What Should You Feed Your Bird? With Dr Jason Crean | BirdNerdSophie

[@michellepinet686]

Thank goodness talking about leaving out fresh food, I tend to worry, reassuring. Great talk! We tend to be so disconnected with nature while living with animals, this bridges that gap in understanding. Thanks for introducing me to him.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I’m glad you enjoyed the video 😊💙

[@WonderfulWorldofAwesomeness]

I always thought it was funny to see all of these birds in the wild pecking at fruit that fell on the ground from trees. But then we all rush to put the fruit that we bought from the store right into the refrigerator. But then again, like the good doctor said, birds in the wild do live short harsh lives usually ending in violence. But I agree, it’s good to get that information

[@TheParrotTeacher]

Such a useful video for anyone who is interested in learning more about parrot diets!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Thank you!

[@WeAreNotGoingBackEver]

Hi Sophie, this was THE BEST VIDEO I have seen on bird nutrition, and specifically for my Cockatiel's diet, that I have come across ANYWHERE to date, period. I didn't want the video to end. And both of you all having such relevant backgrounds in the subject really added to the credibility of the information. Oftentimes, I think we bird owners confuse quantity with quality when it comes to getting good information on caring for our birds. By that I mean we assume just because a person has lots of birds, they know about bird health and nutrition, which is not always the case. I still have questions, so I'm going to go through your other videos to see if I can find the answers. Thank you to both you and Dr. Crean. The information you shared was priceless.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Hi Sharon, I’m so glad that you found the video useful 😊 let me know if you have any other questions as I’m more than happy to answer!

[@WonderfulWorldofAwesomeness]

Great info, thanks for having him on. Glad people are finally waking up to the whole “pellets are a complete diet” myth that some pellet manufacturers spread and that people on social media bully others into. I am so glad that people like you are helping to stop the malnutrition that this is causing in lots of pet birds! Again, great guest, thanks again for having him on and thanks for your channel

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Thanks for watching! 😊 there’s certainly no such thing as a complete diet in pellet form for any animal! Variety is the spice of life 😁

[@WonderfulWorldofAwesomeness]

@@BirdNerdSophie If there was a complete diet in pellet form (pizza flavored please) for humans I would eat it. I get so annoyed with having to come up with meals every day. But alas, there isn’t. Sigh

[@mad4raj2011]

I normally comment asking lots of questions and your always so kind to answer as best as you can. For someone who is in the process of getting a cockatiel your channel is a godsend. Today I really just wanted to say thank you. I am sure as I move along in my journey I will have more questions lol but the work you do and information you share really helps. This was a great video!!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I'm so glad you find my content useful! If you ever have any video requests, let me know!

[@Loveofpets]

Excellent video. Dr. Crean is full of information that is very useful for caring for our birds Thank you so much!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

He is fantastic, i's always so much fun to learn and see how we can do even better! Thanks for watching! 💙

[@andreagarcia-yn6bd]

This video was so informative! I think I give my birds a well rounded diet (TOPs pellets, fresh chop, seeds) but I really felt there was room for improvement on my part. As far as the bird groups on socials, I was really using them as my go to and they all say pellets are what they should be eating and seeds are bad. The fresh food being left out too was too dangerous! I leave their fresh chop with them all day when I’m at work so they have access to them during the day. I went to Grey Manors website and ordered some beak bars, teas and some toppers. As a bird owner, I feel there’s always room for improvement! I love my babies so much and want them to be happy and healthy. Thank you again for this video! I took lots of notes ❤️

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Sounds like you are doing an amazing job with them 🥰 I’m glad you enjoyed the video!

[@pm6829]

Where do I find the beak bars Grey Manors is no longer available

[@ko.wildlifephotography]

Fantastic video! Thank you for making available the wealth of information. Having had studied agriculture and biology it all makes sense to me but with all the misinformation in various groups lately I was often doubting myself. Even my vet wanted me to convert them to pellets. I thought, well I would not eat stuff like that why should they so went on a search for better diet. So this video is really reassuring. My gut feeling was right! It definitely is sometimes a battle trying to convince my budgies to eat healthy foods and often it looked like the oldest one would rather be eating wood than a piece of vegetable. Her grumbling stomach made me feel so guilty. I rescued her from neglect and improper diet (they fed her kebabs apparently) The earlier years definitely of poor nutrition are catching up with her, she has a huge lipoma, heart and kidney disease. She is the most reluctant to eat anything healthy. However, got her on sprouted seeds and she loves those. I guess they still look like seeds to her. I will try to get small mealworms now and will remember to sun them before feeding. Vitamin D is important, I may have to eat some as well if those tablets are not as bioavailable because I got deficiency myself. Once again thank you so much for this video 💚🦜💚

