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Raspberries

Talk about bird illnesses and other bird health related issues. Seeds, pellets, fruits, vegetables and more. Discuss what to feed your birds and in what quantity. Share your recipe ideas.

Raspberries

Postby Pajarita » Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:10 am

For some reason, it has taken me years and years to get my birds used to eating raspberries and, even now, not all of them eat them. And I don't know why! They have been eating blackberries, blueberries and strawberries for years and years but would not touch the raspberries! Thankfully, the caiques -which ADORE fruit and eat not only large portions but pretty much any kind of produce- started first, then the zons, then the other conures and now, only the gray, the quakers and one of the GCCs don't eat them - but they will.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrit ... li=BBnb7Kz
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Raspberries

Postby CandaceC » Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:19 am

My little Quaker is a little over 3 months old and just weaned off of formula. It’s such a treat introducing him to fruits and veg. He’s eating seed mix enthusiastically, but is rather wary of these strange tidbits I’ve been offering. If I chop and place in a bowl, he rarely touches them, so I’ve been offering tiny bits by hand while we socialize. So far, apples and carrot seem to be his favorites. It’s so funny to watch his mannerisms as he tastes something new! I haven’t tried raspberries yet, but plan to introduce berries soon.
Since I only have the two birds (Ryder is a Sun and eats everything well) I find it hard to keep a supply of fresh food on hand since the containers I get are more than I can timely use. Is it okay to freeze the extra and then thaw before offering it? I know that the nutritional value is not lost, but will the birds still eat it after it’s been frozen and then thawed?
CandaceC
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Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Re: Raspberries

Postby Pajarita » Mon Jun 27, 2022 8:30 am

Well, I don't believe in chopping anything for them because I firmly believe that emulating their natural behavior is best (birds don't eat anything chopped in the wild). Berries, grapes and grape or cherry tomatoes are served whole while the apples, bananas, pears, mangoes, oranges, etc are offered in chunks large enough to be held in their 'hands'. Try eating whatever in front of him (or with him perched on your shoulder) and do not offer him any until he leans over toward your mouth or hand and, then, offer him the same fruit/veggie you are eating from but from the other side (so he doesn't get any bacteria from your mouth). And try leafy greens, quakers LOVE them. They prefer the crunchier stuff, like the heart of a Romaine - but no spinach ever!

As to freezing... well, yes, you can do it and it is true that freezing retains almost all the nutrients that were present at the time of freezing (but remember that, of all the forms -frozen, canned, fresh, freeze-dried- fresh produce has the lowest nutrition). The only problem you will have with it is that freezing destroys the walls of the cells so a fresh, nice, crispy fruit becomes very mushy after thawing.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Raspberries

Postby CandaceC » Mon Jun 27, 2022 9:55 am

Thanks Parjarita!

When I worked at the zoo, we fed so many birds that keeping fresh fruit/veggies wasn’t a problem.

I’ve been doing as you suggested, offering a suitable chunk by hand while he’s sitting on shoulder or hand. He reaches for it, but doesn’t yet seem to have his coordination down to holding and manipulating it himself. It appears that he wasn’t yet in a cage before I got him, just in an intermediate, open topped, plexiglass enclosure with some other young Quakers and ring necks, so his manual dexterity isn’t yet well developed. Even learning to navigate the bars of his cage was a bit of a challenge. Fascinating to watch him learn though! I’ve also been very slowly introducing toys, since he seems quite shy of anything new and doesn’t seem too interested yet. I’ve provided several perching choices to help him learn to navigate, but it all seems rather overwhelming for him. I expected him to be more curious. Baby steps and patience are my best bet, just like with the fruit and veg.

Thanks for your encouragement and advice.
CandaceC
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 7
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Quaker, Sun Conure
Flight: No

Re: Raspberries

Postby Pajarita » Wed Jun 29, 2022 9:42 am

Yes, he is still too young to be good at eating... Please remember that, at only three months of age, he is still a baby and, in the wild, he would still be fed by his parents so, if I were you, I would offer him a bit of warm juvenile (not baby) formula in a syringe after he eats his breakfast. I'll give you three reasons why this is a good idea: 1) they LOVE it. 2) it's a more natural way of weaning them (parents don't stop to feed them going by their age, they continue to do it until the baby doesn't want it anymore), and 3) it's a FABULOUS bonding tool for you.

And, please, please, please, do NOT free-feed any protein food. Offer it only for dinner.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Raspberries

Postby gerarab » Thu Jun 29, 2023 11:42 pm

I think the second reason is the most reasonable onedrift boss
gerarab
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Re: Raspberries

Postby AmandaVigil » Tue Sep 05, 2023 8:53 am

Thanks for the info.
AmandaVigil
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Re: Raspberries

Postby GreenWing » Mon Oct 30, 2023 3:31 pm

My CAG doesnt like raspberries or strawberries. She just won't eat them, which is unfortunate because I garden grow both! She does like blueberries, however. Go figure.
Image
GreenWing
African Grey
 
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Re: Raspberries

Postby adamton32 » Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:32 pm

While humans might consider raspberries similar in taste to other berries, birds might discern more subtle flavor differences that we don't. It's possible that raspberries aren't as high on their preferred "flavor chart" unblocked games 76
Birds in the wild are often cautious about new foods – it's a protective instinct to avoid eating anything potentially harmful.
adamton32
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Re: Raspberries

Postby Pajarita » Thu Feb 29, 2024 10:50 am

I think it might have more to do with their color than anything else. Red could mean poison... remember the saying?

"White and yellow, kill a fellow.

Purple and blue, good for you.

Red... could be good, could be dead"
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes


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