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Re: Confused by the colouring if this juvenile Painted

Posted: 19 Jan 2018, 10:25
by finchbreeder
Re reading this thread. And in view of a recent observation of a bird my mother bought for new blood. A thought occurs. Were the parents of this bird some you had had for some time or newbys? If newbys you do not know their feeding background. Sometimes birds do have access to a good variety of feeds so their young will learn to eat this. But - not until they start eating for themselves. Because the parents that are raised without a good mix do not always eat everything put in front of them. e.g. the bird mother bought, he gets a top quality hand mixed budgie feed, and does not eat the canary seed.
As he is in quarantine as a newby this is easy to observe. He will be mated to a bird who is used to the best so the young will learn to eat this.
It's like the tourists who go to Japan and eat hamburgers not sushi.
LML

Re: Confused by the colouring if this juvenile Painted

Posted: 10 Nov 2022, 10:49
by tanialidgard
I have the same pairs of painted or fire tails as yourself, mine have a varied seed some I pick, red and blue finch mix from a produce shop, complete crumble, coconut shredded and vita farm granules with fresh produce 2nd daily of spinach, corn, cucumber, berries, I have heard that they need to eat vegetables with carotid colouring to maintain red pigmentation is this true… wondering if anyone can help as to the diet change mentioned in this feed to change colouring. They also get spark and vitamins, digestive grit, egg shell cooked and meal worms twice weekly. Thanks if anyone replies:) Image

Re: Confused by the colouring if this juvenile Painted

Posted: 10 Nov 2022, 12:45
by finchbreeder
I have never fed painteds any red or orange coloured fruit or veg. I have also never had them do dull in colour. I do feed greens from my garden - mostly seeding grass and weeds - by the handful, constantly.