[@BirdNerdSophie]

It can be hard to sift through so much information and work out what makes sense, but as Jason says, it's best to follow the science! Sprouting is definitely one of the best ways to start - you can also offer fresh herbs as they have great flavours and look like shredding toys! But persistence is key - you'll get there! I will be trying out the mealworms with the flock shortly - fingers crossed they take to them, otherwise we will have pet mealworms 🤣

[@ko.wildlifephotography]

I ordered them some mini mealworms also so will see how that goes. Hopefully they eat them before they turn into beetles. Although Kulí went for some small flies few times but was too slow at snapping at them. If it doesn’t work out Mr and Mrs Robin will be very pleased 😀

[@ornithologydude8649]

Incredibly interesting video, Dr. Jason Crean's point of people thinking the wild is paradise is so true haha. Could totally do with more videos like these, maybe set up a podcast someday haha

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad you found it interesting! Podcasts are all the rage aren’t they haha! Not sure I have anywhere quiet enough to record 😂

[@karmenbudai]

Thank you Sophie for mentioning Polly's avian teas🥰. Great video and together we can make a difference in birds' lives as there are still so many who are deprived of fresh and natural foods.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

You are so welcome - we love your teas! Let's hope we can encourage others to start expanding their bird's diets to lots of healthy additions!

[@EtrnayDad]

I originally found this to learn about cockatiels as much as I can before getting one- But this has a lot of good advice for any pet I own ball pythons and have grown a little stagnant with learning new information, so this has reignited my way of thinking to keep up with new knees on how they work. Even with my dog, with the whole same kibble everyday, how I should offer diversity in her life and diet more often

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Thanks for watching! :) I'm no dog expert, but you can offer all kinds of diversity in their diet, with blueberries, broccoli, carrots and peas!

[@docbainl9504]

Dog expert here 😂 Raw feeder for dogs over 12 years and dog trainer who focuses extensively on nutrition. Here's some tips. RAW MEATY BONES are to make the bulk of your dogs diet. This is either whole prey items I.e rabbit chicken duck quail or things like pig heads cow heads goat heads salmon heads. If this is too expensive. You can feed raw meaty bones such as all chicken wings drumsticks carcass head feet the same for duck. This is easy to source from Asian butchers. Beef or lamb ribs kangaroo tails raw pig feet rabbit heads etc. You will need to feed some organ meat and a bulk of muscle meat. This includes Liver kidney pancreas as secreting organs. Reproductive organs also count as secreting such as testicle. You want lots of muscle meat. Muscle meat is tripe, lung, tongue, heart and things like thigh (muscle meats). Like Sophie said. Things like blueberries are great raw. Organic extra virgin coconut oil. Fish must be fed MINIMUM once a week but I include it three times a week. Things such as SALMON HEADS raw dogs are fine with raw fish bones never cook them. Whole sardine mackerel. I also feed trout. You can catch a whole fish and feed it raw just ensure you freeze it for minimum 2 weeks for parasites. Dogs need very little vegetable fibre but alot of animal fibre. Animal fibre includes fur and feathers. The more fur you can include the better. For vegetable matter you want to include things like blueberries pumpkin broccoli spinach but ensure it's either gently blended prior to serving (blueberries don't need this they can be fed whole) as dogs lack the digestive enzyme to break down the majority of vegetable matter. Slightly grinding it up in processor helps them digest nutrients. www.rawmeatybones.com Things like lactose free kefir is fantastic for probiotics and gut health and lactose free Greek yoghurt. No lactose in any form as dogs cannot digest cows milk. Also goats milk is fantastic. Hope this helps.

[@imgeceren]

We all are so lucky to be able to reach good quality information like this. Thank you so- very much to you Sophie and to Dr Jason Crean for making it possible!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad it was helpful! 😁💙

[@tessa7413]

Thank you for introducing us to Dr. Crean... he was an excellent guest and so knowledgeable! This video is a wealth of information, and I know I will be referencing back to it and re-listening! You two answered a lot of my questions and confirmed some suspicions I've had over pellets, and about seeds! I was very surprised to learn that regular edible mushrooms weren't toxic to birds like I thought... and, I had no idea that mealworms (placed in the sun for a few minutes) could be a good source of vitamin D. Wow! I'm always striving to learn more and do better for my birds, and am excited to implement some of this advice. Dr. Crean also got me thinking that I need to put more research into learning about healthy cat diets! Thanks so much Sophie & Dr. Crean!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I'm so glad that you found it useful! I love how we are always learning and discovering what more we can do and what we should move away from! I've got some live mealworms on the way to try with the flock 😊

