Vegetables FAQ

Sprouts anyone?

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Being a gardener and having sprouted many types of legumes for our own >table, I am wondering if any in our bird group sprout for the birds. >If so, which are best. Has anyone sprouted just plain bird seed – that >which they leave each day?? I am trying it at the moment. Was giving >it to the wild birds each morning, but after some started growing in >my veggies, I decided to sprout it myself.  Also are there any greens >or sprouts definately a no-no for feathered friends? >Liz >    Briarwood Brussels Griffons         Champions at Stud >          Visit our beautiful award winning Homepage. >           http://home.earthlink.net/~elizabethk/ >    Welcoming Daniel and Delilah – Umbrella Cockatoos >          & Toby and Tilly – Moluccan Cockatoos >               CYMRU – GWLAD FY NHADAU

We sprout the following: Garbanzos Azuki (or Adzuki or Red Chinese peas are the same bean) Mung Lentils The birds love them! Even the little birds. Monica Monica Sudds CAS, Pres. Beakers Parrot Society,    Iowa State Coordinator for AFA 3217 Italy Avenue       712) 642-4578 24 hr.              fax (712) 642-3710 Missouri Valley, IA 51555      (comments, questions and polite critisism welcome!)

Response:

>Hi and Hello again. Yes, I’m Baa-a-aa-ck! Who was that anyway, Arnold? >Traded Packard Bell for Compaq. Getting the bugs worked out of it. >AT&T is having problems keeping up with the people wanting to use >their net system. They are busy adding more lines and sometimes it >gets to be a little agrivating, but they are nice about it.

yeah, our ISP is always adding new lines. I always know when they’re getting more because of the ‘no carrier’. >Yes, Yes to the Bean Sprouts. Pati calls them mung beans (?). I came >home the other day and found this big pot of beans simmering on the >stove also. Sooo, I got a bowl and a spoon and dished me up some. >She let me have it. The beans were being cooked for the birds. My >dinner was lunch meat!

Funny……  I use the mung, adzuki, garbanzo and the lentils. The smaller ones sprout a day before the Garbanzo, but as soon as I see the tail on the garbanzo, I know they are ready. >I don’t know about that Howard. He didn’t know what he was talking >about. Used his diet, used his Wheat Grass, just like he said. He >told me I would be up to my knees in babies. Not one budgie got that >tall. However, we ended up getting the old playpen we used for the

Well, try a macaw or two. Bet they’ll reach the height!! >grandkids when they were babies, and made a top for it, because we >ran out of juvenile cages. They didn’t even chew any holes in the >nylon webbing on the sides of it. We would walk over and out they >could crawl. Pati called them "cling-ons" cause we had to scrape >them off of our arms and shoulders when we wanted to put one back. >Birds are going into riot mode when the sprouts come out. We have to >use several smaller dishes to keep them from kicking one another out >of the way!

I sure wish my baby Amazons would fight over the food. All they fight over is who gets the best place in my lap. They’ve been real boogers about weaning! My customers who are buying them keep calling and saying "Can he/she come home yet?" I have to keep saying "Not quite yet…. Soon". >I’m in the midst of putting together the newsletter and packing to >drive to Concord. Leaving early in the AM. Going to meet a friend in >OKC and drive on out from there. Perhaps when someone beats me in the >election for the RVP position I can go to the convention and just >play. Now it is usually a lot of meetings and work, but I still enjoy >meeting the people I have written to and spoken with over the phone. >I don’t know exactly how, but I think I have sort of inherited NE and >IA into my region. Not on the map, but as far as what is going on >with things. Ok by me. I’m a glutton for punishment. >See Ya >Richard

By the time you get this you’ll have returned. Hope you had a good time. Sure wish I could have made it. I’ll be there next year for sure though!!!! Monica Monica Sudds CAS, Pres. Beakers Parrot Society,    Iowa State Coordinator for AFA 3217 Italy Avenue       712) 642-4578 24 hr.              fax (712) 642-3710 Missouri Valley, IA 51555      (comments, questions and polite critisism welcome!)

Response:

> Don’t feed parrots cauliflower, brocccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage or > avacado- they’re all bad for them. > Meg >Is it true that broccoli is bad for birds?

