Amazon Weight

So I can feed her more and that won’t effect the liver? What veg is best for a bird with a liver problem?
 
Your amazon needs more pellets in its diet than that. Im not sure why youre just giving 3 as they are not treats or something that should be given that sparingly. They are to be fed as part of a complete diet as well as fruit and veggies. Give treats in moderation. I break up nuts into smaller pieces to use as treats during the day so I only give a couple a day but they go a long way in terms of training or reinforcing good behaviour.
If youre trying to maintain a healthy weight it should not be done by cutting out an important part of your parrots diet.
Your vet should be able to give you an idea of how much your bird should weigh and this should be monitored regularly. I do mine once or twice a week.

I have a particularly fussy parrot so I like to make him work for his food and turn it into a foraging activity because I think he then takes more interest in trying new foods. Plus parrots spend 70% of their time in the wild foraging and retain this natural instinct even when kept in captivity so it keeps them mentally active. He eats mostly veg/pulses etc with a smaller proportion of his fresh diet being grains and also a little bit of fruit. Then later on in the evening he gets harrisons pellet which I give according to the guidelines on the back of the bag. Hes on the high potency as hes only been on pellet for a couple months. The high potency is more fattening than the lifetime so i give him the smaller portion that is suggested. I also base this on his weight as well.

I would be interested to hear what you feed throughout the week and what a typical day looks like in terms of diet? Then its easier for others to help! 😊

Was there a reason you thought feeding more pellet would affect her liver? Did you discuss diet at all with a vet?




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If you can give an overview of what she eats, her meals etc that she has and what she eats in a day that may help
 
This was some information I found online that might be useful to you also in terms of specifically dealing with fatty liver disease
  • It is important to change to an ORGANIC diet that is rich in fiber, low in fat and with reduced protein content . The liver should not be burdened with the pesticides that are typically found on conventionally grown produce.
  • The staple diet should consist mainly of fruits and vegetables with a good quality dry food mix (that doesn't contain any chemicals, artificial flavors or colors). Foods to focus on are those that will help the liver detoxify.
So in terms of good quality dry food harrisons is fine and you should follow the guidelines for feeding. I dont leave fruit and veg and also pellet in the cage at the same time. I put each thing in seperate so that the option to only eat the favourite is taken away.
  • Foods and nutrients that aid in the detoxification process include: Magnesium, Vitamin C, foods rich in Vitamin B2, B5, B6, B12, walnuts, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, citrus peel, egg yolks, garlic, red peppers, dark green leafy vegetables, animal protein, whole unprocessed grains, some legumes, and turmeric.
    Fiber is important for cleansing the intestines of toxins. Encouraging the consumption of fresh fruits and unlimited amounts of fresh vegetables adds fiber and nutrients.Sprouted seeds are an excellent option. Sprouted seeds are lower in fat, as the process of sprouting utilizes the fat stored in the seed to start the growing process - thus reducing the fat stored in the seeds. Also, the texture is more vegetable-like, which may encourage a bird to begin eating veggies. Sprouted or germinated seeds are usually more easily accepted by "seed addicts" than fresh fruits and vegetables.
  • Do not feed peanuts or food items that could contain mycotoxins, which could further damage the liver.
  • Nutritional supplements that support liver function are:
    • It is suspected that there is a correlation between vitamin deficiencyand the development of fatty liver disease; and nutritional support is essential for the treatment. The following supplements should be discussed with a holistic vet:
      • Choline, biotin and methionine. Biotin and choline (B vitamins). Choline is essential for fat metabolism. It helps prevent the deposition of fats in the liver, guarding against fatty liver damage. Animals with choline deficiencies have been shown to develop liver damage similar to that induced by alcohol in humans.
        • Foods that are high in choline are egg yolks, brewers yeast, legumes and whole grain cereals.
        • Sources of biotin are nuts, fruits, brewers yeast, and brown rice.
      • Methionine (an amino acid that is essential in transporting fats from cells) - can be found in: eggs, fish, meat and milk. However, do not offer any anything containing lactose, as birds cannot digest this sugar. However, lactose is almost entirely removed in the process of manufacturing of many cheese products, yogurt or cottage cheese, making those items generally safe for consumption by birds. Discuss the diet with your vet.
      • Milk thistle is very good support for a damaged liver. Your avian vet will decide if this is an appropriate therapeutic for your bird. Make sure that any milk thistle supplement does not contain ethyl alcohol as a base, as that can potentially intoxicate a small bird and alcohol can also further damage the liver.
      • Dimethylglycine (DMG) - an antioxidant - is also a good supplement for birds with liver damage.
 
The veg mix includes, carrot, peas, broccoli, cauliflower. She has this twice a day. She has her Harrison’s pellets. A big spoonful of porridge every morning made with almond milk.
 
The veg mix includes, carrot, peas, broccoli, cauliflower. She has this twice a day. She has her Harrison’s pellets. A big spoonful of porridge every morning made with almond milk.
So she has porridge plus 2 bowls of veg and 3 pellets everyday?

I do not give porridge everyday and would not recommend doing that either. 2 meals a day. Breakfast and dinner. I feed porridge maybe once a week. Twice at most. I would cut out the almond milk if i were you and use water if youre being mindful of fat. Do you feed a lot of treats?
 
I would definitely say cut down on the porridge and when you do feed it use water. Really though porridge isnt something they should have every single day. Its filling but doesnt have as much nutritional value as other things such as veggies, quinoa, pulses etc. I give mine a small amount once or twice a week. I use water and mash a tiny bit of banana into it just to flavour it a bit, sometimes chia seeds too and blueberries. Just depends. In terms of her diet though she should be eating pellet. Pellet is of more benefit to her than habing porridge every day
 
Thanks, I’ll follow this advice. I’ve been told by the vet to use destolit but can also use milk thistle. I’ve bought milk thistle seeds and a bottle of the liquid (alcohol free). About how much milk thistle should I give her?
 
I have an orange winged amazon new to owning him but i give breakfast of fruit an veg then after an hour or so i chuck that an give pellets (topps) then i give a small anount of seed i take the pellet an seed away an give his fruit an veg for dinner time after an hour or so i give back just the pellets. An during the day ill give a couple of nuts and a couple of nutri berries on different days ill do some pasta or chop to.
 
The only advise I could give would be trust your vet, if they are avian specific then any and all food/pellet/additives(milk thistle etc) needs to go through them.

All birds are different, different activity levels, different build, different metabolism.

we can all offer advise but only you and your vet has true knowledge and information on your bird.

please consult them with your exact diet, maybe keep a record of exactly what he eats and when, weigh everything so you have a ball park idea of amounts he’s eating, give/convey this to your vet and let them steer you in the right direction.
 
Well I started her on milk thistle and aloe Vera yesterday. I have to say she is more full of activity today and is constantly wanting food!
 
I’m installing a new play top for her by my work from home desk to try and encourage her to fly more. She is a perch potato.
can anybody recommend a chop I can make to help her liver?
 
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