[@tessa7413]

@@BirdNerdSophie having birds is definitely a fascinating journey! There is so much to learn, and when we know better, we do better! I've got to try the mealworms with my birds. I have no idea how they'll respond since they tend to be timid at first when new food is introduced... it helps if they see me eating something first, but I am not willing to demonstrate eating mealworms, haha! If you are able to, please try to film your birds reactions to seeing/trying mealworm for the first time. I think it'd be a fun video! 😊

[@BirdNerdSophie]

@@tessa7413 haha are you sure you don't fancy a mealworm snack 🤣 Yes we will definitely film it! Fish has helped himself to an ant and a spider before so he has a good chance of being interested!

[@tessa7413]

@@BirdNerdSophie yes, I'm sure lol! That is hilarious about Fish! 🤣

[@aleksb2238]

Im so glad you got a video with Dr. Crean, both of you have taught me so much ☺️

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I'm so pleased to hear that! We are always learning and looking for ways to provide the best life for our birds! 💙

[@laking8675]

I love how you covered so much important important in just one hour! Thank you for all you both do. And thank you Dr Jason Crean for your Facebook page!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I’m glad you enjoyed the video 😊

[@JenaWeeks]

I Love this! Only just started watching and already I’m like thank god someone is saying it! Stop fearing food and the crazy you see in bird communities instilling fear in everything. Drives me crazy. Thank you for sharing your wisdom. I hope people remember the inherent intelligent of these babies too.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I’m glad you enjoyed the video 😊💙

[@maggiewinfrey2164]

Finally someone who knows what Freeze drying is I've tried researching it in the past to see if it was safe (we own a freeze dryer) and I found a few things where people just didn't know the difference I mean I gave it to my bird anyways bc storage and I would rehydrate just super excited someone recognized that the 2 were different

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Freeze dried items are so fun and enriching for birds 😊

[@KB-df3dq]

Awesome info.!! Thanks so much Sophie and Dr Crean. Have gotten so much out of this. 👍🏻🇦🇺

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad you found it useful 😊

[@conniecruz880]

Thank you so much. Really appreciated this. 🙏

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad you liked it 💙

[@michaelhornby2961]

Really interesting and informative. I too have 3 conures. And 2 cockateils. Caiques and amazons. I currently feed harrisons coarse and fine. High value seeds daily fruit and veg. Great to hear information about bird nutrition from someone so knowledgeable.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@michaelhornby2961]

@BirdNerdSophie I did, given what I have learnt from this, I hope to give them a better diet and possibly save a bit too. Currently spending approx £900 per year on pellets alone.

[@ParrotsOnWheels-Julia]

Really fantastic video Sophie thank you for making it! I learned so much! I’m relieved about leaving breakfast (chop/fresh food) in the cages. And much other really awesome information, I’ve already rewatched it a couple of times just to try take it all in ❤️

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Hi Julia, glad you enjoyed the video! There's always something new to learn with these little monsters 😊

[@Alice-hk9hn]

Thank you Sophie and Dr. Crean.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Thanks for watching 😊

[@indithebudgie]

So informative! Everyone should watch this video before getting a parrot!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad you enjoyed it! 😊

[@MD-vn7re]

What an interesting and informative hour. Thank you so much ....off to do more research now 🙂

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@loripenney4925]

Very interesting video! Really enjoyed it and learned a lot!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad you enjoyed it! 😊 There's always something new to learn when it comes to parrot diet!

[@winnietheamazon1838]

amazing video!! i watched the whole thing through and learned so much.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I’m glad you liked it 😊

[@MCrvngraddip2013]

Thank you so much for this Sophie. Super useful. X

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@nintendoverse936]

Your videos have helped so much with my new pet bird. This video deserves like a billion likes and veiws

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Thank you so much, I’m glad you liked it!

