Top Tips with Toll Barn Vets - Exotic Birds (Part 2) - Feeding

Many birds in captivity are often fed inappropriate diets (excluding those with very specialised diets, such as lorikeets who must be fed bird nectar), with many of the more commonly kept species fed on seed based diets

Seed based diets are the fatty fast foods of the bird world Of course they love them but that doesn’t necessarily mean they ar diet Such foods often lack the vi and minerals that birds need to k their body and immune system strong and health, leading to subsequent Health issues including secondary fatty liver, metabolic bone disease, egg binding and respiratory issues, a healthy diet will hopefully mean you have a healthy bird

Even seed based diets dusted with minerals don’t solve the problem because the majority of seed eating birds will shell the seeds they receive and selectively feed on their favourites such as sunflowers or millet. This leads to minimal supplementation and discarding of mineral covered shells leaving the healthier pellets and their vital nutrients in them being left behind

Supplementing their water is one way to combat deficiencies but the unhealthy diet remains, so we would always advise switching your birds to a pellet-based diet where appropriate Many birds raised on seeds can be fussy, as previously mentioned, these are the fast foods of the bird world, so it can take time and perseverance to change the habits of a lifetime with these fast food addicts

There are many online resources that can help with this process, but recommendations vary from 50-70% pellets that contain a homogenous mix of everything a bird needs to stay healthy and reduces selective feeding Birds should also be offered plenty of fresh veg and where appropriate fruit with the seed making up only a small portion of their diet as treats, or given during training as a reward

Did you know you can make some of your seeds even healthier by allowing them to sprout? Sprouting them leads to a change in their nutritional contents and can be a great intermediate step for our fussy eaters

Suitable fruits and vegetables include dark leafy greens (broccoli, spinach, kale, dandelion leaves), carrot, green beans, sugar snap peas, peppers, papaya, mango, melon, pomegranate Visit a reputable website online for a full bird safe list.

Foods to avoid include dairy products, tea, coffee, chocolate, avocado and salty or sugary foods Some of these foods are quite toxic to birds and what seems like a treat at the time can lead to serious health implications, so always check before you feed

Also remember to make it fun! Birds need to be kept busy with interesting things to do or they can engage in self destructive behaviours such as chewing or feather plucking Start with setting your bird a challenge that is easy such as putting a piece of paper over the top of the food bowl Once they have mastered this you can make it a bit more difficult – wrap favourite food items partially in paper then move them to different places for more of a challenge. Place items inside cardboard toilet paper inserts or boxes Once your bird has mastered this, you can increase the degree of difficulty by buying toys that you can hide things in It is important not to make things too difficult to begin with or your bird will become discouraged and give up

As spring gets underway, my tastebuds start to crave something fresher and lighter in my bakes This recipe hits the right note With the zing of lime teamed with coconut, it is fruity and light. It can be made in a 2lb loaf tin or a deep 7” springform tin and is the all-in-one method, so is very easy and quick to do

The cake will keep in an airtight tin for

Soup for the Soul

several days, if you can leave it that long!

Lime & Coconut Cake

Ingredients

180g self-raising flour

180g softened butter

180g caster sugar

3 large eggs

250g condensed milk

2 heaped tablespoons desiccated coconut zest and juice of 2 limes icing sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4 Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin or 7” deep round cake tin.

Keep aside 1 lime

There is something so comforting about a fresh bowl of homemade soup Yes, you can buy ‘fresh’ soups at the supermarket, but they still contain preservatives and additives to maintain their shelf life, and your body needs neither. Tucking in to a beautiful, vibrant soup full of delicious, fresh vegetables and herbs, maybe accompanied by some steaming hot bread fresh out of the oven; there can be no finer supper than that The great thing about this recipe is that you can ring the changes with the available veg that you have; courgette, butternut squash, celeriac, sweet potatoes, chard, sweetcorn, asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, all or any of these would blend into this beautifully I have done another version of this soup before, using mint, which is just as delicious, but dill is a herb we seldom use and is often neglected; it goes so well with the potatoes, and is such a lovely fresh change I keep soya cream in my fridge all the time, as you cannot tell the difference between it and regular cream, and it keeps for ages, making it a very handy thing to have. White miso paste adds a

Put all the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat together until well combined Pour the mixture into your cake tin and bake for about an hour Be sure to check the cake after 40 minutes as this cake can burn easily, if it looks like it is getting too dark in colour, cover with a piece of foil for the remaining time. After 50mins to an hour, test with a skewer to see if the cake is cooked, then take out and leave in the tin to cool for a few minutes before leaving on a cooling rack until cold

With the second lime, grate the zest and keep aside. Juice the lime then add icing sugar to the juice and mix until you have a soft dropping consistency Drizzle the icing over the cold cake and sprinkle with the zest Enjoy lovely umami flavour to the soup, and finishes it off nicely, plus is full of goodness for your gut Why not assign one day of the week as ‘soup day’, and have fun exploring all the different versions of delicious soups there are? Just add some crusty bread and a hunk of cheese and you have a beautiful, nutritious supper

Creamy Vegetable and Dill Soup

1 white onion, finely chopped

1 leek, finely chopped

2 sticks celery, chopped

8 or 10 new potatoes, chopped into small chunks

4 carrots, chopped into small chunks

1 fennel bulb, chopped into small chunks

A mugful of frozen peas, defrosted

A mugful frozen, chopped green beans, defrosted

Tsp bouillon powder, or vegetable stock cube

A generous teaspoon dried dill

Tsp white miso paste, dissolved in a little hot water

½ small carton of soya cream, or dairy cream

Seasoning

Start by gently frying all the vegetables, except the frozen ones, in a little olive oil in a deep saucepan, on a low heat with the lid on, being careful not to let the vegetables catch. Boil the kettle, and after about 10 minutes, pour in enough boiling water to cover the veg, plus about another inch Pop in your bouillon powder or veg stock cube and the dried dill, and stir to combine, and then put the lid back on and allow to simmer until the veg are cooked through Add the frozen defrosted veg and simmer for a further 5 minutes, and then take off the heat and stir in the miso paste. Finally, add the cream and stir well, then garnish with fresh dill if desired and serve

Carolyn Burn

For helpful, friendly advice on all your motoring needs call Kevin or Paul on 01692 402041