Saturday, March 21, 2009
Getting Your Lory
Getting Your Lory - The Basics
Margrethe Warden
Now that you’ve made the decision to get a lory there are several more factors to consider. From where will you get this bird and from whom? How will it arrive? What will you do with it after it arrives?
The best place to start would be with a reputable breeder. There are great people all over the United States and beyond who work with lories and one of them has the type you’re looking for. Start with getting references and asking around. If the breeder provides you with names of previous customers, contact them! Ask all the questions you can think of about the breeder and about the birds. Ask other people not listed as references as well. Most people are not going to give out the names of unsatisfied customers. There is a large network of "lory people" out there. Find them. They’re in your community, involved in the local bird club and on the Internet. They can not only give you information about certain breeders but they can also give you information about providing the best care for your new bird.
Once you have decided on where your bird will come from you need to settle on price, payment method and the terms of purchase. It doesn’t hurt to check around and find out what’s the current market price for your particular lory. Many good breeders have sales contracts that outline their responsibilities and yours. These contracts usually provide for a health guarantee based on your own vet examining the bird upon its arrival. The agreement should also outline under what conditions, if any, your money can be refunded if the bird is ill or dies soon after its arrival.
You need to know how your lory will be coming to you. If the breeder lives close enough you might be able to arrange to pick it up or to meet partway. If it’s coming from out of state the bird will need to be shipped via airline cargo. This would necessitate a trip to your local airport. Many airlines do not ship live animals so it’s important to know what airlines fly into your area. The most common carriers seem to be Continental, Delta and US Airways. Shipping is not usually very stressful for the bird; however, it can be a difficult time for the worried new owner. Once the bird is placed inside a shipping container, it usually remains fairly calm in that dark environment. If the bird needs to change planes in transit make sure the shipper allows sufficient time between flights to make that change. Plan to spend anywhere form $100 - $180 for the cost of shipping. Some shippers will use the US Postal Service because the price is less than commercial airlines. The Postal Service is not a recommend shipper as they may bump the bird in favor of more important cargo and it is also ILLEGAL to ship parrots with them.
You need to locate a good avian vet if you don’t already have one. Again, your network of bird people will help you with this task. It’s important that the vet be know about birds and vain medicine and hopefully has experience with lories. When you’ve established an arrival date for your bird, make an appointment with the vet for a Well Bird check. Most health guarantees require the vet check be done within 3 working days from arrival. Some of the basic tests include a fecal gram stain, a CBC (complete blood count) and an avian panel. These will give the vet a snapshot of the bird’s health as well as provide a baseline for future reference.
Now that you know you’ll be getting this bird soon you’ll also need to have a suitable cage and food available. The minimum cages size in one in which the bird can fully outstretch its wings and be able to turn completely around. Lories use a lot of their cage space, including the top and bottom and all 4 sides so this is a situation where size DOES matter. The bar spacing should be narrow enough that the bird cannot get its head stuck. This cage should be one that is easily cleaned. Removable grates on the bottom and slide out trays are important. Many owners worry about the mess caused by the runny droppings that are typical of lories. This mess can be managed simply. Plastic chair mats sold at any office supply store can provide protection for your carpet. Seed guards, if available can be helpful. Sin inexpensive shower curtain can be hung behind the cage to catch those squirts and thrown fruit and can be easily removed and cleaned. Panels made of acrylic or similar material can be attached to the cage and removed for cleaning. Along with the cage you will need to consider toys. Lories are active and love to play. They enjoy swings and toys they can hand from or undo. They don’t chew to the degree other parrots do but they enjoy chipping away at wooden toys. They also enjoy "foot" toys – those loose ones on the bottom of the cage that can be tossed around. Those little balls with bells inside that are designed for cats are perfect as long as they are not something a toe could get stuck in. One need not spend a fortune on toys either as pretty much everything is a toy to a lory.
Another thing you need to have ready for your bird’s arrival is appropriate food. Lories do not eat the same diet as other parrots. They eat primarily fruit and nectar. A good commercial lory diet is import as is a variety of fresh foods. Have the food available prior to the bird’s arrival. Also, ask the seller what type of diet the bird was fed. If different from what you plan to feed, ask that they include some of its normal food when they send it to you.
You are now ready to pick up your new lory!
Margrethe Warden
Now that you’ve made the decision to get a lory there are several more factors to consider. From where will you get this bird and from whom? How will it arrive? What will you do with it after it arrives?