[@barbeb]

I knew most of what you were talking about (thanks to you and David!) but there were a couple of things that I didn't know about, particularly how useful tea is rather than just being a novel way to give birds food, and that parrots can have mealworms! Living in Australia I know we have a lot of insectivores, but I just figured parrots were generally herbivores and insects weren't really a part of their diet. So that's really cool!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I’m glad you enjoyed it 🥰

[@klausbaerl8090]

Thank you so much for this incredible video, very interesting and informative!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad it was helpful! 😊

[@trevorcovelli]

This was amazing! Thank you!!!!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad you liked it 😊

[@yamunadevi68]

This was amazing and comprehensive, I loved it. Thank you so much ☺️

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I’m glad you liked it 😊

[@Teliko1000]

Awesome interview. It was very useful for me. In addition to disproving many myths. Thanks a lot.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad you enjoyed it 😁

[@louisemeldrum8006]

This is great 👍🏼

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad you liked it! :)

[@francescadonnelly9619]

Great video. Loads of great information

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad you liked it 😊

[@zuzushy]

You have NO idea how thankful I am for this video. Since I got my cockatiel I have been flip flopping back and forth with what to feed her. I bought into the pellet diet because it is pushed by avian vets and bird influencers. I started my girl on harrisons and she quickly became bored, then started buying every pellet under the sun to find one she would eat regularly. My tiel as a child ate straight up seed mix because that was back in the 90s when we didn't know any better. I honestly have never been so frustrated when it comes to feeding a pet but this video seriously helped. Especially with leaving chop out all work day, I have heard things like "you'll kill your bird, the bacteria starts growing after 20 minutes!" Is frozen chop still considered ok? I can't prepare fresh daily with a full-time work schedule so I freeze in portions and leave out in the morning. What are your opinions on TOP's Dream Mix? I want to feed soaked as well as dry in the evenings.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I'm so pleased that you found the video useful 🥰 People can be so worried about their birds becoming sick which I an understand, but spreading misinformation helps no one! Frozen chop is fine but not all birds will like it as it can go a bit mushy! I make mine once a week and try to use ingredients that we are using in our food too to save on waste. TOP's Dream Mix is great to add as part of a varied diet! 😊

[@AsiyaAsiyaAsiya]

Lovely video! Any tips on what to do if my budgie is picking out sprouts and grains from his chop? He eats vegetables from a chopping board is I cut them into teeny tiny cubes or directly from a blender bowl, but as I add soaked grains (in hot water) and sprouts to the chop - he just goes for them... Thank you!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

You can reduce the portion size, and offer the veggies in different ways too like kabob skewers 😊

[@billsnyder5693]

What about the sprinkle on vitamins like Nekon, is it it good?

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I don’t recommend them as you can get all the vitamins that a bird needs naturally from food! Synthetic vitamins can either not be absorbed, or cause hypervitaminosis!

[@nixity]

My little monstera in the back :D

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Love it! 🌿

[@angsfeatheredfriends]

I do a seed mix. 50/50 of a budgie seed mix (contains no sunflower seeds or safflower seeds) and a cockatiel mix, that does have those 2 missing. Otherwise the cockatiel seed mix had way to much on the sunflower seeds. So I fixed it with an easy solution. The cockatiels eat everything from both seed mixes, my budgies ignore the safflower and sunflower seeds. The sprout mix I make myself has seeds they miss from both mixes. I only sprout enough seeds to last 3-4 days, I have that mold paranoia too lol. After a 24 hour soak, I serve in the morning. Then light rinse the next day, and the next. After 4 days, they start to smell funny, so I stopped using so many seeds. Maybe I need to change from a sprouting jar to a sprouting tray. I still do offer a 50/50 pellet mix around noon (a small stainless steel bowl of them). Some of my birds like them, some do not. They pick out the ones they want to eat. It is TOPs and Harrison's. I know for a fact TOPs is all organic and stuff, but it doesn't have certain vitamins or minerals. Which Harrison's makes up for. A few of my birds eat both each day, other times they only pick out the Harrison's, or only the TOPs. I am guessing birds know what they are lacking, same when I crave certain foods, cause of a need for certain vitamins or minerals I might be lacking? This is a big reason I don't add corn to their diet. I know they are getting that in the Harrison's pellets. That and corn isn't anything but starch and sugars. I try to make sure my chop is at least 10-20 different ingredients. Change it up each season. We have 4 seasons here mind you. I laugh when I hear about veggies spoiling in a fast period of time. Hello, veggies sit outside in the sun all day. Yes once you pick it and cut it up, it will start to spoil, but it isn't as fast as people think it is. I mean if it all turns brown and gets weirdly mushy, yes you let it sit out way to long lol. "I only feed my birds pellets", "I only feed my birds seeds", "I only feed my birds carrots or broccoli". I used to hear this all of the time as an experienced consultant in a very large parrot discord. I had to quit this discord, because I was just talking to the walls. No one seemed to ever listen to anything I said. My heart broke every time someone posted their baby parrot died, because they were never taught how to properly ween a chick. A species dies 15 years before it should. The worst of all, people who are not properly educated telling others what they should be doing. At this point, all I could do is tell them to get a necropsy done by their vet. TO LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES (if there were any, and yes, it is always down to diet, most of the time). We grow rhubarb here. A lot of it. I know most of it is poisonous to people. The stalks are cooked and processed here (into jams and jellies and syrups). I just never thought to try the part people eats to my birds. I mean, people can eat a lot of things, I wouldn't feed all of them to my birds. Avocado, chocolate, dairy, and some other things. If anything I posted is wrong, or could use adjustments. Feel free to let me know Sophie!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Are you using an anti microbial like GSE when soaking and sprouting? The flock will likely be getting the vitamins and minerals they need from their fresh food, so I wouldn’t worry about using pellets to top up as such, more to compliment! TOPs does have vitamins in but they are found in the whole food ingredients so not listed as individual ingredients if they were added as synthetics. I do believe that animals can self select certain things they feel they need. It can be challenging to break down misinformation about how to increase the welfare for parrots, all we can do is try our best!