No, in fact Broccoli is a great source of Vitm K which can stop ‘bleeding’ in birds.  I feed it approx  1 a week to mine,  (minus leaves), tops and stalks only.

Response:

We keep Macaws and Amazons. Been feeding them all but avacado. Avacado shouldn’t be fed to them. Jean Page – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > : > > : > Don’t feed parrots cauliflower, brocccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage or > : > avacado- they’re all bad for them. > : > > : > Meg > : Is it true that broccoli is bad for birds? >   I hope not or our bids may be dead by the time I get home. >   But I think the warning is Balloney. > Paulr. > —

– WWW Site: http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/davepage/ Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely, Poetry cleanses.JFK

Response:

Being a gardener and having sprouted many types of legumes for our own table, I am wondering if any in our bird group sprout for the birds. If so, which are best. Has anyone sprouted just plain bird seed – that which they leave each day?? I am trying it at the moment. Was giving it to the wild birds each morning, but after some started growing in my veggies, I decided to sprout it myself.  Also are there any greens or sprouts definately a no-no for feathered friends? Liz     Briarwood Brussels Griffons         Champions at Stud           Visit our beautiful award winning Homepage.            http://home.earthlink.net/~elizabethk/     Welcoming Daniel and Delilah – Umbrella Cockatoos           & Toby and Tilly – Moluccan Cockatoos                CYMRU – GWLAD FY NHADAU

Response:

>     Briarwood Brussels Griffons         Champions at Stud >           Visit our beautiful award winning Homepage. >            http://home.earthlink.net/~elizabethk/ >     Welcoming Daniel and Delilah – Umbrella Cockatoos >           & Toby and Tilly – Moluccan Cockatoos >                CYMRU – GWLAD FY NHADAU

Amazing how many people name their birds Toby. I have an aquaintance who also has a Moluccan cockatoo named Toby. At least one other r.p.b. poster has a bird named Toby too.    Ian Kerfoot

Response:

says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Being a gardener and having sprouted many types of legumes for our own >table, I am wondering if any in our bird group sprout for the birds. >If so, which are best. Has anyone sprouted just plain bird seed – that >which they leave each day?? I am trying it at the moment. Was giving >it to the wild birds each morning, but after some started growing in >my veggies, I decided to sprout it myself.  Also are there any greens >or sprouts definately a no-no for feathered friends? >Liz >    Briarwood Brussels Griffons         Champions at Stud >          Visit our beautiful award winning Homepage. >           http://home.earthlink.net/~elizabethk/ >    Welcoming Daniel and Delilah – Umbrella Cockatoos >          & Toby and Tilly – Moluccan Cockatoos >               CYMRU – GWLAD FY NHADAU

Hi Liz, I too sprout for my birds.  We have 8 of them of which 3 are currently looking at sprouts and accepting them as food.  I’m still working on the rest. I use plain cockatiel seed, sunflower seeds, and a mixed "sandwich sprout" pack from the local health food store.  My female cockatiel refuses to eat any vegies and this turned out to be the only way I could get some form of vegetable into her.  I’d be very interested to hear others ideas and experiences with sprouting.  I do know that sprouting your plain bird seed will tell you how fresh it is, about 80% of seeds should sprout or there is not much nutritional value left in the plain seed. Oh, yeah, and my green cheek thinks they throw really well from the top of his cage, eat one, throw one, eat one, etc. tams aka beentsy

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Being a gardener and having sprouted many types of legumes for our own > table, I am wondering if any in our bird group sprout for the birds. > If so, which are best. Has anyone sprouted just plain bird seed – that > which they leave each day?? I am trying it at the moment. Was giving > it to the wild birds each morning, but after some started growing in > my veggies, I decided to sprout it myself.  Also are there any greens > or sprouts definately a no-no for feathered friends? > Liz >     Briarwood Brussels Griffons         Champions at Stud >           Visit our beautiful award winning Homepage. >            http://home.earthlink.net/~elizabethk/ >     Welcoming Daniel and Delilah – Umbrella Cockatoos >           & Toby and Tilly – Moluccan Cockatoos >                CYMRU – GWLAD FY NHADAU

