What foods will help my bird gain weight?

[cm...@uofport.edu]

My 5 month old green-cheeked conure, Claude, recently had (has,
I'm still giving him medicine, which he hates) a bacterial infection.
Before he got treated (only about 24 hours), he hardly ate anything, so
he's lost some weight. I can tell a real difference in the amount of
keel bone I can feel from before he got sick. My question is - what can
I feed him to help him gain back that weight? (And maybe put on a little
more than he had before, he was a tiny bit thin.) Right now he gets a
dry food mix labeled "Best Pet Food," which has lots of yummy looking
things in it that he barely touches, microwaved frozen veggies (he likes
peas and corn best), and fresh apple, grapes, and broccoli.
Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Cat (and Claude, who will try anything except those funny pellets)

[Dan Spencer]

cm...@uofport.edu wrote:
: My 5 month old green-cheeked conure, Claude, recently had (has,

Try oat groats or dry oatmeal.

Dan

)

[Cathy Quinones]

In message <468le4$1...@fred.uswnvg.com> - dsp...@nv10.uswnvg.com (Dan Spencer)
writes:
:>

:>cm...@uofport.edu wrote:
:>: My 5 month old green-cheeked conure, Claude, recently had (has,
:>: I'm still giving him medicine, which he hates) a bacterial infection.
:>: Before he got treated (only about 24 hours), he hardly ate anything, so
:>: he's lost some weight. I can tell a real difference in the amount of
:>: keel bone I can feel from before he got sick. My question is - what can
:>: I feed him to help him gain back that weight? (And maybe put on a little
:>: more than he had before, he was a tiny bit thin.) Right now he gets a
:>: dry food mix labeled "Best Pet Food," which has lots of yummy looking
:>: things in it that he barely touches, microwaved frozen veggies (he likes
:>: peas and corn best), and fresh apple, grapes, and broccoli.

:> Try oat groats or dry oatmeal.

The other thing, of course, is to offer him some seed, the fatty kind in
particular. I am not saying "stop feeding everything else, and stuff him
with sunflower seeds!" To make any critter gain weight, you have to start by
making it consume more energy than it is burning on a daily basis. Nuts
can't be beat for high caloric content (fat and protein), so you can offer
some of those too. You should also try some of foods of the warm, soft
variety: you may prepare some oatmeal using a bit of yogurt and water and
offer it to the bird while the oatmeal is still warm, and you may add a bit
of peanut butter to that (to load it up even more). Your goal should be to
offer energy AND nutrient-rich foods: to help the bird gain weight and to
make sure it's got whatever it needs (nutritionally) to get in tip-top shape
a.s.a.p. If you don't do already, consider sharing your dinner. Warm
macaroni and cheese may well be my senegal's favorite food in the universe,
try that (you'd be offering simple starches, protein and fat). You may also
make some "bird bread" (cornbread recipe with an added jar of sweet potato
baby food, plus finely choppped veggies).

==============================================================
Cathy Quinones Poicephalus rule!!
quin...@mindspring.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
http://www.mindspring.com/~mintz/coverpg.html = Bird Care Info

[Michael Harmon]

On Oct 19, 1995 17:56:02 in article <What foods will help my bird gain

weight?>, 'cm...@uofport.edu' wrote:
>My 5 month old green-cheeked conure, Claude, recently had (has,
>I'm still giving him medicine, which he hates) a bacterial infection.
>Before he got treated (only about 24 hours), he hardly ate anything, so
>he's lost some weight. I can tell a real difference in the amount of
>keel bone I can feel from before he got sick. My question is - what can
>I feed him to help him gain back that weight?

You can try unsalted "natural" (no preservative) peanut butter (they sell
it in health food stores). I used it when my CAG was about your bird's age
and still on formula. My bird would eat the mixture from a spoon and seemed
to like the peanut butter flavor. I mixed it with some powdered bird
formula (from the bird store) and added warm water. Check with your vet
first, though.
--
. _...._
/ \
/ o _ o Sincerely,
( \/ ) Susan Harmon
) ( par...@pipeline.com
( - - - ) Parrot Consulting
( ) & Software
( ) New York City
[ ]
-----------------/l\ /l\-------------------
owner.powerbuilder.mailing.list
------------------------------------------
( )
( __ _)

[Beth Richardson]

I have a pied cockatiel, who insisted on laying more eggs than her
body could handle. She consequently was for a long time both
underweight and calcium deficient. I tried giving her fatty seeds, but
lets face it, about the highest fat content you can get is 15%. Not
high enough. Pine nuts are really fattening, try those. And as for
sharing dinner - that is definetly how my bird gained back weight. In
addition to having access to as my seed as possible (including seed I
hid in my apartment, so when she found it she would think she was
getting lucky) she also go all the junk food she wanted (but NEVER
chocolate) My bird loves marble cheese, patatoe chips and any kind of
crackers. Birds can have the same problems as humans with regards to
this kind of food (obesity, high cholestoral), but a little bit won't
hurt. It defenitely worked for her - she now weighs in at about 115 grams!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Beth Richardson
Institute for Central and Eastern European and Russian Area Studies
Vpyeryod k vyelikolepnoy pobyedye sotsializma!