[@angsfeatheredfriends]

@@BirdNerdSophie No, just water from a triple distiller we have hooked up here. I know you use apple cider vinegar, I would try that, but I have no idea how much to add to how much seed I would use. Also, what is better, young sprouts (very short stems), or older sprouts (that have long stems)?

[@BirdNerdSophie]

@@angsfeatheredfriends it’s probably best to use something like ACV or GSE then! I would guess 1-2 tablespoons of ACV (I just do it by eye!) or 6-8 drops of GSE for soaking. I offer sprouts usually until 4 days after soaking, then bin them! I have tasted mung beans at 4/5 days and they taste quite bitter so not as nice for the birds!

[@angsfeatheredfriends]

@@BirdNerdSophie What about a sprouting tray, that has fully grown sprouts? and just let the birds forage around on it? I wonder what the mung bean sprouts taste like at day 10-15? I don't know what sprouts should taste like at any day, I don't eat green things lol

[@BirdNerdSophie]

@@angsfeatheredfriends when you grow things for that long, they turn into microgreens! I am planning on making it a project for me this year to grow them! You have to be careful with not allowing them to sit in water etc due to the mould risk but they can be super nutritious!

[@drumb0]

I’ve watched some of the video and thought it was great. I plan to watch the rest over time but my combined disabilities make it difficult. Is there any chance you can do a list of key points? I would be happy to pay for a summary information leaflet/document if you were to produce one. Thanks for the work you do - your videos are awesome and so useful.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Hey! If you drop me an email at [e-mail] I will write you a summary :) The video is broken own into chapters if you want to watch a couple of minutes each day too :)

[@drumb0]

Thank you Sophie, I will do that. I definitely plan to watch it all, it just will take me a while 😊

[@bjFloridaGator]

Greywood manor no longer exists are beak bars still available?

[@BirdNerdSophie]

You can now get teas from Biodiversity Bird Blends - there may be a product like beak bars coming soon as well!

[@mohamedrizad7165]

Thank you so much for the video!..in our country perfect pellet brands not available!..so my feeding schedule filled with unprocessed things!.. Long period of time i worried about it !..I wondered if I could go on giving the best to my birdsi !. But now satisfied!Thank you so much!.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I'm glad you found the video useful 😊

[@GuyBelievesInWorldPeace]

Do you feel like feeding pellets/dry stuff in a foraging bowl it better than just getting the straight in the bowl? Since foraging is a big part in getting the body prepared for food?

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Absolutely! You can always do a mix of both too!

[@conniecruz880]

Hi Sophie, I have an organic bag of bird tea from Posh. Can I just use this as a topper on top of chop or with dry seeds

[@BirdNerdSophie]

If all of the ingredients are safe then yes!

[@conniecruz880]

@@BirdNerdSophie thank you.

[@ellenstrycker1239]

This was a great video, very informative. Just the other day I was picking up veggies for chop, and walked right past the mushrooms because I thought all mushrooms are bad

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad it was helpful! 😊

[@MP-yc2ou]

Can i give my parrots a super minimal amount of beef liver? maybe like a gram or half a gram

[@BirdNerdSophie]

No they really don’t need that!

[@vickyhaines1300]

Where can I get these products in Canada? Thanks!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Hi Vicky, I recommend checking out The Parrot Shop Canada for healthy snacks for birds!