Umbrella Cockatoo, a Livebird, and they all go nuts over sprouted seed. We also purchase sprouts at the grocery such as radish sprouts and add them to the mixture. On the same note, we had a person who tried and tried to sprout the seed mix they were getting at the pet shop and could never get any results. They were buying a mix named "Cockatiel Deluxe" which meant it was coated with wheat germ oil and superpreen vitamins. The coated seed would not sprout. We keep several jars of sprouts going all of the time. Vitamins are added when they are served. We warm them a few seconds in the Microwave to take the chill off of them before serving. Any new bird we acquire usually takes a while to get used to the sprouts, but after quaranteen when they are added to the flight and see the others going after them, they will join in. We also add wheat grass powder to the sprouts. If you don’t want baby chicks up to your knees, then don’t use the wheat grass! Richard Hazell CAS

Response:

Meg Traver writes:

Don’t feed parrots cauliflower, brocccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage or avacado- they’re all bad for them. Meg

Response:

> Don’t feed parrots cauliflower, brocccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage or > avacado- they’re all bad for them. > Meg

Is it true that broccoli is bad for birds?

Response:

> > Don’t feed parrots cauliflower, brocccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage or > avacado- they’re all bad for them. > Meg > Is it true that broccoli is bad for birds?

I know avacado is a problem, although it’s mostly the tree and seed. But I feed mine broccoli florets all the time. I know several breeders that do also!     Dan

Response:

<< Meg Traver writes:

Don’t feed parrots cauliflower, brocccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage or avacado- they’re all bad for them. Meg Uh, Meg, where did you get your information about broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and cabbage?  Cauliflower isn’t bad, it just isn’t really nutrition-heavy; broccoli is very good because it contains a lot of vitamin A and is fun for birds to rip into shreds and throw around their cages (but that’s true of all foods, now that i think about it. hehe).   As with anything, all foods are bad in excess, but none of the above foods save for avocado is inherently poisonous Chuck Stern <and Spike the ‘tiel, Tweety the budgie and Romeo the Eclectus> Are you pondering what I’m pondering?

Response:

> > Don’t feed parrots cauliflower, brocccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage or > avacado- they’re all bad for them. > Meg > Is it true that broccoli is bad for birds?

Absolutely not true! In fact, broccoli is GOOD for birds — just make sure it’s washed.

Response:

> > Don’t feed parrots cauliflower, brocccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage or > avacado- they’re all bad for them. > Meg > Is it true that broccoli is bad for birds?

I have fed all of my birds broccoli with no ill effects.  Some vegetables like spinach have high levels of oxalic acid, which can be harmful to birds if they take in high levels of it.  It may be the same with broccoli regarding vitamin A.  However, if you give it only occasionally along with a variety of other fruits and veggies, you should be fine. You can feed them brussel sprouts and cauliflower, as well as cabbage, although these foods contain very little vitamins and minerals, and so feeding them really doesn’t add anything to the bird’s diet except variety–and since there are many other more nutritious things, why bother.  Bean sprouts are a good alternative to brussel sprouts. Avocado, as we all know is toxic, and should not be fed. Alisa

Response:

> Is it true that broccoli is bad for birds?

Seems highly unlikely. One should however avoid overfeeding broccoli and other "Brassica" or cabbage and kale family vegetables due to high glucosinolate and thiocyanate content. These compounds sequester dietary iodine, and frequently lead to hypothyroidism in captive reptiles. Broccili is however a great source of vitamin A. High calcium low phophate vitamin A rich vegetables low in oxalic acids like dandelions, turnip greens, watercress, escarole, beet and collards greens and yellow squashes are all very good choices. JIm J. Graham PhD Biology Department (Listowner, Amazons-l Digest)  

Response:

>see the others going after them, they will join in. We also add wheat >grass powder to the sprouts. If you don’t want baby chicks up to your >knees, then don’t use the wheat grass! >Richard Hazell CAS

Hi Richard, Have you tried the bean sprouts yet? After our convention, many persons in the area tried them and Lo & Behold. Babies coming out their ears, from pairs that would never breed before. I know it seems like a diet for the big birds, but Dee "Bird Lady" Hanson swears it’s the best thing that happened to her little guys. (ie. parrotlets, cockatiels and conures) I guess, according to Dee that the little squirts love the bean sprouts as much as the big guys. If you don’t have time to listen to Howard’s talk again, I’ll gladly send you the instructions and Howard’s total diet (as he gave it to me). Anyway, I’m happy to see you are finally ONLINE and have solved your network and computer problems. Monica Monica Sudds CAS, Pres. Beakers Parrot Society,    Iowa State Coordinator for AFA 3217 Italy Avenue       712) 642-4578 24 hr.              fax (712) 642-3710 Missouri Valley, IA 51555      (comments, questions and polite critisism welcome!)

