Am I OverFeeding the Extras?

[LisaB53]

I am wondering if I am overfeeding with all the extra's I provide the zebra's everyday. If I understand from my reading that when food is plentiful it triggers the breeding instinct of the birds. My male pair are always trying to build nest but my female pair that are in half of the double flight cage are starting to lay eggs. I wasn't sure if I'm providing too much food or if it could be triggered by the parents taking care of the baby in the other half of the cage.

Everyday I put clean finch seed in but I also make up a plate that contains soaked seed, a few veggies, and cut up like kale, or spring mix. They always have access to the herb salad but I also put in little cups of egg food and some pellet food. I usually give small pieces of spray millet a few time a week. Should I cut back on all the extras?

Could anyone give me an idea of what they provide daily and what they provide as extras for zebs that you don't want to breed.

Thanks,
Lisa

[Sally]

I think Zebras have such a strong breeding instinct that as long as you have males and females together, or in adjoining cages, they will want to breed. I believe in good nutrition, but you could cut back somewhat. Eggfood on a daily basis is a lot of protein, which can trigger breeding. You could do that as a once-weekly treat. Millet spray once a week. Veggies still daily, or every other day, but smaller amounts maybe. Herb salad I would leave as free-choice.

[cindy]

The one thing I learned from my avian vet about finches and lovebirds is that seed contains fat and that also stimulates them to breed. So if you seed contains a lot of sunflower chips and fatty additives cut back on that and give maybe once or twice a week.

You sound like you are providing them with a good mix of foods. Sally is right though cut the millet back to once a week. To be honest I don't feed any millet, thay have enough of a variety of different millets in their seed. If you are feeding pellets along with the seed they are getting enough of the good nutrients to start with along with the egg foods to.

Keep the fresh greens coming and the Herb Salad mine really love.

Zebras are like the bunnies of the finch world...they are always in breeding mode!!!!!

[LisaB53]

Thank you both for the help. I am going to cut the eggfood back to once a week for the male pair and the female pair, however I will give it daily to the parents until the baby is weaned. I can't wait for it to fledge, it is the first and hopefully the last baby I'll have.

I feel better about the diet I'm providing, I'll just tweak it with the change of eggfood and millet.

Lisa

[cindy]

Lisa, I do leave an small egg cup of dried ABBA eggfood mixed with pellets powdered for them to eat as they wish (I change it out if it is soiled in or after a week), the same with the herb salad, calcium mix and hatched egg shells. When they have young I add an extra dish/bowl in the cage for the parents to go to to stock up for feedings.