[@Marsha-qw4ml]

Thank you for this talk. I'm just getting a greed cheek conure and the breeder recommended an all pellet diet of Zupreem , yuck. When I seen it had sugar in it I knew I had to change it.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Thanks for watching 😊 it’s so important to know what’s in the food we feed our birds!

[@jessirarara]

When it comes to seeds and nuts should you give them raw or roasted? I'm looking at various nuts and seeds in bulk on amazon, but I'm not sure which one I should go with.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Definitely raw - roasting will remove a lot of the nutrients!

[@jacinthajeyam672]

Thank you V informative. My vet tells me to feed them pellets its boring feeding the same pellets I give them fresh chopped vegetables daily morning. Fresh fruits a little and sprouted seeds. But first time hearing of tea. Will try.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Glad you enjoyed it 😀

[@conniecruz880]

Is there a book I can get about all this dietary information? I have parakeets

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Yes! I have a book section in my Amazon store which has 3 nutrition books in there 😊

[@conniecruz880]

@@BirdNerdSophie thank you I will check it out. Sophie about fruits everyday ,since I have parakeets is 3x a week ok.

[@14Raine14]

I commented on another food video and Im sure I'll get flack for saying it again But if you need to feed pellets because of health, travel, illness, or access to fresh foods, you aren't a monster or killing your parrot. Fresh foods will always hands down for the rest of time be the best thing anyone can eat, everyone should strive to feed the least processed foods. I also understand that lots of people have food insecurity Not everyone had access to a grocery store 😅 especially in an emergency. It could be logistical, or it could be that where you live the store doesn't offer what you need. I keep a variety of pellets (I could give my two pellet and they'll eat it) my own dry mix, a freezer stocked with prepared chop, a pantry full of dry sprouting seeds and beans, I am absolutely loving the fresh food movement! Its not an all or nothing, people can still feed fresh foods and pellets, and I really hope that as people realize that a fresh diet isn't as hard as they thought it was ❤️

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I’m not anti pellets either 😊 I just had a delivery of TOPs pellets delivered for my dry mix! There will always be occasions where in extreme circumstances, we have to alter the way we feed temporarily! But ultimately if we shift the way we create parrot diets, we can make plans for unforeseen circumstances! Improving parrot health, care and well-being is at the heart of all of the content I put out 😊💙

[@14Raine14]

@@BirdNerdSophie I really think that the more people are encouraged to at least try fresh foods the More they will start to see the benefits of fresh foods ❤️ sprouting is always the first thing I recommend because dry beans and lentils can keep for years and years in proper storage containers and so quickly become a nutritional power house. My fids don't like tops, I use them in breads and enrichment, Meeko will turn himself inside out for a Harrison's pellet so I use those as a big reward (he gets a few every week) I think junk food is okay every now and again, we all deserve a treat :)

[@sankhlad]

What about frozen mixed veg? If I stems little bit in microwave abs then offer?

[@BirdNerdSophie]

You could let it defrost naturally then serve! The only frozen veg my birds like are peas as they prefer crunchy textures!

[@LiveLaughScrap]

On the topic of mushrooms: Are there some types that are more nutritious than others? I can readily get baby bellas, portabellas, but not many other types. Are those nutritious enough or not worth giving them?

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I’m sure there are varying amounts of nutrients in different types but I wouldn’t worry too much about it if you are offering a diverse diet! 😊

[@LiveLaughScrap]

@@BirdNerdSophie Thanks, I actually don’t have a bird now, just trying to learn as much as I can before we get one. I had one about 27 yrs ago, but we were young & didn’t know all the questions to ask or any vets to see. He was a lovely bird (cockatiel) my husband taught him some whistling & clicking tunes . Also every morning when he would leave, he would tell Sammy (bird) that he was going to work. So Sammy would repeat it twice before my husband left. I hope I get another bird as fun as him when we do.

[@chrish564]

Sometimes I have things going on in my day and with hold the chop because I am afraid they won't get pulled on time! Thank you. Since cooked vs. Raw food came up.... when I give chop with cooked quinoa or beans should I still be vigilant on pulling those ones?

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Yes the cooked food will go off quicker! Quinoa doesn’t have to be cooked for the birds to eat 😊 you can soak for 2 hours and serve, or sprout it!

[@chrish564]

@@BirdNerdSophie good to know! I would rather not deal with cooking it! Everytime I have tried to sprout it, quinoa has been a fail. I have sprouted seed fine, but no luck with quinoa.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

@@chrish564 how are you trying to sprout it? Only needs soaking for 2 hours - can be served straight away or rinsed twice daily, usually sprouts the day after and sometimes I do extra rinses as the water seems to go cloudy quickly!

