High Protein Diet

[ConnieS]

I have penquin and normal zebras, society finches, red cheek cordenbleu, orangebrested waxbill which eat seeds, greens , egg and cheese. I just got 2 greenback twinspots. I found out they like insects,crickets and worms. That they need a higher protein diet. Do they have to be alive or can I purchase the canned or freeze dried versions?
Thank you,

[ac12]

IF they will eat the freeze dried (FD) stuff, use it. FD is just so much more convenient than raising live insects...yuk.

[Babs _Owner]

ConnieS

Honey dont feed your birds cheese

[lovezebs]

ConnieS

Wouldn't buy the canned stuff.
I tried it once, and it was really gross.
My birds would not touch it.

[ConnieS]

Both MY Parrots (Hawns Macaws, Sun Conures) and my finches have been eating cheese for years and they love it. Any dairy product that is fermented (Chesse , yogart ) is safe for birds as told to me by parrot enthusiates many years ago, even before ever getting finches. Milk is no good for it has ths lactose that birds cannot tolerate. I also give them scrambled eggs(Microwaved)---no butter or any additives...They go for that too. Cooked chicken too...
As far as canned insects--yes yuk to that. Freese dried only!! I just got my greenbacks and one of the meal worms that was boxed with them unknowningly escaped and I found it in the kitchen--two rooms down!!! I thought I was done with live insects when I gave my red eye frogs away.(They will ONLY eat live). I looked on Amazon and people have been saying that freeze dried are loved by their insect eating birds. I ordered some--hoping they will take to it!!! Thank you for your opinions!

[lovezebs]

ConnieS

Gotta watch these pesky mealworms, they are happy travelers....lol. Anything to get away from those sharp beaks . Annnd, if you don't catch them in time, they turn into ugly black beatles that only an Antomologist would love.

I know that Hookbills can eat all sorts of stuff that people eat (my former neighbor has an African Gray, who absolutely loves chicken wings ).

However, I've never heard of Finches eating cheese and meat . That is really interesting (live and learn, eh ? . Mine love hard boiled eggs, but personally I have never tried scrambled (although I have heard of some people serving eggs that way. How did you find out that they would eat these items?

[ConnieS]

I have had parrots for alomost the past twenty years. It is easier for me to scramble the eggs and put it in a microwave omlete maker( no butter or anything). I then crumble it up and give to my parrots along with cheese, meat and cooked vegetables. I mostly use white American Cheese most of the time. Parrot people with large parrots just throw a whole slice of American cheese into their dish.
For my finches I do the same in a reptile dish but use romaine lettuce instead of cooked veggies, sometimes also cooked carrots. Dish looks like ahollowed out log , but shaped like a dish , as mentioned I had frogs so I have these leftover reptile dishes. The very large reptile dish I put the seed for my finches. The smaller reptile dish I put the crumbled up scrambled egg and cheese in the center.I like the look of the dishes in the cage--natural looking as it was meant to be for the reptiles, of which birds are decents of.
I have to fold the American cheese into quarters and press into the dish so when the finches peck on it , it doesn't go all over the floor of the cage.I put placemats over the wire bottom and layer that with a long sheet of paper towels the length of the cage floor. I clean that twice a day so things stay clean.
I have had finches for 12- 15 years and when I get a new pair, they see the older ones eating the cheese, try it and LIKE IT. In the morning , that is one of the first things they head for, The cheese and egg dish sometime chichen white meat pieces crumbled up. I do see both the egg and chicken scattered about onthe floor so I know they are eating it.

[lovezebs]

ConnieS

Thanks for the info. I always find what other Finchers do interesting.

Would love to see some pictures of your set up, reptile dishes and all

[Babs _Owner]

ConnieS

Im not a waxbill expert, but I'm intuitively uncomfortable with the idea of cheese for my seed eating finches. Given it's bacterial foundation for many types of cheese, I can't in good conscience tell someone to "let your bird eat pizza" for example

I'd be more inclined to possibly try that with insectivores like crows and blue jays (and maybe waxbills). My seed finches, I'm gonna stick to boiled egg as the entire room finally adores it, and has passed that love of protein on to their offspring (took a while).
Eggs/shells are something they will in the wild anyway.

My indian ringneck had his boiled egg and yolk everyday with liquid calcium-vit D while molting and went through it effortlessly. I agree the added protein is such a wonderful boost.

[lovezebs]

Babs

Hi Babsi,

Have you never watched a Crow rip into a pizza? You just reminded me of something, lol.

A few years ago, I watched a Crow and a Magpie having a tug of war with a pizza slice in the middle of a Walmart parking lot. It was the funniest thing over. Finally the Magpie's relatives arrived on the scene (must have them on his cell) and they won the war, chased the Crow away, and proceeded to have a feast right in the middle of the Parking lot, with cars swerving around them.

[ConnieS]

I have been giving cheese to my finches for tha past 10-15 years with no ill effects. To each his own I guess. Bacteria? i give my finches and parrots Bene-bac plus. Probiotics--all healthy bacteria..

[slwatson]

ConnieS

I use freeze dried blood worms, freeze dried mealworms, and quiko goldy egg food, mix it all up together, and add it to boiled eggs. All of my waxbills eat it up. I used to offer live mealworms, but thought this was more convenient. I'm having great luck breeding my seagreen parrot finches, but none of the other parrot finches, so maybe I need to start offering live mealworms???

[lovezebs]

slwatson

Get that worm farm started up woman, lol. My Parrot Finches absolutely love LOVE live mealworms.

[DamonIRB]

We have Red Ear Waxbills (Black Rumped) that will absolutely devour live meal worms, if we provide them. It's a pain though and my wife gets a bit creeped out at the idea of live worms in the fridge. I stuck with boiled egg with the powdered Egg Meal from LadyGouldian for years, but recently found a variety of egg food from Quiko specifically made for insectivores. Check the link below. Our guys/gals love it. It has a bit of an aroma, but it dissipates fairly quick.

Quiko Egg Food for Insectivores

D

[slwatson]

lovezebs

I need to....my red throats loved them. Maybe that will help with the breeding.