FINCHforum

Just thought I'd let you all know how my new parents are doing and my experiences with various types of insect food.

These are the first finches I've had where live food was recommended. Not wanting to do that, I've been trying various kinds of dried/canned mealworms, etc. Thought I'd let you now what success/failure I've had!

I still have no idea how many babies there are, but sounds like at least 2, possibly 3. Not going to blow it by peeking. I'll find out when they fledge! The parents are loving the real egg, of course, but they seem to prefer it when it's got some of the dried eggfood in it to make it more crumbly.

I've tried the canned mealworms, but no luck still. They pick them out of the dish and toss them. The only way they get any of them is if I grind them up very small and mix them in the eggfood. So that's what I've been doing, to make sure they are getting lots of protein.

I also have the dried insect mix from orlux, and again, they don't seem particulary interested in the mealworms, but pick at some of the other little bits (what insect they are is anybody's guess...). Again, I chop up very small and mix with the eggfood now.

Then I tried ant "eggs" from Orlux. They do eat those, but only a bit, when well mixed with the real egg. No need to chop them up.

It's almost like they don't recognize the dried stuff as real food because it doesn't smell right maybe? Anyway, as the babies are getting bigger and louder, I noticed the egg food going down really quickly, even with lots of various bugs mixed in. So I decided to experiment: Put some ant eggs in one end of the dish, regular eggfood next to that, then dried mealworms, then some canned mealworms, then some dried bloodworms.

The hands down favorite (which they didn't touch when I first offered it to them, before the babies came) was the bloodworms! Next came the eggfood with various bugs mixed in, next the ant 'eggs', and the mealworms were untouched or tossed!

The dried bloodworms I got at Zellers pet food section, as the tin said it was 100% bloodworms, no added vitamins or minerals. (Didn't want to add anything that was meant for fish, not birds, as they already get bird vitamins.) Dried bloodworms are really cheap, so I must say I was very glad that they seem to have discovered a taste for them.

So here I thought I'd be giving them food that was natural to them, and they would enjoy a treat of mealworms that look almost live out of the can... but they just don't appreciate all I go to for them.

Nothing is going to waste though, just grinding it all up and mixing with the hardboiled egg, and they are eating it without knowing it.

Still a few days til they fledge - will keep you posted.

Ah great post, I have a pair that are sitting on their first clutch of eggs. They've been sitting steadily for 4 days probably so I have a little bit to go before I hear squeaking (hopefully). I do need to start adding protein rich foods...I would've never thought about bloodworms! I'm going to buy some and see how they react to them. I'll also add the mealworms ground up and the egg food. I really hope that my pair raises this clutch if it hatches. I have no idea how many eggs they've laid as the nest built is 6' high in the fake ivy, it's a natural nest so there's no way i'll peek...it'll be WAY too risky.

Thanks for sharing your info.

[quote="FinchezRule"] I have no idea how many eggs they've laid as the nest built is 6' high in the fake ivy, it's a natural nest so there's no way i'll peek...it'll be WAY too risky.
quote]

Isn't it exciting?

Sorry, I haven't been paying too much attention lately to the forum. What kind of birds are we talking about?

My Goulds don't seem to eat anything but they are not dead yet so I know they are picking at something. They are my only picky eaters.

I give my quails the canned live meal worms and they gobble them up fast. Otherwise all my birds eat most things I give them.

some waxbills will only eat the heads from mealworm, so dont be disheartened if it appears that they just chuck them away, maybe pick a few up and see if the heads are missing.
try a few unripened (green) seeds and see how the birds take to that, all of my birds seem to prefer green seeds and always eat them first

mickp wrote:some waxbills will only eat the heads from mealworm, so dont be disheartened if it appears that they just chuck them away, maybe pick a few up and see if the heads are missing.
try a few unripened (green) seeds and see how the birds take to that, all of my birds seem to prefer green seeds and always eat them first

You are right! They have eaten the heads. Picky eaters eh?
I tried putting in some heads of grasses that were loaded with green seeds, but they won't touch them. Tried dandelion, flowers and seeding head. Tried parsley and kale. Tried cucumber... and so on and so on...

They don't seem to want anything green if it's fresh, not dried. Just the eggfood, the charcoal and oystershell, and occassionally they pick through the Herb Salad. And millet - they particularly love red millet! But I keep trying, keep offering the other stuff. Maybe they'll get a taste of it by accident, when mixed a bit with egg food, and realize it's actually good food! Well I can hope eh?

birdbrain - these are a pair of Gold Breasted Waxbills.

it may take them a while to decide on the fresh foods, keep making them available for a decent length of time the birds will choose in the end.
this may seem like a waste for a while but in the long term the birds always have the last say

mickp wrote:it may take them a while to decide on the fresh foods, ...
this may seem like a waste for a while but in the long term the birds always have the last say

Guess what! They seem to want to make a liar of me! An hour ago I defrosted some of the canned mealworms, and put one on the bottom of the cage and 5 minutes later I couldn't believe it, the female was eating it, and the male was chasing her around practically begging for some of it! So I just went and put 5 or 6 more in there and they are going nuts! And they are eating more than the head! Guess I'll have to get more of the canned ones after all! So cute to see them excited about the treats. And now the dad is in there feeding the babies.