Sounds like Charlie need to put on weight. Some good seed, some mashed boiled egg, and maybe some soaked wholegrain bread. Try to buy some hulled oats as they will help him put some weight back on ( hulled oats from bird suppliers ). Welcome Marlo's Mum
August 17, 200816 yr Welcome Marlo's Mum . Good to see you around. I feed my birds frozen veggies as I live alone and don't eat enough fresh veggies myself to warrent keeping them. I do try have have fresh carrots to grate too. Millet is also good for putting weight on, and if Charlie is anything like my 'kids' it wont last long! maesie xo
August 17, 200816 yr Other than being older with less nutrition, home brand mixes also commonly put in 'filler' seeds like sorghum. It is a hard, red seed, which it seems to me that budgies can't eat anyway. (Could this be part of the problem for you CaspersRose? I only worked it out after seeing my budgies always leave it at the bottom of their dish and seeing that others here said the same thing). So home brand is more expensive for less value in the long run. It may be, but I use a more expensive supermarket seed (Lovitts Whistler Bird Seed Avian Science Budgerigar Mix) and it doesn't actually have much if any of that red seed. It is the bigger long seeds that look like oats that he leaves behind. Do other people's bird also turn their beaks up at these, or is Smokey just fussy?
August 17, 200816 yr Other than being older with less nutrition, home brand mixes also commonly put in 'filler' seeds like sorghum. It is a hard, red seed, which it seems to me that budgies can't eat anyway. (Could this be part of the problem for you CaspersRose? I only worked it out after seeing my budgies always leave it at the bottom of their dish and seeing that others here said the same thing). So home brand is more expensive for less value in the long run. It may be, but I use a more expensive supermarket seed (Lovitts Whistler Bird Seed Avian Science Budgerigar Mix) and it doesn't actually have much if any of that red seed. It is the bigger long seeds that look like oats that he leaves behind. Do other people's bird also turn their beaks up at these, or is Smokey just fussy? That's Hulled oats, and mine do the same. It's meant to be good to help them put on weight. Mine are starting to eat some of it, but it's usually the last one eaten!
August 17, 200816 yr It's interesting, because Milly adores hulled oats! It's the first thing she'll eat when I refill the seed. But Squee always leaves them behind so it kind of works out. Welcome to the forums, Marlo's mum. Edited August 17, 200816 yr by Chrysocome
September 26, 200816 yr Author Hi Sorry I haven't been able to reply I have been tyed up with a massive project. Charlie is doing great he isn't making much noise, he is still really playful!and he is still boney but I think that is because he is so active!!LOL!!Well thanks for the food tips the trill is doing great but we still haven't tried the cockateil seed yet because it costs to much money.. Marlo
September 26, 200816 yr Hey Marlo and Charlie. Great to see you. Thanks for the update on Charlie. So pleased he is doing well.
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