The best place to start would be with a reputable breeder. There are great people all over the United States and beyond who work with lories and one of them has the type you’re looking for. Start with getting references and asking around. If the breeder provides you with names of previous customers, contact them! Ask all the questions you can think of about the breeder and about the birds. Ask other people not listed as references as well. Most people are not going to give out the names of unsatisfied customers. There is a large network of "lory people" out there. Find them. They’re in your community, involved in the local bird club and on the Internet. They can not only give you information about certain breeders but they can also give you information about providing the best care for your new bird.
Once you have decided on where your bird will come from you need to settle on price, payment method and the terms of purchase. It doesn’t hurt to check around and find out what’s the current market price for your particular lory. Many good breeders have sales contracts that outline their responsibilities and yours. These contracts usually provide for a health guarantee based on your own vet examining the bird upon its arrival. The agreement should also outline under what conditions, if any, your money can be refunded if the bird is ill or dies soon after its arrival.
You need to know how your lory will be coming to you. If the breeder lives close enough you might be able to arrange to pick it up or to meet partway. If it’s coming from out of state the bird will need to be shipped via airline cargo. This would necessitate a trip to your local airport. Many airlines do not ship live animals so it’s important to know what airlines fly into your area. The most common carriers seem to be Continental, Delta and US Airways. Shipping is not usually very stressful for the bird; however, it can be a difficult time for the worried new owner. Once the bird is placed inside a shipping container, it usually remains fairly calm in that dark environment. If the bird needs to change planes in transit make sure the shipper allows sufficient time between flights to make that change. Plan to spend anywhere form $100 - $180 for the cost of shipping. Some shippers will use the US Postal Service because the price is less than commercial airlines. The Postal Service is not a recommend shipper as they may bump the bird in favor of more important cargo and it is also ILLEGAL to ship parrots with them.
You need to locate a good avian vet if you don’t already have one. Again, your network of bird people will help you with this task. It’s important that the vet be know about birds and vain medicine and hopefully has experience with lories. When you’ve established an arrival date for your bird, make an appointment with the vet for a Well Bird check. Most health guarantees require the vet check be done within 3 working days from arrival. Some of the basic tests include a fecal gram stain, a CBC (complete blood count) and an avian panel. These will give the vet a snapshot of the bird’s health as well as provide a baseline for future reference.
Now that you know you’ll be getting this bird soon you’ll also need to have a suitable cage and food available. The minimum cages size in one in which the bird can fully outstretch its wings and be able to turn completely around. Lories use a lot of their cage space, including the top and bottom and all 4 sides so this is a situation where size DOES matter. The bar spacing should be narrow enough that the bird cannot get its head stuck. This cage should be one that is easily cleaned. Removable grates on the bottom and slide out trays are important. Many owners worry about the mess caused by the runny droppings that are typical of lories. This mess can be managed simply. Plastic chair mats sold at any office supply store can provide protection for your carpet. Seed guards, if available can be helpful. Sin inexpensive shower curtain can be hung behind the cage to catch those squirts and thrown fruit and can be easily removed and cleaned. Panels made of acrylic or similar material can be attached to the cage and removed for cleaning. Along with the cage you will need to consider toys. Lories are active and love to play. They enjoy swings and toys they can hand from or undo. They don’t chew to the degree other parrots do but they enjoy chipping away at wooden toys. They also enjoy "foot" toys – those loose ones on the bottom of the cage that can be tossed around. Those little balls with bells inside that are designed for cats are perfect as long as they are not something a toe could get stuck in. One need not spend a fortune on toys either as pretty much everything is a toy to a lory.
Another thing you need to have ready for your bird’s arrival is appropriate food. Lories do not eat the same diet as other parrots. They eat primarily fruit and nectar. A good commercial lory diet is import as is a variety of fresh foods. Have the food available prior to the bird’s arrival. Also, ask the seller what type of diet the bird was fed. If different from what you plan to feed, ask that they include some of its normal food when they send it to you.
You are now ready to pick up your new lory!
FEEDING LORIES
FEEDING LORIES
Margrethe Warden
There are probably as many ways to feed lories as there are people feeding them. While there is no absolute one way to feed them there are some guidelines that can make the diet quandary easier.
