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Sydney finally got to come to his forever home last week-He's our new fid of 3 months old RB2. I had some questions for you experienced too parronts out there.
1. Sydney was weaned on a small hookbill mix, sprouts and millet. I don't sprout seed, but purchase some homemade mix from a local breeder of Congos which I give to my caique, and offer it daily to Sydney, but he has yet to eat anything but millet and the small hook bill. In my research of RB2's I read they must have a low fat diet which I assumed would not include millet/seed. Is this a correct assumption? I want to wean him off the hookbill mix, but that's all I see him eating and I am concerned about depiving him of his comfort food since he's only been here for a week and still adjusting. Which brings me to my second question.
2. My caique is very outgoing and not fearful of ANYthing so this is the expereince I am going off of. Sydney seems more shy/nervous. I have him stepping up and getting some out of cage time, but he appears to get nervous after a while and flies of his perch pacing back and forth on the ground. Is this typical? I really want to socialize him properly so that he will go to anyone, and be comfortable but I don't want to push him too much either. What's the balance? What suggestions may you have?

Thanks everyone,
Christine

Hi...I might can help with the diet a little bit....Sue B had a galah...(we have a member here from Australia...he doesn't post often...but punishes us severely if we call them Rosies..LOL....the wrath of Ian...and with my luck...he would post today...(kidding)
I would definitely work towards a better diet...don't make sudden changes..but introduce him to fresh fruits, grains, veggies some at a time...if they are rejected...keep trying...Phoebe Linden has a weaning program...called Abundance Weaning...you can google that...and it gives some good ideas...cutting pieces into different shapes...smaller...etc...keep offering....I would keep the seeds to a minimum...
Bev can probably help you with the behavior question...or some of the others....Good luck.

Galahs are subject to fatty tumors, so it is important to watch the fatty seed mixes. My galah, Dusty, was crazy about her sprouts. I also fed her a mash mix from a recipe called Mike's Manna Mash that has everything but the kitchen sink in it, and she ate every bite. If you would like a copy of the recipe, just let me know. I tried to stay away from the hookbill mixes as much as possible. She got the seed mix just as an occasional change of pace.

As far as the pacing on the floor - it seems to me that I learned that galahs in the wild are flock birds that graze on the ground, so that might be the root of that behavior. I wouldn't worry about it too much yet. Give your galah more time to settle in and get used to its new routine.

Thanks Cyndie and Sue,

I will check out the abundance weaning info-heck I live 1.5 hours away from Phoebe's flock in Santa Barbra, maybe I'll visit sometime! Thanks for the warring about calling a Galah a rosie

Also, Sue Mike's Manna Mash recipe sounds great, I would love to have it and greatly appreciate everyones advice.

Chrisitne and fids

Here is the recipe. It makes a huge amount of food, but it stores well in freezer bags. Store it in small bags to hold no more than you would keep defrosted for three days. I do my mixing in an ice chest. Also, I do the soaking and cooking of the dry ingredients one day and refrigerate them overnight before mixing the next day so that the mash will feeze faster. I do the same with the steamed potatoes.

The recipe:

Ensure that you have a container large enough to mix the mash in before you begin. The whole recipe makes approximately 18 quarts of food.

Begin by thoroughly rinsing and then soaking the following ingredients for at least 8 hours.

1/2 cup (120 ml) dry black-eyed peas
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry pinto beans
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry kidney beans
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry green split peas
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry yellow split peas
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry garbonzo beans (aka chick peas)
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry black beans
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry soy beans
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry wheat berry grain (aka pearled or hulled wheat)
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry pearled barley (aka hulled barley)
1 cup (240 ml) great northern beans
1 cup (240 ml) 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 (1.4 kg) frozen corn
3 pounds (1.4 kg) frozen peas
3 pounds (1.4 kg) frozen carrots
3 pounds (1.4 kg) frozen green beans

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

1/4 cup (60 ml) alfalfa powder
1/4 cup (60 ml) kelp powder
1/4 cup (60 ml) sesame seeds
1/4 cup (60 ml) raw pumpkin seeds

Cut up and lightly steam 3 medium sweet potatoes (approximately 3 lb (1.4 kg)) and add to the mixture.

