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Seed & Honey Stuffers

A super simple and versatile home-made treat for all parrots! It is also a perfect recipe to sneak in those vitamins!

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp seeds or seed mix
  • 2 tbsp small pellets (finch or parakeet size work best)
  • 2 tbsp wheat flour
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tsp honey
  • add additional vitamins according to individual directions
  • *You will need some pasta shells to fill, but if you don’t have any, you can roll the dough into balls, or disks with holes to string them on toys!

    • Directions:

    1. Preheat your oven to 350′ F.

    2. In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients: seeds, pellets, flour, water, honey, and vitamins. If the dough is too dry, add small amounts of water.

    3. Grab a handful of uncooked pasta shells to fill- mezzi riggitoni and medium shells work well!

    4. After mixing the dough thoroughly, put it into a ziplock bag, and cut the corner off a bottom end so you can pipe the dough into the pasta pieces, or into shapes on a parchment-lined baking pan.

    Alternate: Roll the dough into balls about the size of a dime or penny. If you want treats to hang, flatten the balls into disks and use a straw to punch holes into the center.

    5. Bake items for 10 minutes, cool, and serve!

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    Vitamin Supplements

    Vitamins for birds come in many brands and forms, like blocks, powders, and liquids. If your bird is on a seed based diet, supplementing is recommended to ensure they are getting balanced nutrition.

  • Mineral blocks are convenient because you can attach them anywhere in the cage and the birds can chew on them at any time so you don’t need to worry about adding vitamins daily. They are also inexpensive, and long-lasting. The drawbacks are that some birds aren’t interested in them, or like to perch on them and dirty them with droppings. There are a few alternatives, like mineral blocks that are incorporated into toys, or that are shaped as perches.

  • Powdered vitamins are popular, especially brands such as Prime and Super Preen. This form of vitamin can be sprinkled over seeds, but sometimes may settled to the bottom. It is more effective when sprinkled over fruits and vegetables because it can stick, or, added directly to cooked foods like scrambled eggs. Some powdered vitamins are also water soluble and can be added to the drinking water instead. These vitamins, when stored properly are also long lasting, but can be more expensive.

  • Liquid drops are one of the easiest ways to ensure your bird is consuming its daily vitamins because they are added directly to the water. Because of this, it is very important to change the water daily to prevent the vitamins from spoiling. Some brands you can add the liquid to the seeds or over fruits and vegetables as well. Liquid forms are usually moderately priced.

    • If your bird has specific dietary needs, please consult an avian vet before using supplements. Birds on pelleted diets do not need additional vitamins or minerals.

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    Jardine’s Parrots

    If you are looking for a medium, compact parrot with an even disposition and playful personality, the Jardine’s Parrots are a good place to start. When young, they are primarily green and black which run into a scalloped pattern on the wings and back. As they mature, they grow a pop of orange or red color on their forehead and shoulders. This is usually not completely grown-in until 4 to 6 years of age. Males and females will look alike.

    Jardine’s are one of the larger species in the Poicephalus genus, and are related to Senegals, Red Bellied Parrots, and a few other species originating in Africa. There are 3 subspecies: the Greater, the Lesser, and the Black-wing. These can be difficult to tell apart, but there are a few clues to look for:

  • The Greater Jardine’s may be slightly larger, and the mature forehead and shoulder coloration is red-orange.

  • The Lesser Jardine’s are the most commonly kept Jardine’s, and have a orange to golden forehead and shoulder coloration, and extends the farthest on the bird.

  • The Black-wing Jardine’s are not common, and the forehead and shoulder coloration is more red.

    • The talking and mimicking ability of the Jardine’s is fair, they usually like to pick up sounds and are very good at whistles. They can be affectionate, bowing their head for neck rubs, and some will enjoying playing on their back and wrestling with balls and foot toys. Jardine’s can also play independently on playstands, or in their cage with other toys- not have to rely on constant attention.

    Jardine’s are a parrot that may be apartment friendly as they are not constantly loud vocalizers. But with any parrot there is always the potential for noise! The lifespan can range from 25-30 years or more.

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    Firecracker Flatbread

    If your parrot has a taste for spicy things, this is the perfect recipe.

    Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 2 tbsp. coconut oil (or olive oil)
  • 1/2 tbsp. dried crushed peppers
  • 1/2 tbsp. flax and/or sesame seeds
  • 1/4 cup diced fresh peppers

    • Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350′ F.
    2. Use a food processor to pulse the rolled oats into a flour consistency and put into a medium bowl. Whisk in the wheat flour.
    3. To the flour, add in extras like dried crushed peppers, seeds, and diced fresh peppers. Try fresh jalapenos, bell peppers, or red and green chilis.
    4. Pour into the mix the warm water and oil (if using coconut oil, make sure it is liquid, not solid). Knead together, dough will be slightly sticky.
    5. Place the dough on a lined cookie sheet, and cover with a large sheet of waxed paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out very, very thinly. You can pre-score the dough into squares or rectangles, or break into bits after cooking.
    6. Bake for 15-20 minutes. For better crispness, move the flatbread to a cooling rack. Let cool until crispy, break and serve!

    Remember! When cooking with peppers, remember to wash your hands thoroughly and do not touch your face or eyes to prevent irritation.