Cage aggression, afraid of fresh foods, switching to pellets

[Kare]

I have a nearly 4 year old female lovey. She can be an absolute sweetheart outside of her cage, fall asleep on my leg while I rub her face, etc.
When she was a year old and hit sexual maturity, she became cage aggressive. Before then, I used to be able to safely put my hand in and she couldn't wait to hop on and come out. She will bite and draw blood on me if I put my hand in her cage now, so I just zip tie the cage door open and let her come out on her own terms. She can even be aggressive if she's climbing on the outside of her cage.

I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for changing cage aggression?

She's also afraid of fresh foods. I'll put kale, spinach, etc in small amounts in a dish in her cage, she'll just screech and not go near it. So I need any tips for helping her get over that fear.

When I bought her she was on a seed diet and I've been trying to make the switch to pellet. I started with filling her dish at the top of her cage with unlimited Harrison's pellets, and putting a dish at the bottom with enough seed for her to eat in one sitting based on an article I read, and she would not touch the pellets and I know she'll go to the extent of starving herself so I've been mixing the pellets and seeds but she seems to just pick around it. I've also bought Roudybush crumble & mini california blend to see if she likes that pellet better, but to no avail. I know it can be a long switch but I'm looking for tips anyone has.

Thanks. :)

[linda040899]

Let me address the food issue first. Per my avian vet, more than 20% pellets in the diet of any small parrot is actually too much nutrition and can cause death by kidney disease. I, personally, use a few pellets but mix them into the seed mixture. Some of mine will eat a few pellets but they are not a popular item. Go easy on spinach, as it's high in oxalic acid that will bind usable calcium. Better choices are kale, collard greens, fresh carrot tops, and broccoli. Mine ADORE sugar snap peas (only the peas inside the pod) and fresh shredded carrot. Corn is another option, but only offer it cooked or steamed. Try taking a couple of carrot tops and hanging them together with a spray of millet. That should get her attention. She doesn't recognize anything but seed as edible and she just needs time to sample and see what else can be eaten.

Now for the cage aggression. This is common with many parrots. You have to remember that her cage is HER home and your hand is an intruder. You would defend your home in a similar manner if someone were to just walk in your door........... About the best suggestion I can offer is accept what you probably won't be able to change and protect your fingers from her attacks! Lastly, be thankful she's not a macaw!!! :happy:

[Kare]

Yeah, I only tried spinach two or three times we don't have it as much as the kale, mostly kale I'll try to give her, because we have that in abundance for my rabbit, too. Good idea with the spray millet. :)

I read about the pellets not being a good main diet somewhere, but my vet told me just pellets + fresh foods is best so it kind of confused me. They're an exotic vet though, and the vet that looked at my bird was a recent graduate and new at the clinic so maybe she's not as informed as she should be. So I should just continue with pellets mixed into her seed and not go to just pellets? I think I'm going to stick with one of the Roudybush pellets to mix in, it looks more appealing than Harrison's. Can you recommend a good name for a seed mixture? The one I have has two things in it with artificial colouring and a lot of sunflower seeds, I pick them out the best I can but the small artificially coloured seeds can be a pain to pick out, but the pet stores only carry mixes with some kind of artificial colouring in it somewhere. :roll: Are there any good sites for bird toys either? Petsmart also has wood toys that are covered in artificial colouring and such, not many good choices :/

And okay, I guess she'll just have to keep coming out on her own accord. I just wanted to make sure I didn't do something that made her "cage mean", just comes with the age I suppose. I don't want to keep attempting with my hands and make her any nastier in her cage. :)

[linda040899]

Many vets still think old school, but those who are following the affects of pellets on smaller parrots are going to the 20% max school of thought. Lovebirds are native to Africa and African species need a higher fat content in their diets than parrots from other places around the globe. For Lovebirds, sunflower is necessary, just not all sunflower. ABBA makes a nice seed mix, as does Higgins. Sunseed is another good brand. Lafeber's Nutriberries and Avi-Cakes are favorites among many of the lovebirds owned by community slaves here!

[Kare]

I have a feeling I'll be ordering online like with the Roudybush. All Petsmart sells is Kaytee, which has way too many sunflower seeds, and Hagen which I've never tried. Thanks for your suggestions. :)

[linda040899]

I boycott Kaytee completely because of all the problems they have had in the past with their handfeeding formula! I'm partial to Higgins and Lafeber's but that's just my own preference.

[Kare]

Yeah I know I don't like the artificial colours, and I know it's well disliked by almost everyone else too, all I have for right now until I can find something I can get here. I'm looking at the brands you mentioned and having trouble finding anywhere that ships to Canada. :confused: We don't seem to have much access to the good stuff here.

[linda040899]

Have you checked Drs. Foster and Smith? I think they ship worldwide. Another site I use is My Safe Bird Store.

[Kare]

Thanks. The Foster and Smith site only had Sun Seed, looking at the other site and it has the Higgins mix I was interested in. :)

Edit: I'm thinking this mix for my lovebird, then I'd add some sunflower seeds:
http://www.mysafebirdstore.com/product.cgi?group=6960&product=16852

And this for my parakeet:
http://www.mysafebirdstore.com/product.cgi?group=6960&product=19178

:happy:

I was interested in the ABBA stuff, but their site was a little jumbled and confusing, and these international sites only have Lafebers,Higgins, Kaytee and Sun Seed

[Kare]

Asked my Vet about the 20% pellets you said just to see what her thoughts were.
Vet basically said that "when you search google you get thousands of results", told me that they like strictly pellets, no seed, because every bite is full of everything they need and more nutritious and promotes longevity. And that with the seeds they pick the seeds they like, which, is no news to me because I see her pick what she likes.
I'm still thinking that perhaps the way to stay for me is mixing the Roudybush with seeds...not sure. I don't like the sound of kidney problems and can certainly understand how it would cause them, too.

[linda040899]

The problem with pellets is too MUCH nutrition for smaller parrots, all small birds! My avian vet worked with a very well known avian vet and their practice found small birds dying from kidney failure and, considering the avian vet in question, I listen when Suzanne Topor has something to say! Funny thing about pellets is that they are simply seed that is ground up into pelleted form. Some brands are extruded, while others are molded into shape. Parrots have hooked beaks to shell seed so I still prefer to use seed. My oldest living pair of Peachfaces died at roughly age 17 and they would have rather starved than eat a pellet. There have been too many problems with pellets (Pretty Bird contained too much Vit A at one point) so I use seed, a very few pellets and lots of fresh food. :)

[Kare]

Yeah whole family agrees we're just going to stick with a good seed, small amount of roudybush mixed in and get her over her fear of veggies starting with some broccoli. :)