FINCHforum

Hi everyone,
Here is some info. I rec'd from the Phoenix Worm company. Thought ya'll would like to see it. BTW, my Bleus are doing great on them ( I still give them mealworms, dont want to take any chances.)


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Hi Judy,

We're glad to hear from you! Yes, we have quite a few finch breeders who
feed Phoenix Worms even though we have never advertised to the bird market.
Zoos also order PWs to feed their exotic species. The zoo in Rhode Island
has extremely rare (nearly extinct) Bali Mynah birds and they feed them PWs
primarily for the extra calcium the worms provide. They tell us that the
calcium enhances egg shell quality and also strengthens the legs of
hatchling birds. Shama bird breeders in California and Florida have also
discovered PWs. We're told that soft bill birds are big fans. The naturally
balanced calcium:phosphorus in PWs is unique among feeders and makes the
worms especially nutritious for breeding and just-laid females as well as
their babies. A breeder told us that he's sure that a broken beak healed in
less than two weeks because he had been feeding PWs.

We are very happy to have you as a new customer and would appreciate your
telling other bird enthusiasts about this feeder. If you have ideas about
where we should advertise, we'd love to know your thoughts. Unfortunately,
we don't know how to reach this market. Thank you very much for writing.

Sheila Sheppard, Vice President
Insect Science Resource
768 Brighton Road
Tifton, GA 31794
229-382-0363
www.phoenixworm.com



----- Original Message -----
From: <pukasand@cox.net>
To: <information@phoenixworm.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2008 11:14 AM
Subject: BIRD FOOD?


>
> A pet shop owner suggested I try Phoenix Worms for my Cordon Bleus that
> are breeding. They seemed to love them. I inquired on Finch Forum about
> other bird owners/breeders feeding them to their birds. No one seemed to
> have heard of them, but they concurred that if the birds liked them, they
> are a good source of protein w/o the fat. Have you or do you know of any
> other bird owners that have used them, and is there any possible side
> effects? I am a new convert if they are ok, and I think you may have a
> whole new field of buyers/users. Thanks for a great product.
> Judy ******/Virginia Beach

It's awesome that they listed some of their bigger customers, especially because if you wanted, you could contact them directly to see how they feel about using the Pheonix worms. You may not get great responses on your first try, but most people are willing to share their experiences with any product if you ask. I like those worms for my reptiles but have never offered them to birds. Maybe the next time I go to a rep show I will pick some up and give it a try with the birds, especially if a zoo is using them...they normally do a lot of research into threatened species husbandry and feeding so they have the best chance of getting healthy offspring.

I agree. Sometimes things sound too good to be true. I worried about my birds getting TOO MUCH nutrition..lol. Everything seems ok so far.

What size did you order for your birds? Do you keep them the same way you keep Mealies?

Thanks!

I ordered the small and medium. I've had two batches. The small were just right .. the medium had some larger ones that I had to cut in half..yuk. The Bleus ate them anyway.. and they're still in the nest here's hoping. I keep listening for any kind of 'peep'. Let me know how they work for you if you try them.. good luck.

Good to know, i'll order the small when I get some. My Cordons are breeding machines and they are very devoted sitters and feeders but for some reason their babies always die. I'm going to give them a break and i'll order the phoneix worms the next time they breed.

Good luck with yours....I hope you hear peeps very soon, the Bleus are very quiet beggers so there could be hatchlings in there without you even knowing.

We thought we heard 'peeps' from the nest today, but Im still holding my breath. I hope, I hope. These are my first pair of BCCB and my first clutch. The Phoenix worms do not have to be refrigerated, plus, you can put all of them in a dish with smooth sides and they wont crawl out, so you can load them up for your birds and not worry about spoilage or morphing into flies. Good luck.