Sprouting Seeds

[Kumiko]

I don't know a thing about Seed Sprouts. Where do I get some at a reasonable shipping charge and price? Do I sprout them on my own?

Give me a little invoice on some Websites were there are some. :D

Thanks! :)

[LisaM]

Kumiko - one super easy seed to sprout is Quinoa. It is readily available at almost every grocery store (both Cub Foods and Rainbow Foods have it in their bulk grains section here in MN). Best part is that it sprouts in a matter of a couple of hours after soaking it. (Rinse well, put in a bowl/dish with water covering it, let soak for about two hours and you will see sprouts...maybe a little longer but not much!). This is a great size for parrotlets I would imagine (I don't have parrotlets yet but I do have 3 parrots and I sprout grains/beans for them).

Here is a listing for a company who does a good quality sprout mix.

http://www.aviannaturals.com/sprouts.html

These generally run $5-6 per pound.

If you have a natural or whole foods store in your area, they will have a huge variety of seeds/beans/etc. to sprout. If you buy them at a store you can get them for a fraction of that (I spent $2 on a mix of quinoa, mung beans, wheatberries, speltberries, buckwheet, millet, adzuki beans and lentils). More mainstream grocery stores are starting to carry these more as well.

This site has a great article on "how to" as well as lists several types of sprouts you can use: http://www.landofvos.com/articles/sprouts.html

Good luck to you!

Lisa

[LisaM]

Just found ths for you as well...Here's a link to a website that lists out natural foods type stores across the country. There are about 30 for Illinois (I don't know where in IL you are but hopefully there is at least one near enough to you).

http://www.greenpeople.org/NaturalFood.html

[Py & Cosmo]

Lisa,
Thank you for the links!

[LyndaM]

Lisa, that is an awesome site; thanks!

[LisaM]

I'm not sure which one you're referring to so I'm going to say Thanks for all! :-)

I'm happy to share anything I come across as with parrots small and large, there is no such thing as too much information!

[raiven]

The Avian Fresh (http://www.chinaprairie.com/afd.html)parrot diet looks interesting as well. :)

I bought a bag of these seeds click here (http://www.sprouting.com/) at the local natural foods store in my town and have been just soaking them overnight then sprouting them in a small strainer for a couple of days. (I rinse the seeds frequently while sprouting but give some of them to Sadie as soon as they start to crack open. I do not use GSE to disinfect before sprouting. Is it necessary? Anyway, she likes them. :)

[LisaM]

Raiven - some people do use GSE, others don't. I believe if you are rinsing regularly (as in several times a day) it is probably fine.

I didn't use any while sprouting for many months until I got it again and then I really only use it in the initial soaking water anyway.

I originally started using GSE when I had a large flight cage with several finches. I would put a few drops in their water dishes so that if they pooped or bathed in it between fresh water changes it would help keep the bacteria and such down.