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ok, Tweeter(girl) and Woofer(boy) have been in my home now for a month, and i am learning all i can about their diets. my question is this, i am not able to cut up fruit because of a handicap but can they eat applesauce? at the stores here they sell different fruit mixtures with the applesauce. i know they do like the instant oatmeal from the little packs with the dried strawberries. i also fed them dry cream of rice baby cereal, and they seem to like it as well. tonight i began them on the pellets and they didn't seem to mind it. should i not leave the food available to them all the time or should i only offer food at certain time?

I would be concerned about them getting too much sugar from pre packed foods -just read the ingridients- I don't cut up fruit and veggies because I am just lazy but what I like to do is buy the frozen mixed veggie bags (with all diffrent veggies) and just defrost what I need for the day-then I add some apple pieces and fresh parsley- crumble some millet on top and they will LOVE you for it! See my pics-

i had not even thought of the sugar content. i can get that fruit, and my husband can eat it as well. lol. this is my first experience with birds and i am studying all i can find. i do know that for me they have lowered my stress level. and i put their cage beside the television because that is the one place in my house they seem to love the best. they do have their favorite tv shows. so for being here only a month, is that ok that they are still not fully ok with us? i know Tweeter was given to us and i think she is only about 4 months old, and i read that she may have been force weaned. Woofer is the boy and we bought him. When we put him in the cage with her it was instant attraction for her and she would not let him out of her sight. he is i think 8 months old now. he definately acts like a gentleman around her and sometimes he seems to be whipped by her. we make a joke like they are married.

LOL- thats cute- males always try and show off- just don't provide a nest box and you will be ok- Breeding is ALOT of work- if you only had them for a month its ok- just talk to them and don't force handle them like other people try and do -try leaving their cage open (IF THEY ARE CLIPPED) and they will get more comfortable after a while- feel free to ask any question and I will be happy to answer- the net is a great way to learn more info on ANYTHING and I am glad you took the time to learn about the little ones. I am the owner of 6 (3males and 3females) happy budgies and one female tiel (spolied rotten) ...I agree- they reduced my stress level too!

I would leave dry food available all the time. Scrambled egg is another food they could have. Would your husband cut some veggies for you to give them? You can get metal clips that slip through the bars of the cage. You could give them one piece of kale or broccoli a day. Kind of a large piece. He would only have to cut once a week. Put in plastic bag and keep in the fridge. Also those baby carrots that are already peeled, just put one of them in the clip. They do get some seed right? They should.

they can eat natural applesauce without the added sugars. Organic baby foods should be OK. Oatmeal (not the instant packaged stuff) is good for them. brown rice...
I make mine "bird muffins". I use a half box of corn muffin mix, whole egg (shell included) ground defrosted veggies, ground collards, some protein seeds, ground grains, oatmeal , a little milk..in the mix in mini muffin cups (do NOT use nonstick muffin pans. Nonstick teflon is toxic to birds*)
They love the muffins. This way they get their grains, veggies & protiens.

When I am feeling lazy, I pick up salad and fruit at the salad bar at work and take it "to go" for the fids.

Just like to add my two cents worth! Great advice above, but be aware that wet/fresh foods go off or attract flies in the heat of the summer, so only leave them out for a limited time.

I soak jumbo porridge oats in a little soya milk for Boo to have in a different bowl to his seed for breakfast. He's on a diet as he is too fat so he doesn't get lunch - if I'm around I give him a square of wholemeal toast in a clip and he likes to demolish that and through most of it on the floor! We eat fruit together when I come in form work. I also make batches of cooked brown rice and lentils which I freeze in ice cube trays. For his supper I defrost one of them and add fresh veggies (often some of what I am having - but with no salt). Again, he has access to seed as well. But poor Boo's access to seed is limited!

Just be careful not to feed them the known no-nos - avocado, chocolate, alcohol, salt and not too much in the way of milk products (birds cannot digest lactose) - cottage cheese (low in lactose) is ok in small quantities.

I'll end now before I bore you!