BONGO BIRD

Breeder's of Beautiful Eclectus Parrots

Here are several ways to get rid of fruit flies

(these ideas are from a variety of sources including our own and the people who have purchased babies from us)

	You can place a small glass of fruit juice, pop, or wine in the room and they will drown in it. You can also put a paper towel on top of the glass held in place with a rubber band and poke a few holes into it. The fruit flies will go in and won't come back out.
	You can place some very ripe fruit in a ziplock plastic bag. Keep the bag open with a toothpick and leave overnight. The fruit flies will go into the plastic bag. Come back in the early morning while it is still dark and close the bag. Once it is light the fruit flies will leave the bag. Dispose of the bag.
	In the evening turn all the lights off in the fruit fly infested area and open a window or door or both. Then turn on the outside light beside the infested area. The fruit flies will go outside to the light. Do this for a few days in a row and they should be gone.
	To keep from getting fruit flies wash your fresh produce in GSE. Run a sink full of water with about 20 - 30 drops of GSE and leave it all soak while storing the rest of your grocery items.

Pesticides on Foods: Food News

We do not recommend feeding the large beans as they are hard to digest. Lentils, mung, adzuki, peas and garbanzos (chick peas) are the easiest to digest of the legumes. Mung and adzuki may be given sprouted. Never serve any other beans raw or sprouted as they could cause serious digestive problems and even death.

Veggie, Bean, Rice Mixture

	3 cups brown rice. Cook according to directions. Cool. Can also use wild rice.
	2 cups Lentils. Rinse well, cook and cool.
	1 cup mung, adzuki or garbanzo beans. Rinse well, cook and cool.
	6 cups mixed frozen veggies. (corn, peas, beans, broccoli, carrots, etc). Cut up, Cook and cool.
	May add extra corn with the frozen veggies. I add plumped corn. See recipe below.
	Mix the rice and beans/lentils together. Then mix 1 part rice/bean with 1 part veggies. I put this in freezer bags and freeze.
	You only have to do it every so often and your set for a while. I try to do 2 parts veggies to 1 part beans and rice.
	Feed approximately 1/2 cup per day per bird. (or according to how much your bird eats)
	Optional: I also cook up a 5 lb bag of carrots and blend them. I add this to the rice and mix it in as suggested.
	You can also add Peppers, Hot Peppers (seeds included), Pomegranate seeds, sliced almonds, Ginger, Pine nuts, Quinoa, Yam, Kale, Collard Greens, Turnip Greens, Mustard Greens, Dandelion Greens, Parsley, Broccoli, Cauliflower, All types of Chard, Leeks, Water Cress, Ginger Root, Cinnamon, Bok Choy, Celery, Carrots, Sweet potatoes, Peas, Corn, Field Corn, Lima beans, Green Beans, Yellow squash, Zucchini squash, Acorn Squash, Butternut Squash, Hubbard Squash, Jicama, Cranberries, Oat Groats, Navy beans, Brown Rice, Barley, Pinto Beans, Yellow Split Peas, Green Split Peas, Small Red Beans, Buckwheat, Lentils, Pasta, Basil, Oregano, Dill, Garlic, Tomatoes, Cabbage, Red Cabbage, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Fresh Aloe, Schizandra Berries, Tofu, Parsnips, Turnips, Beet Greens, Carrot Greens, Blueberries, Strawberries, etc.
	Never give uncooked lima, kidney, fava bean or soybeans to your birds.

Alternate Mash Diet by Alicia McWatters. I do alternate and change the bean mix so it isn't always the same.

Plumped Corn

I also add plumped corn to the veggie/bean mix. To plump the corn I put plain popping corn in the slow cooker on low overnight. I mix 1 part corn to 3 parts water. Let it cook overnight and it is ready to be mixed in the next morning.