Lories are physiologically different than other parrots and are designed to consume a diet of nectar, pollen, fruit, bugs, small lizards and such. Their brush tongue is perfectly suited to the gathering of this nectar and pollen. Their ventriculous, or gizzard, is less muscular than that of other parrots therefore they should not eat the type of hard, dry diet we feed our other parrots.
Margrethe Warden
There are probably as many ways to feed lories as there are people feeding them. While there is no absolute one way to feed them there are some guidelines that can make the diet quandary easier.
Lories are physiologically different than other parrots and are designed to consume a diet of nectar, pollen, fruit, bugs, small lizards and such. Their brush tongue is perfectly suited to the gathering of this nectar and pollen. Their ventriculous, or gizzard, is less muscular than that of other parrots therefore they should not eat the type of hard, dry diet we feed our other parrots.
NECTAR Most lory owners and breeders have found that the birds are healthier, happier and longer lived when they have nectar in their diet. There are several commercial products on the market designed specifically for lories. One of the most popular commercial lory diets available in the U.S. is Avico’s Lory Life. This product is available in both a powder form intended to be offered dry and a mix that with water added makes a nectar. These two products are nutritionally equal however the ingredients in the nectar mix are all water-soluble. In addition to Lory Life, Nekton Lori is also available as a nectar mix. Both these products have been around since the mid 1980’s and have been used extensively on flocks of lories for several generations. If commercial nectar makes up a significant portion of your lory’s diet there is no need to worry about adding vitamin or mineral supplements
FRUITS & VEGETABLES While commercial products are considered to be "total nutrition" your birds can benefit from the added nutrients of a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Some of the best items to offer a lory are papaya, cantaloupe, mango, pears, apples, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, squash, bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, dark leafy greens such as kale and peas. Cooking foods destroys many of the nutrients so these food should be served fresh. Because of their natural curiosity, most lories will accept new diets readily. Fresh foods can be given in a chopped mix. If the bird seems to reject the chopped fresh foods, try pureeing the fruit and even the veggies and adding it to the nectar. Remember, VARIETY is essential.SPROUTS Freshly sprouted seeds are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, protein, enzymes and antioxidants. When seed begin to sprout they are at their peak nutritional level and they are easy to digest. Because they are soft, they are suitable for lory consumption. Avoid sprouts purchased in the store as they my be older and less nutritious and they can contain harmful levels of E. coli. Seeds & beans to include in your sprout mix are: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, mung beans, wheat berries, lentil, adzuka beans and corn.
THE PELLET ISSUE Pellet manufacturers have realized the benefit of marketing species specific diets and in doing so have jumped on the lory bandwagon. Vets often recommend a totally pelleted diet for feeding caged birds and those who do will generally recommend them for lories as well. The commercial diet Lory Life was formulated with the nutritional needs of lories in mind and extensively tested on large numbers of lories before being made available to the public. It is apparent that the same efforts have NOT been made on behalf of the pelleted lory diets. These pelleted diets seem to advertise that in feeding them the lory droppings will be much firmer and will therefore eliminate some of the mess associated with keeping lories. Clearly they are designed for the consumer who looks for convenience and ease when feeding lories, not for the welfare and benefit of the birds themselves. Most experienced lory keepers will recommend that pellets be omitted from your lory’s diet.
HOMEMADE DIETS Over the years a number of recipes for lory diets have surfaced. Many of them consist primarily of baby cereal and fructose and almost always include other dry ingredients as well. Unless you are well versed in the area of nutrition and can develop your own well balanced, nutritious lory diet, it's best to avoid the home made mixes. Many of these can be too high in protein, iron and fat while being deficient in other vitamins and minerals. The availability and cost of commercial lory food make diet creation unnecessary and are more cost effective than hunting down the ingredients yourself. This is not to say that you cannot exercise some creativity when feeding your lory. Many lories enjoy fresh fruit "nectar" which can be made by pureeing several different types of fruit (and even a veggie or two) together to make a thick fruit smoothie. A batch can be made and frozen into single serving portions. When mixing up Lory Life nectar, many owners add fruit juice and/or pureed fruit to it.
FRESH WATER Fresh, clean water is essential to the health of any bird. Be sure to provide plenty of it and change it daily. Lories can adapt to water bottles, however, they should be changed daily and the stoppers cleaned and disinfected frequently.