[@chrish564]

@@BirdNerdSophie I soak for a few minutes in ACV water and then rinse 2 or 3 times day. Do in a jar with a straining lid. 4-5 days later still no sprouting.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

@@chrish564 a few minutes won’t be enough for it to germinate! Try at least two hours next time and see how it goes - let me know!

[@ew3280]

Awesome! Thank you. I wish people would just put put their thinking caps on. So much about nutrition is just common sense. Read ingredients. Like who really wants pesticides in their food? So, why choose foods laden with these chemicals? And what doctor would recommend an all-processed food diet today for a human? Why would we think its ok for our birds? So so much garbage information on the internet. It's sad. Thanks for giving me a resource I can share.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I’m glad you enjoyed the video and found it useful 🥰

[@curlycurlbirdygirl]

This is such an important information! TYSM 🙏🙏🙏🙌🙌🙌 What resonated most with me was the changing the lifestyle part. I so appreciate being reminded of how processed food and too-much-of-one-thing leads to a disease in birds. And eventually any animal and even humans! I do believe that food can be both poison and medicine. Thank you for putting a BALANCED DIET up front, where it belongs, as a building stone for healthy and thriving life for both parrots and their owners.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Thank you so much for watching 😊 I hop more people understand just how important food choices are for birds and just how much of an impact it has on their overall health and behaviour!

[@curlycurlbirdygirl]

@@BirdNerdSophie hear hear 🙌🙌

[@MCrvngraddip2013]

Lool. Tell the Egyptians the river Nile was bad for them... water = life. I'm still waiting for my sprouting kit that was OOS. I was just wondering my cockatiel loves hemp seeds, sunflower and millet. How many is ok to give in a training session? I worry I'm giving too many. My budgie only loves millet. ❤

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Depends on the training session and what you are trying to achieve really! Have you worked towards voluntary weighing with him? Will give you a better indication of too many etc! 😊

[@MCrvngraddip2013]

@@BirdNerdSophie yea we have. He was 80g back in October and is now stable at 91g. This was after feeding him a little more protein etc. He looks great now with that added weight. He steps up and flys daily to the weighing stand. Just taught the Budgie to do that too. Woo! I'm now working on short flights with Putin and he enjoys his foraging toys when out of the cage as well as in the cage. He will go on my bare hand now if we're on floor level and he feels he can easily escape. Still trying to train for nail clipping. But I forget how far he's come. He and the Budgie can now be out together. Supervised for an hour. They mostly ignore each other. My canary and Budgie get on well too. I'm yet to do all 3. 😊❤🦜

[@inejunta6569]

Wow, I'm so completely fact illiterate. I need to reevaluate what I accept as true and find real evidence. Thanks for the wakeup call ')

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Hope you enjoyed the video!

[@conniecruz880]

I have a question about fruit and eggs. I don't give my parakeets fruit everyday. I give to them 3x a week. Is that ok? Eggs 1 to 2 times a week. May I still do this? The Dr. Mentioned fruit everyday and no eggs. Confused

[@BirdNerdSophie]

I usually offer fruit 3 times a week for small birds / you can offer every day but it would need to be such a tiny amount that it’s not always practical! I offer plain scrambled eggs occasionally 😊

[@conniecruz880]

Sorry, I didn't mean to reply twice.

[@mehere8038]

My lorikeets refuse to eat "chop". I just made a collection of cups with hooks, so that I can put the whole veggies in, with bases sitting in water to keep them fresh for a few days until eaten & done like that, they'll pig out on all Asian greens & more. They'll also happily eat anything off my plate or try to take it out of my mouth if I try to stop that. My girl was even eating my meat the other day, cause I was eating it, so it must be good right? I agree, presentation is everything & I think the more natural the better too, a bowl of "chop" is pretty unnatural, whereas being able to chew leaves off trees/shrubs/Asian greens IS normal behaviour. Mine certainly won't eat a whole piece of fruit on a skewer though, I have to peel the fruit or they won't touch it lol. I really thought they should be able to & should enjoy peeling their own mandarines etc but nope, has to be peeled for them, or actually, we've now found the ideal presentation, slice in half across it, so that all segments are exposed, then leave in the skin so the skin can hold it all together & give something to swing it around by, just for fun. Cherries are popular unpeeled & with stalks left on for holding though, same with red & black grapes, white grapes get sat on as eggs by my girl, or subjected to the "drop" game (out the cage door onto my floor) by my boy

