MeBirdie - Pet Birds Discussions - Avizon parrot food?

Avizon parrot food?

NOTE: You are currently viewing an archived discussion from our bird forums. As such you can no longer participate in this discussion or add your input. If you would like to discuss similar issues, or any bird related issues with thousands of other bird fanciers from around the world, then please feel free to visit the active forums now...

Re: Avizon parrot food? -- Posted by Owly on 10-30-03 22:56

You're welcome :). I'm jealous, have always wanted a quaker but the bird
room is full! I'll look forward to hearing more about him, how long until
he's weaned and can come home?

--
owly
http://www.ittybittybirdiebites.com (being updated this month!)
*Specials and News for October!* (click on Special)
...over 2 dozen sprouting links (click on Sprouting Links)
...avian nutrition ideas and links (click on Nutrition)
Seedjunkies Anon @ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seedjunkies
>>>WINTER IS COMING! Help the birds, see www.bird-realty.com <<<

"Humanhere2" wrote in message
news:20031030212844.10683.00000023@mb-m17.aol.com...
> Hello Owly,
>
> Thank you kindly for your reply -- am going to read the site now.
>
> Thanks!
> Maggie

Re: Avizon parrot food? -- Posted by gcarr on 10-31-03 03:40

"Humanhere2" wrote in message
news:20031030191950.10607.00000018@mb-m17.aol.com...
> Hi all,
>
> I haven't got a bird yet -- planning on getting a quaker parrot. The
breeder
> is feeding Kaytee Rainbow, but a friend of mine feeds the 8-1 Avizon
parrot
> food. What do you all think of this food? I was looking at different
> ingredients and Avizon has the most vegetables/fruits of the ones I looked
at
> (Kaytee, Zupreem, shoot there was another).

Personally I prefer Zupreem or Scenic (which is made by Marion Zoological)
pellets for my birds. Both companies supply zoos and the level of reasearch
that goes into the pellets is pretty high. I am not familar with Avizon, but
I am not impressed with the general quality of 8 in 1. Because of the
cooking process that most pellets go through any natural nutrients in the
ingredients are generally destroyed. That is why most pellet manufactors add
vitamins to the pellet.

I've read good things about
> Roudybush (sp?) -- If you recommend this, why? Are ingredients important?
> What is the best level of protein, fat, fiber?

Quakers are fairly 'average' for parrots. The Association for Avian Vets
(http://www.aav.org/) has a brochure which lists the recomened purportions
of the 'average' parrot diet. I think they will mail them to you for free,
or fax them. Unfortunately the brochure is not displayed on the website.

> I plan to feed a variety of foods (including fresh vegetables, pasta,
dried
> fruits, nuts, etc) -- but as far as pellets go? What do you think is the
best?

A mix. Veggies, cooked grains, and beans for a couple hours in the morning
or evening. Pellet for most of the day, and seed as a treat food in the
evening. The amount eaten by the bird for each food is usually about one
third of their diet.

> Why? How long have you used said food?

Personally I have used it for over four years.

> Also, is there any reason to supplement? With something like Nekton-S or
> Nekton-bio? If so, why? What product? How often?

DO NOT use vitamin supplements if you are using pellets. Period. Pellets are
already supplemented with vitamins, and if you add extra vitamins to thier
diet you will hurt your bird by damaging their kidneys and liver. Of special
consern is Vit. A. Vit. A comes in two froms, the water soluable beta
ceratine, and the non water soluable for (which name escapes me). The water
soluable form is the safest because if your bird eats too much of it the
extra beta ceratine will get excreted. It is found in dark green or dark
orange vegitables. Unfortunately it is also unstable, and will lose its
potancy if stored too long or heated too much. So pellet and vitamin
manufactures use the other, non water soluable, form. As long as the bird
uses most or all of the non water soluable form all is well, but if they are
over supplemented they can sustain liver damage, or even die.

Moral of the story, don't mix vitamins and pellets.

> I know lots of questions -- have been reading like mad. Btw, it will be
my
> first bird -- so any thoughts, insertions, deletions, questions, comments
are
> all welcome.
> I have asked the breeder lots of questions, but not nearly as many as they
> asked me!

Hey, better to ask questions *before* you get the bird, rather then after!
And good luck with your new baby.

> Thanks,
> Maggie

Gloria

Re: Avizon parrot food? -- Posted by oldmolly on 10-31-03 09:26

Re: Avizon parrot food? -- Posted by Humanhere2 on 10-31-03 20:47

> Look at the broader picture. Why pellets?
> Bear in mind that pellets are marketed as 'complete' diet, needing *no*
>supplementary feeding or additives. It seems to me that if you are prepared
>to offer variety in the birds diet anyway, you can do without expensive
>manufactured food and go with a more natural diet

The complete diet thing actually bothers me. I feed my dogs a raw food
homemade diet -- and I don't like that it says on a bag of kibble -100%
complete and balanced.
The reason I do want to offer pellet (not have to, and I want to learn to do
otherwise if it is better for them) -- is that this is my first bird. I have
been reading nutritional articles and want to be able to provide the best. I
just want to make sure they get all they need (I know they don't get everything
they need all at once). It's like my dogs -- I don't balance every meal, but
over time.
Thank you for all the information -- will continue researching.

Thanks,
Maggie

Start Of Discussion

« Previous 1 2

Discuss this issue live in the discussion forums now.

Singing in the Brain
Natural History - October 1, 2000, by Annette Heist
Hummingbirds don't just hum--they sing. And they learn the tunes from one another. The fact that humans learn to talk by listening to and imitating other people seems obvious. If speech were built in, as breathing and swallowing are, we would all speak the same language, free of dialect, and li... (Read More)

Salty dilemma - Brief Article
Environment - March 1, 2003, by Paul V. Haynor
Every year, Canadians apply five million metric tonnes of salt to deice roads. Unfortunately, the salt has negative and even deadly effects on both terrestrial and aquatic plants and animals, according to a study released by Environment Canada. Roadway salt attracts animals such as deer, moose, p... (Read More)

For The Birds - birds that migrate to Latin America reside in coffee plantations there - Brief Article
Flower & Garden Magazine - May 1, 2001
Coffee and the Conservation of Migratory Birds Coffee--it's perhaps surprising that something so commonplace in our everyday lives, so ubiquitous throughout culture, plays such an important role in the lives of our migratory birds. Facing devastating habitat loss and degradation on their bree... (Read More)