Email address: bric...@ccs.carleton.ca
----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Bruce & Alicia McWatters]

In <466s32$4...@wally.uofport.edu> cm...@uofport.edu writes:
>
> My 5 month old green-cheeked conure, Claude, recently had (has,
>I'm still giving him medicine, which he hates) a bacterial infection.
>Before he got treated (only about 24 hours), he hardly ate anything,
so he's lost some weight. I can tell a real difference in the amount
of keel bone I can feel from before he got sick. My question is - what

can I feed him to help him gain back that weight? (And maybe put on a

little more than he had before, he was a tiny bit thin.) Right now he
gets a dry food mix labeled "Best Pet Food," which has lots of yummy
looking things in it that he barely touches, microwaved frozen veggies
(he likes peas and corn best), and fresh apple, grapes, and broccoli.
>

The underweight problem you're having with your Conure can be dealt
with in a number of ways. However, understanding the etiology(cause) is
helpful to bring about a better recovery for he is under great stress
right now between coping with 1)an infection, 2)treatment with
antibiotics, and 3)undernourishment.
First of all, the veggies you're offering are very good. The dry
food I have no comment on since I don't know the ingredients it
contains. Underweight problems can be corrected by removal of the
underlying causes and improvement of the diet. My guess is that your
bird's immunity level was weak prior to the infection and so therefore
he succumbed to the infection quite easily. Generally when our birds
come in contact with bacteria, a virus, etc. they can normally, if
healthy, resist it with a strong, functional immune system. The
lymphatic system(immune system) aids in this resistance by its rapid
action in destroying any invading organisms which attempt to harm our
bird's bodies. Everyone is constantly subjected to certain amounts of
harmful microorganisms, but a healthy strong body continually resists
them, not allowing them to proliferate. Lymphocytes or white blood
cells produce important antibodies to fight infection. If this system
is weak then this ability is diminished. Consequently, our birds become
ill, and may lose weight as a result. We must then begin to make the
necessary changes to build their bodies strength and boost their
immunity level.
The diet should be well-balanced, consisting of whole, unrefined
foods. They should be high-calorie, energy foods. Extra protein is
needed to rebuild the body's tissues and assist in proper weight gain.
A complete vitamin/mineral supplement would be beneficial in the diet
as well. I would include grains, legumes, and seeds, such as peanuts
and sunflower to the diet, along with the veggies and fruits you are
already serving him.
Underweight problems begin when more calories are utilized by the
body then are consumed. In your case, the illness is causing your
bird's body to use more nutrients to aid recovery. These nutrients are
in essense what your bird requires for a healthy body, only in higher
amounts at this time. We must increase the overall nutrient content of
his diet in order for him to get well and STAY well!!
Another thing to bare in mind is that antibiotics cause a decrease
in the "good" bacterial flora in your bird's intestines, also resulting
in a depleted immune system. Recurrence of an infection is common after
the use of antibiotics as our bird's bacterial problem can sometimes
build a resistance to antibiotics. Also called "antibiotic-resistant
bacteria". Or if the bacterial infection improves, sometimes it is a
trade off for another nasty problem--a yeast infection! For this you
can either use an antifungal or a natural product. A probiotic can
often be helpful for this. We use Natren probiotic products. And
finally, antibiotics contribute to nutrient loss and ironically these
are the same nutrients needed by the immune system to fight infection!
If we can get to the root of the weight problem, which is generally
diet-related, though its cause can sometimes be hereditary, an illness,
or poorly functioning digestion and absorption, then we can usually
effect a solution. Best of luck!

--
Alicia & Bruce McWatters Organically raised parrots
Pionus Plus Aviaries 6 Species Pionus Parrots
Edgewood, New Mexico Congo & Timneh African Greys
E-Mail; pio...@ix.netcom.com DYH Amazons
Ph (505)281-5168 9am-5pm MDT African Red Bellied Parrots
Fax (505)281-0751 anytime

[amy]

I disagree with those who have suggested you simply add something high
fat, like sunflower seeds, to your bird's diet.

You don't want your bird to gain FAT. You want your bird to gain
back lean muscle mass and fat; this is probably what he has lost.

Continue to feed a good, varied and healthy diet. If the weight loss
is severe and life threatening, then obtain help from your vet, but if
it's just part of recovery, feed more and perhaps entice the birds to
eat more by feeding it's food like treats (we all know birds think
whatever is held in your hands tastes MUCH better than what's in the
bowl!).

amy