Brand preference?

bonnies_gouldians · Post by **bonnies_gouldians** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 9:20 pm

Hello to all, I am new to the finch world and have started my addiction with two pairs of gouldians! I have done quite a bit of research but all in all, I think the opinions of keepers is always good to hear!

I feed my gouldians Kaytee Egg-cite every day as a staple, veggies (broccli, cauliflower, greenbeans) every other day, and one stick of millet once a week. They have access to a cuttle bone 24/7.

I have heard that you should feed them pelleted foods and that they are better than seed foods. I also have heard of several extra things they can have but I don't want to go overboard with it and don't know what should and shouldnt be used. I have also read in a couple of books that Avi-cakes or Nutri-berries are good staple diets. I love the idea of feeding them one of these foods because they seem simple enough, through a chunk of cake or a berry in the bowl in the morning and toss out the old stuff. But it just seems too simple and makes me think that they don't have enough...THOUGHTS??

Can you guys give me prefered brands and what supplements I should be using? Also, any veggie suggestions, my guys seem to really not like theirs...

Thanks ahead of time!
Bonnie

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:16 pm

Welcome to the forum, the first thing have you checked out the link to your left http://www.finchinfo.com/ it has a section on gouldians in spiecies that has just about every thing you could want to know.I feed mine a good seed mix and romain lettuce,egg food and other veg. mine don't like to many veg.

Post by **Sally** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 1:44 am

From my personal experience, I no longer feed a pelleted diet. I'm sure they are very well-balanced, and a lot of research went into producing them. The only problem I had was that I thought my birds didn't get enough stimulation from basically a well-balanced but boring diet. In the wild, you see birds eating all kinds of things, and constantly foraging. In our cages, especially, I believe we need to make life as interesting as we can, given the circumstances, so a well-varied diet gives them things to pick thru and choose.

Gouldians are picky eaters and often won't eat their veggies--just keep trying till you find something they like. I use a good basic finch seed mix, then offer a variety, depending on the species. Egg food, fresh veggies, dry insect mix, mealworms for the waxbills, spray millet, mineral mix--I switch things around to keep up their interest.

FinchMommy · Post by **FinchMommy** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 1:58 am

I recently just switched the birds over to the ZuPreem fruit blend pellets. It was super easy. I give them a finch seed mix every so often too, and egg food a couple times a week, and fresh veg every other day. Their favorite seems to be carrot. They get a millet spray once a week as well, and have access to a cuttle bone, and have a dish with oystershell and charcoal.

bonnies_gouldians · Post by **bonnies_gouldians** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:34 pm

I have them on the Kaytee Egg Cite seed so I don't think I need to supplement with additional egg food. I went ahead and got the oyster shell product and see my finches eating it which I thought was pretty cool, though they don't care for the cuttle bone too much. I am trying a lot of different fruits and veggies, one of the pairs hasn't even tried any that I put in their cage but I'll keep trying until I find something they like. I am hoping that the pair that does it veggies will teach them by example (like all little kids need!) that veggies are really yummy and good for them!

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 4:29 pm

I have a old blender that I use ,i just cut the cuttle bone into smaller pieces and put in the blender it just take a min.and its like powder and sprinkle over the veg that they will eat,also have it whole for them.
If they don't eat something one day they might eat it another day you have to just keep trying different things
Mine have the oyster shell,and i put egg shells in with it[cooked&broken up shells]

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 9:28 pm

B CAMP,

I also did the blender thing with the cuttle bone but leave it in a cup dry for them. Problem is that they poop all over it. Have you tried to put it in the drinking water? does it dissolve well?

Chris

B CAMP wrote:I have a old blender that I use ,i just cut the cuttle bone into smaller pieces and put in the blender it just take a min.and its like powder and sprinkle over the veg that they will eat,also have it whole for them.
If they don't eat something one day they might eat it another day you have to just keep trying different things
Mine have the oyster shell,and i put egg shells in with it[cooked&broken up shells]

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 9:44 pm

No I never tried it in water only sprinkling on veg,and the cuttlebone to chew on but they don't seem to use it much.sometimes I sprinkle on egg food mine all seem to eat the egg shells a lot more and oyster shell I think they get enough calcium

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 9:53 pm

Yes mine love the Egg shells and don't really care for the cuttlebone. Just that I can't eat that many eggs just to collect the shells for them so have to look at another source of calcium for the Goulds.

Chris

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 10:11 pm

Just hardboil the eggs and give to them with the shells

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 10:09 am

I don't believe cuttlebone will disolve in water seeing as it was a bone of a fish. I shave some cuttlebone and add it to the seed mix during breeding season as well as having cuttlebone in the bars of the cage (at the end of the perches) at all times. They don't always go to the cuttlebone - only when necessary as they are starting to get into breeding condition and sometimes during breeding.

An alternative calcium source that is water soluble is CalciBoost which I add to their drinking water once a week. It's also great to have this on hand in case of an egg-binding emergency.

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 10:22 am

thanks for the info...

Shaving into the food it always seems to settle into the bottom of the dishes.

Chris

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 10:35 am

Yes some of it can settle to the bottom of the dishes which is why I use CalciBoost in the water.

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 11:48 am

Hi...welcome bonnies_gouldians

When I was reading through the replies I saw that FinchMommy mentioned about using Zupreem pellets a light bulb went off in my head and I realized that I could use my ground up Zupreem pellets.

When I got my Senegal parrot the previous owner said he only eats the Zupreem rainbow shapes....well I bought a big bag and he hardly ate any for me and I am sure that is why he was so underweight. Anyway...a while back I ground up the Zupreem and made a coarse powder (I didn't have a coffee grinder so I used an old meat grinder- and what a job those things are like cement!) out of them and was planning on just adding that to the birdie bread I make.

But I didn't even think about trying to give it to my finches! So I just tried it this morning and as soon as I put some of the powdered Zupreem in the bowl they went right after it....Woo-Hoo! $\:D/$ Now I can use it up faster by feeding it to the finches in addition to adding it to the birdie bread. Sometimes I just never think of the obvious!

That is what I love about this Forum....lots of good ideas always being shared here.

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 12:17 pm

I have also ground pellets and put a little into egg food when I give to them

FINCHforum

Brand preference?

Brand preference?

thanks for all your input!