Ekkie food advice please.

[PandJY]

Camille is growing well and enjoying a variety of fresh foods. She also gets Zupreem Eclectus pellets.

When both birds are out she will hop over to Calvin's cage and eat his colored Zupreem pellets - is that bad? We read that ekkies should not have food dye (we actually have Zupreem seed mix and pull the colored pellets out for her)

I just want to make sure we are giving her the right things - I will tell you she eats a better variety of greens and veggies that we do!

Thanks everyone!

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Its good to hear she has a healthy appetite. Does she just pick out the coloured pellets from Calvin's bowl or is it just 'grab what I can'?

[Dragonlady2]

My Ekkie does not eat any pellets. He is on a fresh food diet with added sprouts and mashed sweet potato. Because of their longer digestive tracts, ekkies are very efficient in getting their required nutrients from an all natural diet. The problem with pellets are that most of them are enriched/fortified which can lead to an overload in vitamins which can result in toe tapping and wing flipping. My Ekkie has experienced both of these issues when I attempted pellets. The other issue with pellets is the sugar content in some. Spirulina is reportedly another concern. The only pellet that I would feed Willie, if he would eat them, is TOPs (Totally Organic Pellets). Lots of people feed their Ekkie pellets with no probems.
If you can, I would redirect her from your other bird's pellets.
Great job on getting her to eat her greens!

[PandJY]

Its good to hear she has a healthy appetite. Does she just pick out the coloured pellets from Calvin's bowl or is it just 'grab what I can'?

Like a thief in the night - She will just dip her head into the bowl and grab what she can! I just don't want to upset her constitution.

[PandJY]

My Ekkie does not eat any pellets. He is on a fresh food diet with added sprouts and mashed sweet potato. Because of their longer digestive tracts, ekkies are very efficient in getting their required nutrients from an all natural diet. The problem with pellets are that most of them are enriched/fortified which can lead to an overload in vitamins which can result in toe tapping and wing flipping. My Ekkie has experienced both of these issues when I attempted pellets. The other issue with pellets is the sugar content in some. Spirulina is reportedly another concern. The only pellet that I would feed Willie, if he would eat them, is TOPs (Totally Organic Pellets). Lots of people feed their Ekkie pellets with no probems.
If you can, I would redirect her from your other bird's pellets.
Great job on getting her to eat her greens!

I was successful today with redirection - but that was mostly because my neighbor was over and Camille isn't sure how she feels about her. :)

As far as the green - I laugh everytime she looks up from the bowl with Kale hanging out of her mouth.

EDIT: I will keep pellet to a minimum!


Oh, she is a big food in the water dish girl - is that common?

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

I would love to see a photo of her with a beak full of greens :)

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Sally Blanchard has just written an article in her newsletter #47 which is mainly about aging parrots but has useful information and opinion on pellet diets.
Search for Companion parrot online :)

[Dragonlady2]

A lot of parrots like to make "soup" with their food. I have a couple that I have to change their water bowls a couple of times a day...lol

[PandJY]

I would love to see a photo of her with a beak full of greens :)

I will get a picture and have my daughter put it up (the whole thing confuses me!)

[PandJY]

A lot of parrots like to make "soup" with their food. I have a couple that I have to change their water bowls a couple of times a day...lol

WOW! That's exactly what I am now calling it! It must be instinct. This morning it almost looked good! LOL

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has just written an article in her newsletter #47 which is mainly about aging parrots but has useful information and opinion on pellet diets.
Search for Companion parrot online :)

Thank you, I will!