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->see the others going after them, they will join in. We also add wheat >grass powder to the sprouts. If you don’t want baby chicks up to your >knees, then don’t use the wheat grass! >Richard Hazell CAS > Hi Richard, > Have you tried the bean sprouts yet? After our convention, many > persons in the area tried them and Lo & Behold. Babies coming out > their ears, from pairs that would never breed before. > I know it seems like a diet for the big birds, but Dee "Bird Lady" > Hanson swears it’s the best thing that happened to her little guys. > (ie. parrotlets, cockatiels and conures) I guess, according to Dee > that the little squirts love the bean sprouts as much as the big guys. > If you don’t have time to listen to Howard’s talk again, I’ll gladly > send you the instructions and Howard’s total diet (as he gave it to > me). > Anyway, I’m happy to see you are finally ONLINE and have solved your > network and computer problems. > Monica > Monica Sudds CAS, Pres. Beakers Parrot Society,    Iowa State Coordinator for AFA > 3217 Italy Avenue       712) 642-4578 24 hr.              fax (712) 642-3710 > Missouri Valley, IA 51555      (comments, questions and polite critisism welcome!)

Hi and Hello again. Yes, I’m Baa-a-aa-ck! Who was that anyway, Arnold? Traded Packard Bell for Compaq. Getting the bugs worked out of it. AT&T is having problems keeping up with the people wanting to use their net system. They are busy adding more lines and sometimes it gets to be a little agrivating, but they are nice about it. Yes, Yes to the Bean Sprouts. Pati calls them mung beans (?). I came home the other day and found this big pot of beans simmering on the stove also. Sooo, I got a bowl and a spoon and dished me up some. She let me have it. The beans were being cooked for the birds. My dinner was lunch meat! I don’t know about that Howard. He didn’t know what he was talking about. Used his diet, used his Wheat Grass, just like he said. He told me I would be up to my knees in babies. Not one budgie got that tall. However, we ended up getting the old playpen we used for the grandkids when they were babies, and made a top for it, because we ran out of juvenile cages. They didn’t even chew any holes in the nylon webbing on the sides of it. We would walk over and out they could crawl. Pati called them "cling-ons" cause we had to scrape them off of our arms and shoulders when we wanted to put one back. Birds are going into riot mode when the sprouts come out. We have to use several smaller dishes to keep them from kicking one another out of the way! I’m in the midst of putting together the newsletter and packing to drive to Concord. Leaving early in the AM. Going to meet a friend in OKC and drive on out from there. Perhaps when someone beats me in the election for the RVP position I can go to the convention and just play. Now it is usually a lot of meetings and work, but I still enjoy meeting the people I have written to and spoken with over the phone. I don’t know exactly how, but I think I have sort of inherited NE and IA into my region. Not on the map, but as far as what is going on with things. Ok by me. I’m a glutton for punishment. See Ya Richard

Response:

> > > > Don’t feed parrots cauliflower, brocccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage or > > > avacado- they’re all bad for them. > > > Meg

 I thought, of this list, only avacado was something we had to worry about.   My baby loves broccoli and cabbage, will pick at cauliflower, but has never   tried brussel sprouts.  Is it perhaps in excess these items are bad?  I am   curious to know!  I guess actually it is more than curiosity, it is a need,   since my ‘tiel does eat some of these on a pretty regular basis. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

> => > > => > Don’t feed parrots cauliflower, brocccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage or > => > avacado- they’re all bad for them. > => > > => > Meg > =>Avacado is POISON!!!!! Do not feed it to your bird.  On the other hand,

broccoli is ver good for your bird.  It is rich in folic acid. Jess

Response:

>Meg Traver writes: >Don’t feed parrots cauliflower, brocccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage or   >avacado- they’re all bad for them.   >Meg

I have an aviary. My birds eat cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cabbage. Avocado is toxic. Birds really need the minerals and vitamins found in fresh veggies, and fruit! If in doubt ask your avian vet! Deat

Response:

=> > => > Don’t feed parrots cauliflower, brocccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage or => > avacado- they’re all bad for them. => > => > Meg => => Is it true that broccoli is bad for birds? I volunteer at the Bird Rescue Center where we care for baby and injured birds. The most popular vegie we feed ALL the birds is broccoli. —             John Markus _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/

Response:

: > : > Don’t feed parrots cauliflower, brocccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage or : > avacado- they’re all bad for them. : > : > Meg : Is it true that broccoli is bad for birds?   I hope not or our bids may be dead by the time I get home.   But I think the warning is Balloney. Paulr. —

Response:

>> Is it true that broccoli is bad for birds? >Seems highly unlikely. One should however avoid overfeeding broccoli >and other "Brassica" or cabbage and kale family vegetables due to high >glucosinolate and thiocyanate content. These compounds sequester dietary >iodine, and frequently lead to hypothyroidism in captive reptiles. Broccili >is however a great source of vitamin A. >High calcium low phophate vitamin A rich vegetables low in oxalic acids >like dandelions, turnip greens, watercress, escarole, beet and collards >greens and yellow squashes are all very good choices. >JIm >J. Graham PhD >Biology Department >(Listowner, Amazons-l Digest)  

Broccoli is also a good source of calcium (cooked has a higher amount than raw).     —-     Mary Arnold                           Sparky’s home page is the place to go,     If you want information on the grey Congo.     http://www.getnet.com/~tarnold/sparky.html

Response:

> Dear Members: I’ve been lurking around this group for a week now > picking up useful bits of information for which I am very grateful. > For example, nowhere in my book about budgies did it say anything about > room temperature (only drafts were mentioned).  Being a New Englander, > I think of 75 degrees as pretty hot.  When Budgie Boy began sleeping a > lot I became alarmed and went in search of this group. Thank heavens I > found you and found the information about using a lightbulb or a > heating pad.  Budgie Boy now has a heating pad at one end of his cage > and has improved quite a bit, but I am still worried. Even though, I’ve > been keeping his cage spotless, his perches clean, and given him a wide > variety of seeds, sprouts, treat bars, water, and gravel every day, he > has a problem neither he nor I can seem to solve — and that is, he has > the dirtiest bottom I’ve ever seen on any bird.  I’ve provided a birth > bath, but he doesn’t use it.  I can tell he wants his bottom clean > because he keeps trying but he is unable to clean it.  What to do??

Sounds like a cute budgie you have there. Something in your bird’s diet is bothering his digestion. I would cut WAY back on the gravel, first off, and don’t give all the above yummies at once. It’s possible your bird is allergic to or reacts badly to something.. try feeding him just one treat besides his seeds for a couple of days, watching him carefully. If all is fine add another, etc. (My allergist did this to me to discover my own allergies..it works) I assume you aren’t feeding him sprouts older than a day? I also wonder about the heating pad.. 75 (far. I assume) is fine for budgies; I live in mid/northern Canada and my birds are very healthy at around 68 in winter. Was your bird unwell? If he was, and the heating pad helped.. I’d take him to a vet. He might have a yeast or bacterial infection in/around his bottom. My budgie doesn’t use birdbaths either.. I spray him gently with a plant mister on the finest spray setting. I use filtered water at slightly higher than room temp, but I think that’s unnecessary. > hope that helps Ivana (BB and Parsifal and Orpheus and Grendl )

Response:

Dear Members: I’ve been lurking around this group for a week now picking up useful bits of information for which I am very grateful. For example, nowhere in my book about budgies did it say anything about room temperature (only drafts were mentioned).  Being a New Englander, I think of 75 degrees as pretty hot.  When Budgie Boy began sleeping a lot I became alarmed and went in search of this group. Thank heavens I found you and found the information about using a lightbulb or a heating pad.  Budgie Boy now has a heating pad at one end of his cage and has improved quite a bit, but I am still worried. Even though, I’ve been keeping his cage spotless, his perches clean, and given him a wide variety of seeds, sprouts, treat bars, water, and gravel every day, he has a problem neither he nor I can seem to solve — and that is, he has the dirtiest bottom I’ve ever seen on any bird.  I’ve provided a birth bath, but he doesn’t use it.  I can tell he wants his bottom clean because he keeps trying but he is unable to clean it.  What to do??

Response:

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