Cut up and lightly steam 4 medium white potatoes (approximately 1.5 lb (.7 kg)) and add to the mixture.

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

3 medium zucchini - approximately 1 lb. (.45 Kg)
4 large tomatoes - approximately 2 lb. (.9 Kg)
6 large bananas - approximately 2.5 lb. (1.13 Kg)
6 medium apples - remove the core and seeds - approximately 2 3/4 lb. (1.25 Kg)
4 oranges - peeled - approximately 2.5 lb (1.13 Kg)
1/2 cup (120 ml) cranberries - fresh or frozen
1 mango - peeled and pitted
2 papayas - peeled, leave the seeds in - approximately 2.5 lb (1.13 kg)
1 1/2 lb (.7 kg) green grapes

Mince the following and add to the mixture.

1/2 lb (.23 kg) of fresh parsley
1/2 lb (.23 kg) of fresh mustard greens
Mix the mash thoroughly and then freeze it in portions.

Wow thanks so much, is it ok to scale it down? I don't have a very big freezer. Say by half?

Christine

Kriztine wrote:Wow thanks so much, is it ok to scale it down? I don't have a very big freezer. Say by half?

Christine

I don't have a written-out recipe for a half, but I do have for a quarter:

This is the quarter recipe.
Ensure that you have a container large enough to mix the mash in before you begin. The quarter recipe makes a little more than a gallon of food.
Begin by thoroughly rinsing and then soaking the following ingredients for at least 8 hours.

2 Tablespoons (30 ml) dry black-eyed peas
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) dry pinto beans
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) dry kidney beans
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) dry green split peas
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) dry yellow split peas
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) dry garbonzo beans (aka chick peas)
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) dry black beans
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) dry soy beans
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) dry wheat berry grain (aka pearled or hulled wheat)
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) dry pearled barley (aka hulled barley)
1/4 cup (60 ml) great northern beans
1/4 cup (60 ml) 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.

.75 pound (.35 kg) frozen corn
.75 pound (.35 kg) frozen peas
.75 pound (.35 kg) frozen carrots
.75 pound (.35 kg) frozen green beans
Mix the bean mixture into the frozen products.

Add the following ingredients.

1 Tablespoon (15 ml) alfalfa powder
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) kelp powder
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon (15 ml) raw pumpkin seeds

Cut up and lightly steam 1 small sweet potato (approximately .75 lb. (.35 kg)) and add to the mixture.
Cut up and lightly steam 1 medium white potatoes (approximately .375 lb. (.17 kg)) and add to the mixture.

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

1 small zucchini - approximately .25 lb. (.12 Kg)
2 large tomatoes - approximately .5 lb. (.22 Kg)
3 large bananas - approximately .625 lb. (.3 Kg)
3 medium apples - remove the core and seeds - approximately .625 lb. (.3 Kg)
2 oranges - peeled - approximately .625 lb (.3 Kg)
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) cranberries - fresh or frozen
1/4 mango - peeled and pitted1/2 papaya - peeled, leave the seeds in - approximately .625 lb (.3 kg)
1/4 lb (.15 kg) green grapes

Mince the following and add to the mixture.

1/8 lb (.05 kg) of fresh parsley
1/8 lb (.05 kg) of fresh mustard greens

Mix the mash thoroughly and then freeze it in portions.

My Galah is pretty timid and nervous by nature but I have found that routine is a great thing for her. If you get into a pattern of when the bird comes out it becomes second nature. This has turned out to be a great socializing tool as she knows when she gets to play and be handled. She never likes to stray to far from her cage though.
Hope this is helpful.
Mike J
Melbourne.

I have had my Rosebreasted Cockatoo, Cricket, for just about one year. She eats a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits (sugar snap peas in the pod, corn, strawberries, carrots, kale, mustard greens, collard greens, apples, grapes, but she especially LOVES China Prairie sprouts, which can be ordered from their ad placed every month in BirdTalk magazine. I feed them to all my birds, from Eclectus, to Cockatoos, Linnies and Finches. I only allow her one peanut in the shell once a day - and she is not allowed ANY seeds. She also always has available the colored cockatiel pellets from Zupreem. These birds are very prone to the fatty tumors. They need lots of exercise - and they get this in part by making their way around thier cage to play and eat, so the bigger cage the better for an RB2. Hope this helps!