Baked Chickpeas

	First soak the chickpeas overnight. The next day, drain the chickpeas thoroughly, lay them on a lightly greased cookie sheet, and bake at 350° F for 10 min. Stir chickpeas and bake another 10 min. Stir again and bake for another 10 min. Check for doneness and bake another 10 min. if necessary. Remove from oven, allow to cool and air dry for 30 min.
	Variation: Can add grated Parmesan and cayenne pepper before baking for extra flavour.
	Recipe from Land of Vos

Create Your Own Custom Seed Mix

	Some items to choose from:
	Seeds: milk thistle seeds, shelled sunflower seed, unshelled sunflower seed, wheat berries, whole oats, barley, spelt, quinoa, dried pumpkin seeds RAW, dried squash seeds, dried cantaloupe seeds, sesame seeds (unhulled if you can find them), flax seeds, milo, buckwheat, poppy seed, sesame seed, millet (red, yellow, white), hemp seed, cockatiel mix, canary mix, parakeet mix, millet sprays.
	Raw unsalted nuts: almonds, pine nuts, pecans, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts (filberts), macadamia nuts, pistachios, coconut shreds, soy "nuts".
	Un-sulphured (sugar & salt free) dried fruits & veggies: banana chips, papaya chunks, pineapple slices, apple dices, apricots, cranberries (sugarless), cherries, raisins, currants, green peas, chilli peppers, etc.
	Non-fortified (sugar & salt free) cereals.

Mike's Manna Mash

Ensure that you have a container large enough to mix the mash in before you begin. The mash recipe makes approximately 18 quarts of food for a whole recipe. If you are making a half or quarter recipe the container can be appropriately smaller.

Begin by thoroughly rinsing & then soaking the following ingredients for at least 8 hrs.

1/2 cup dry black-eyed peas 1/2 cup dry garbonzo beans (aka chick peas) 1/2 cup dry mung beans 1/4 cup dry green split peas 1/4 cup dry yellow split peas 1/2 cup dry adzuki beans
1/2 cup dry lentils 1/2 cup dry wheat berry grain (aka pearled or hulled wheat) 1/2 cup dry pearled barley (aka hulled barley)
1/2 cup dry quinoa
1/2 cup oat groats 1 cup wild rice

After soaking these ingredients, add or remove water to just cover the bean mixture. The trick is to not have a lot of water left when you are done cooking the bean mixture. You do want a small amount left, and you do not want to discard the water as it will contain nutrients that are vital for the proper balance of the mash. Bring the mixture to a boil on high heat, for about ten minutes. Then reduce the heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until there is only a little water left. You will need to stir the mixture occasionally throughout the entire cooking process. Place the following frozen ingredients in your mixing container.

3 pounds frozen corn 3 pounds frozen peas
3 pounds frozen carrots 3 pounds frozen green beans

Mix the bean mixture into the frozen products. Add the following ingredients.

1/4 cup alfalfa powder 1/4 cup kelp powder
1/4 cup sesame seeds 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

Cut up and lightly steam 3 medium sweet potatoes and add to the mixture.

Cut up and lightly steam 4 medium white potatoes and add to the mixture.

Chop the following ingredients into bite size pieces and add to the mixture.

3 medium zucchini 4 large tomatoes 6 large bananas 6 medium apples (remove the core and seeds) 4 oranges (peeled) 1/2 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 mango (peeled and pitted) 2 papayas (peeled, leave the seeds in) 1 1/2 pounds green grapes Mince the following and add to the mixture.
1/2 pound of fresh parsley 1/2 pound of fresh mustard greens

Mix the mash thoroughly and then freeze it in portions.

Birdie Bread

	For every 1 cup of left over salad/grain mix (this can be a combination of the raw chopped veggies, and any combination of cooked grains/legumes mixed together): add...... (I have been using 1 cup of mixed raw chopped fruit & veggies & 1 cup of the above recipe for cooked bean/rice/veggie mix then add the below ingredients)
	2 cups whole grain flour, rice flour. (I have been using corn meal)
	2 whole raw eggs (include shells)
	Assorted spices (cinnamon or ginger)
	About 1/2 cup of seed or raw/dry grain (or chopped nuts, unsweetened coconut, slivered almonds, dried fruit, apple sauce, quinoa, oat groats, etc.
	Enough sugar-free liquid to make a nice thick pour-able batter. (about 1 1/4 cup). Any juice as long as it does not contain sugar.

Bake in a 13" x 8" x 3" glass pan for 45 - 50 minutes at 350°. You can 'grease' the dish with coconut oil or olive oil on a paper towel.