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Haha they sound like real characters, but great that they will eat their fresh foods 😊💙🦜

[@mehere8038]

@@BirdNerdSophie yeh, they are characters :) I think all birds are if allowed to be themselves/show their personality :) So sad they both spent a decade before coming to live with me, just sitting alone in tiny cages with nothing to do (except pluck & scream & cry). I don't actually think lorikeets are really supposed to like & eat veggies, but after a decade of having primarily sunflower seeds as their only available food, I think they just love the change now & to them healthy foods are a treat & different.They actually refuse to eat sunflower seeds, even if offered, but LOVE their veggies. Probably some liver disease going on from past bad diet & their bodies probably crave stuff that helps cleanse it. Whatever the case, it works for us :) Does have to be presented in the correct way though, like this video's talking about

[@conniecruz880]

Hi ,what kind of rice can I soak besides brown rice.Do I soak all my grains

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Short grain brown rice is best to sprout! The grains don’t have to be soaked, but they are much more nutritious and digestible if you do!

[@conniecruz880]

@@BirdNerdSophie sorry I ask so many questions, but you just know so much stuff. Lol 😆 Sophie I want to buyone of the Bird nutrition books on your Amazon list. I can only afford one right now. Which one should I get. Please and thank you. By the way your fiance had a very good vlog today .

[@BirdNerdSophie]

@@conniecruz880 ah that’s awesome 😊💙 either the go raw one or a parrots fine cuisine are really good! Go raw is the newest one but both contain similar but not the same info!

[@conniecruz880]

@@BirdNerdSophie ok Thank you.

[@mariflame1821]

I have a 10 week old baby Cockatiel and I'm having problems getting him off his baby formula. In the past two weeks I have been mixing some of the baby formula with sweet potato and tops pellets, and this week with veggie chop. Also offering some banana and strawberry, seeds, and sprouts. But he keeps crying waiting for me to mix more warm baby formula. Makes me worry wondering if he's eating enough. Help?

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Hey! I'm afraid I'm not experienced in weaning conures so I wouldn't want to advise on the situation.

[@mariflame1821]

@@BirdNerdSophie Baby Cockatiel, not Conure...(?)

[@BirdNerdSophie]

@@mariflame1821 sorry, I had conures on my mind, I haven’t personally weaned cockatiels so I wouldn’t want to guess at how to do it!

[@madelenewhite1576]

My budgie is so picky 4 years in, I have tried every pellet and not happening. My budgie has constant regurgitation with all toys And objects in my house, he isn't sick, help

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Have you seen my video on how to get your bird to eat veggies?!

[@No_space_growing]

Can birds taste sour?

[@BirdNerdSophie]

To an extent, yes, but they have much less taste buds than humans!

[@livinialindsay265]

google says 1-2 tablespoons or 30-40 grams of pellets or seeds everyday (for a cockatiel) but 1 tablespoon is only 10 grams??? do i listen to the grams or the tablespoons? 😅😅😅

[@BirdNerdSophie]

We feed two tablespoons of food a day per cockatiel- one in the morning and one in the afternoon!

[@livinialindsay265]

@@BirdNerdSophie they finish one tablespoon of dry food really quickly and it’s so hard not to just give them more when they seem still hungry, i’ve seen people say always have food available to them in their cage but i don’t want them to overeat 😅 it’s a struggle being a bird mum!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

@@livinialindsay265 if they finish it and their weight and body condition are good then you can offer more - the tablespoon method is a guide!

[@angsfeatheredfriends]

Hour long video! Not sure my ADHD can handle it lol.... Going to try though!

[@BirdNerdSophie]

Haha you could always break it down into smaller parts and watch over a few days!

[@angsfeatheredfriends]

@@BirdNerdSophie Going to watch it all today, just need a few short breaks :D Very interested in this topic, I always hear 100 different suggestions on diet. Even from vets, who parrot beliefs, even if they are bad or straight up wrong. Not sure how it is over in the EU, but some vets in the US are paid to sell specific brands of food to pet owners. Even if its crap.

[@BirdNerdSophie]

@@angsfeatheredfriends yes that happens globally. These companies also fund and provide nutrition training to vets which is likely to be biased to their products!

[@angsfeatheredfriends]

@@BirdNerdSophie I remember reading somewhere off a vet site, when it came to portion sizes for birds. 1 grape to a cockatiel was like 256 grapes to a human. I am not sure if this was 100% accurate or not, but going off logic, their stomach size compared to ours. It does sound right. Which is another reason I love giving my birds a huge variety, instead of just 1 giant chunk of something.