my parrot's diet?? is it satisfactory or over fed??? pls help......

Hi, am so glad to get you people in touch I have just adopted an alenxandrine last month. He's 2 and a half months old now.....i exactly dont know how to feed my parrot...i am giving him dehydrated baby food (cerelac) for about 5-10 ml a day....and am still continuing that. provided he eats any fruit or vege in between but in a very low quantity....is this a proper diet for him?? i mainly continue the baby food because he does not show interest in eating fruits or veges.....he just plays with them... and now am scared is this gonna continue for years??? and he looks quite big now.... is he really growing or he's over fed? being kinda 2 and a half months, he has almost completed his feather development and his black ring has just started to appear... am worried whether am giving him the correct diet...However he remains soo active and is very sociable.i have much questions coz this is my first time having a pet.... my questions are

1. when often should he be fed? and with what and my parrot does not show interest in fruits even with sunflower seed.... he likes new foods for the first two days and ignores it later

2. My parrot is let free at home.....i cage him only for sleep at nights... is is the right choice?? or should i cage him??

3. when would my parrot start talking?? whenever i try him, he is busy playing coz he's left free.....he does not concentrate much coz he's busy all the time with his toys..

am so sorry for talking your time.....hope you would help my feather face esp in his diet.

Thank you

Hi Welcome

I have had Moustache Parakeet chicks which are slightly smaller than a Ringneck. Ours were parent reared but as they grew older helped themselves to various foods the parents had. To start with we offered EMP egg food moistened with warm water, millet sprays which I expect yours would now eat, Tidymix which is a seed mixture. To be honest I would not give him sunflower seed, you can get parakeet mixes and Tidymix do one, also always offer various chopped fruits & veg. Our parakeets particularly like the dried figs split open so they can get to the seeds, passion fruit sliced up, apple, carrot, sugar snap peas, corn on the cob, grape, pomegranate and so on. Also shelled walnuts and cashew nuts.

I know a lot of people leave their parrots out of the cage all day, I don't having quite a few. But really he should go in when you go out of the house - for his own safety .

He's is a bit young to start talking which he may or may not learn to do, remember not all parrots do learn to talk.

Let's see what other members can advise.

Good luck and keep us up to date, any queries just ask!

Have you a photo you can upload of him?

Hi and welcome I'm sure you'll get all the help here you need for your featherd friend I've also had lots off help here .. Just ask them they won't bite you..

Hello and welcome
Great advice from Anne there
I'm not sure about alexandrine - I was looking into them though and this site seemed quite good
http://www.parrotfeather.com/asiatics/alexandrine/

But i'm sure someone will pop up that has experience.
Kate x

There are breeders on a site called parrot link they will be better to advise I have never reared x hope all is ok and keep us updated

thank yu all for your replies and welcome have atleast got an clue now DIT am not able to post a pic of my pet dont know y..... your link was sooo helpful woodlandtreespirit thanks for it and thankx steve

So pleased we have been able to help a little, anything you are unsure of just ask, no matter how small or silly it may seem.
I think to put a photo up you have to do it via the photobucket website.
Which is free.

If your on a iPhone it really easy to post pics with photobucket

All our birds need food on tap so to speak to give them the chance to top up when and how they want. For that reason my five get their dishes changed twice a day and also fresh drinking water. There is always a lot of waste feeding a bird, but they are programmed to eat this way so we have to respect that.
My five have their preferrences to different foods and this is something that will become obvious to you in time but you need to keep offering the different varieties so they have the chance to have the right varied foods on tap. Good luck.

might add also it is important for them to be able to fill their crops before night sleep to see them through until the morning.
Wild birds are known to lose a third of their body weight overnight and spend the next day making it up again. Suppose the same principles are behind our tame birds as it is a built in programme from down the centuries of progression.

thank yu

How's he doing and what is he eating now??

hi Di t. He's doing great very playfull nowadays two weeks back he was sick. guess he had some stomach infection... he had been vomitting... anyways he's totally fine now have become sooo playfull and he's trying to talk... tries to call me by my name but not often.. just once or twice in a day when he wishes and coming to his diet, am giving him varieties of food in a mixture form everyday.. he eats them better than before.... he's still handfed anyway.. am giving him dehydrated baby food for morning and evening.. during the night and noon he's fed with fruits...but guess he has improved on his diet...
he's demanding for new toys everyday!!!!!!!!!!!!!! am having soomuch of fun with this kid <3

He is lovely, what's his name?
So pleased he is doing well.
You could enter the photo into the Photo of the month, scroll down on the front page and you will find it.

thank yu i ll call him as Abi

How are things working out now with your Abi? has he sorted out his likes and dislikes in the food world by now?
Also has he said your name yet? Dying to know!
Long as you are both happy together it will progress from there and the love and confidence will grow. Good luck.

thank you soo much for your concern welshanne abi is doing great... ya have got an idea about his food now.... am trying to stop him spoon feeding bit by bit.... he says my name occasionly but not much often.. but am worried about him now because he has stared to pluck his feathers... and not eating much... dunno why?? is it mainly because am stoping to feed him?? and his voice has changed a bit since 2 days.... am really worried abt this...help me pls......

Did you stop feeding him gradually or just stop, it could be related to how he is now - not eating much and plucking. You may have to continue a bit longer?
Lets see what others think.

have not totally stopped..... am just gradually stopping.... he's 4 months old and should i really continue hand feeding baby food?????

Well 4 months = 16 weeks so it is only about time to start weaning really, perhaps carry on for now then gradually reducing, some do take longer than others to wean, there's no hard & fast rule, so long as you have a happy healthy birdie. No point Abi getting distressed and start plucking due to it.

may be i should.... but he;s just getting practised to weaning now... however he mentally looks health to me.... he plays the same way....

thank you for contacting me but my advice is just general for any young bird. Sorry but no idea about Abi as never had only Greys, Timneh,Blue front and Macaw myself.
Sounds as if you need to carry on spoonfeeding him as he is needing it a bit longer. They will become independant soon enough once got the hang of it.
Offering a variety of all kinds of food is good and you will notice what he is fond of and eating more of.
My lot although no longer young, love to be spoon fed now and then as a comfort thing in the Winter months when it is colder. We all enjoy doing it and as long as they are happy do not see the problem myself. Good luck.