Bulk Food

[aircube]

I went to a store called, "Bulk Barn" for the first time the other day. I couldt' believe the huge selection of fresh ingredients that were availible. Seemd every second thing i looked at I was thinking, 'mmmm i wonder if that would be Fiji-food":D

Rice, beans, nuts, spelt, hemp, millets, dried fruits and berries.......and much much more.........:eek:

Can anyone suggest a list of Parrotlet foods to buy froms a store like this????????????

I found the huge selection overwhleming without knowing exactley what i was shopping for.

[Sondra]

in the sub section here on diet is this thread hunt for the products listed here.
http://talkparrotlets.com/showthread.php?t=5069

[Trixie]

My husband loves that store. LOL If you can't find something some where, go there. LOL Oh so they had hemp seed?

[chapala]

Glad you found a good bulk store - they are great for getting healthy food in whatever quantity you want. Grains are wonderful, and best soaked overnight or sprouted for even better nutrition. Any mix of whole grains will work. With legumes, I like to stay with the most digestible kinds - whole lentils, mung beans, whole dried peas (split are okay if soaked and cooked, not sprouted), garbanzos, adzukis. Legumes must be soaked overnight, soaking water discarded, then fully sprouted to minimum 1/2" tails - takes about 2.5 to 3 days. Lentils can have 1/4" tails at feeding time.

Two parts grains to one part legumes combine their amino acids to equal complete protein.

I'm not a fan of dried fruit. Too much concentrated sugars. I prefer to feed about 5 to 10% of the diet in the more nutritious fresh fruits.

[aircube]

Hey Trixie, ya they have hemp seed. But...... is it green? Hah

thanks for the tips chapala. How do you stop bacteria and other nasties from growing in beans? I read some articles saying that certain kinds of beans can be deadly if prepped wrong, b/c of multipling bacteria. Same thing with sprouts.
Or, perhaps, these things affect humans but NOT birds??? I'd really like to find out....

[chapala]

I've never had any trouble sprouting. Maybe those in warm, humid climates have more issues. My sprouts always smell and taste clean and good, no mold or obvious nastiness. And of course my birds are all very healthy, never sick.

You can add a little organic apple cider vinegar (ACV) to the soaking or rinse water. If you rinse sprouting grains or legumes with good, clean water, it should be fine. The last several months, I have been soaking overnight and then cooking (boil 10 minutes, simmer covered 20 mins.) legumes, then running them through the food processor. I make small scoops of the food-processed, cooked legumes (2 to 3 days worth), freeze on a cookie sheet, then pop into a freezer bag. I just defrost in a small covered container in the refrigerator whenever the supply is running low.

Often the sprouts that are recalled from grocery stores have been rinsed in less than clean water. Then bacterial growth will happen.