This bread may be very useful to help a bird to gain weight. It is also a source of protein (eggs). It is extremely versatile and you can vary it from batch to batch. (You could also put sprouts into the bread). A cube of this birdie bread could be an excellent supper meal when you are in a hurry. It could also be an excellent replacement for pellets.

Stefanja

Baked Pine Cones

When collecting pinecones look for pinecones that are dry and clean. Stay away from the damp mouldy ones. Try to pick them as soon as they fall off the tree.

To prepare the pinecones for your bird you need to heat up the oven to 225 degrees. Then place a tin foil cover over a cookie sheet. This will catch the sap that comes out as the pinecones bake. Give the pinecones a good cleaning with GSE and then bake for 1/2 hour at 225 degrees. This will kill the mould and whatever spiders, etc. may be inside them. Let them sit in the warm oven another 1/2 hour or so to dry out. Collect the pinecones and throw the tin foil out. They are ready to use.

Do not cook hotter than 225 degrees because the pinecones can burn.

Optional: Mix seed with beaten egg white. Spoon into crevices of a pine cone and bake in the oven on low until seeds are set.

SALLY BLANCHARD'S 'FAMOUS GLOP' RECIPE

The following recipe feeds my 4 parrots of various sizes and appetites for their morning meal. 'Glop' also makes a great handweaning food to finger feed your bappy.

*1 small jar of baby food carrots, sweet potatoes, or winter squash (I use Earth's Best because it is organic - they also have high vitamin A vegetable varieties with chicken and turkey. I occasionally use apricot, peach, or papaya baby food.) You can also use baked yams, winter squash or cooked, mashed carrots.
*3 slices of coarse whole-grain crumbled toast. (I vary the bread but use the healthiest bread I can find without sugar. I particularly like a jalopeno-cornbread loaf I buy at Trader Joe's.)
*2-4 Tablespoons of nonfat plain yogurt.
*Optional: 1/8 cup high quality handfeeding formula or a sprinkle of a spirulina or wheat grass type supplement.

Put in a large bowl and mash together until toast is saturated with baby food and yogurt and everything is evenly mixed. Consistency can be changed according to your parrot's preference. Mine like the toast chunky and the mixture thick - about the consistency of turkey dressing. 'Glop' is ready to feed - it does not have to be cooked.

Anything that is nutritious can be added to the glop for a variety in texture, color, and shapes. I will feed it plain or mix one or more of the following: finely chopped collard (mustard or turnip) greens, kale or broccoli flowers, grated carrots, wheat germ, oat bran, no sugar breakfast cereal, low salt V-8 juice, grated tofu-cheese, nonfat cottage cheese, chopped nuts or raisons, chopped very hard boiled egg, pasta, brown rice, well, cooked chopped chicken, powdered pellets.

Remember that any soft food will develop bacteria if left too long in the cage. I serve each batch fresh never use leftovers as ingredients. I never have to worry about this mushy mixture going bad because all of my birds eat it as soon as I put it in their food bowls. My grey, Bongo Marie, loves her 'glop; and my double-yellows, Paco and Rascal, have relished this food barely coming up for air when I feed it. The nutritious mixture as a part of their diet has kept them healthy for over 18 years. Their feather condition is superb. If you only have one bird and want to make the whole batch, the 'glop' can be rolled into balls or placed in an ice cube tray and frozen. Thaw as needed but don't overcook. Add any supplement after heating. If at first your bird doesn't like this nutritious mixture - keep trying.

Taken with permission from The Pet Bird Report.

More Recipes (to come)

To order 'The Healthy Bird Cookbook" or "The Private Chef" click on the Avian Publications link below.

Avian Publications - Bird Books and Videos

Recipe Links:

I do not endorse all the recipes on these links. Many of them have sugar, salt, etc. that your bird should not have. It is better to use un-sweetened fruit juice with a recipe than sugar. You will be surprised at how your bird will enjoy it without the sugar.

	Birds n' Ways
	Healthy Parrot Recipes
	How to Grow Wheat Grass
	Jolley Feathers
	Just Parrots
	Land of Vos
	Non-Toxic Cleaner Recipes
	Parrot Recipes
	Parrot Talk
	Ruby's Mush

Last modified: November, 2007