pellet/granules debate

S

Suzy

Freshly Laid Egg
Eddie's Aviary said:
Just don't use as the only food. BirdTricks peeps are entertainers, trainers, YouTubers. Been around a long time (they used to train birds for David Copperfield Vegas shows), but they aren't nutritionists and I haven't seen them talk about that they consulted with one. The pellets they sell have very little protein and the ingredient list is short, without a lot of stuff they need. So just be sure to think outside of that box, even if you can get them to eat them.
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The pellets and pellet mixes marketed by BirdTricks and also by Marlene McCohen (she has a popular youtube channel about her parrots) are manufactured by Tops. Tops sells directs and to some bird pet stores and also had the smart marketing idea to entice popular bird youtubers to sell their product by offering them their own label and royalties. Tops does not add any natural or synthetic vitamin supplements nor synthetic mineral compounds. The main ingredient is alfalfa and so the pellets are green and smell like alfalfa. I'm not convinced it is good for all species of parrots to have the major component of their diet be alfalfa (so I think it is a concern for a parrot given mainly these pellets). Note: My Noble Macaw, Green Cheek and Aztec Conure devoured these pellets when first introduced. Then, very quickly, they refused to eat them. I am trying them again as I have recently become very concerned about the ingredients in Zoopreem and Harrisons and so am phasing these two brands out of my flock's diet.
Birdtrick's JamieLeigh and David do not advocate the Tops pellets to be the complete diet. JamieLeigh gives all her species a fresh chop in the morning and then the pellets in the afternoon and seed mainly for training. Her chop is actually a mash designed to prevent the parrots from cherry-picking ingredients. My attempts at mash have always resulted in full rejection so my chop contains chunks that my birds enjoy picking through and rejecting ingredients. I guess my constant goal is just to to provide variety and hope they sample enough of everything to get what they need.
 
Eddie's Aviary

Eddie's Aviary

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Thank you for that info! I wondered about the high alfalfa, and some of the others on the short ingredient list without much protein not being sufficient. TOPS pellets being cold pressed was something that intrigues many of our clients exploring pellet options due to mess and a desire to firm up the poop, but I never had any luck with a bird eating them. I don't mind mess and natural poops however lol. I am at least glad to hear that they are not recommending them as the main diet like other pellets (other brands/vets recommend them at 95-100 percent of the diet, or an imbalance occurs when using pellets). I mirror your thoughts.... a whole food, natural and diverse diet (focusing on Vit A veggies and protein) makes them much healthier, vigorous and more interested in breeding than a commercial pellet. This is my opinion based on experience trying everything.
 
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