FOODS TO AVOID Human food with preservatives and added iron (ferrous sulfate) such as canned fruit, non organic baby foods and nectar drinks intended for human consumption; chocolate; products with caffeine such as coffee, tea and soft drinks, alcohol, eggplant and the stems and leaves or tomato plants which can contain toxic levels of solanine and alkaloids that can effect calcium absorption; corn, while not toxic is full of sugar and carbs which can help bring on obesity in your bird if fed in large quantities; mushrooms; the pits of Prunus species (peach, apricot, cherry, plum); tobacco.
housing for Lories
Caging Your Lory
Margrethe Warden
For any bird the housing is important. At the bare minimum, the cage should be large enough that if the bird sits in the center and outstretches its wings it could turn completely around without touching.
There are several factors that will influence cage selection. Price is a big one. It’s easy to spend considerably more on the cage than was spent on the bird. The location of the cage is another, lesser factor. In what room it will be placed may determine certain elements such as color. Available space is a big consideration when purchasing a cage for your pet bird. While one might want to buy the biggest cage on the market, if the space available is only a 24-inch corner in the living room, the cage cannot be larger.
Lories are incredibly active birds. Unlike many other types of parrots they tend to utilize the entire cage, including top, bottom and all sides. This can present a dilemma for the person who wants a reasonably sized cage to put in their home.
The ideal size for a single lory would be in the range of 2’ tall, 3’ wide and 3’ deep. Lories need the width and length more than the height. Cage manufacturers however are not inclined to make a cage with these dimensions. In the absence of other choices, look for a cage that is about 24" square. If appearance is not the most important thing, breeder style cages made from galvanized wire can be larger without costing a lot. These would be the most inexpensive cages available. Some lory owners have even used ferret cages and found them to be quite suitable for lories.
Another essential cage element is bar spacing. Make sure the bars are not far enough apart for the bird to get its head stuck. If your lory is one of the smaller varieties, perhaps ¾" spacing would be the safest. For the larger birds such as the Lorius and Chalcopsitta varieties, 1" spacing is acceptable. The bars must be such that toys and perches can be fastened on.
One of the most important consideration is cleaning and sanitizing. Lories, like most parrots, are not especially neat creatures. Having a pull out bottom tray is practical. The tray can be lined with newspaper, which is cheap and safe, and can easily be cleaned. A grate in the bottom is also a good idea as it keeps the bird out of dropped food and feces. Pull-out grates are wonderful because they can be removed and easily cleaned. The cage itself should not be so heavy that it cannot be moved easily. If a wheeled stand is available for the cage that’s even better. This makes moving a bulky cage easier, even to point of wheeling it outside for a good cleaning with a garden hose. Some cages also offer seed guards or some sort of attachable apron. These are effective in catching droppings and food but be sure they can be removed easily for cleaning. Toys and perches should also be ones that are easily removed and cleaned. Many cage accessories such as perches and toys can be cleaned in the dishwasher.
Finally, be sure the cage you select has an opening large enough for you to reach in with both hands as you may need to remove the bird from time to time.
Because the nature of lory droppings is a bit unlike other parrots you may wish to do some additional mess control. A plastic chair mat, sold in any office supply store, can protect carpets. Shower curtains or shower board can be hung on the walls behind the cage. Some people prefer to hang panels made of acrylic or similar material that can be removed for easy clean up. All it takes is a little imagination and possibly a power tool.
Margrethe Warden
For any bird the housing is important. At the bare minimum, the cage should be large enough that if the bird sits in the center and outstretches its wings it could turn completely around without touching.
There are several factors that will influence cage selection. Price is a big one. It’s easy to spend considerably more on the cage than was spent on the bird. The location of the cage is another, lesser factor. In what room it will be placed may determine certain elements such as color. Available space is a big consideration when purchasing a cage for your pet bird. While one might want to buy the biggest cage on the market, if the space available is only a 24-inch corner in the living room, the cage cannot be larger.
Lories are incredibly active birds. Unlike many other types of parrots they tend to utilize the entire cage, including top, bottom and all sides. This can present a dilemma for the person who wants a reasonably sized cage to put in their home.
The ideal size for a single lory would be in the range of 2’ tall, 3’ wide and 3’ deep. Lories need the width and length more than the height. Cage manufacturers however are not inclined to make a cage with these dimensions. In the absence of other choices, look for a cage that is about 24" square. If appearance is not the most important thing, breeder style cages made from galvanized wire can be larger without costing a lot. These would be the most inexpensive cages available. Some lory owners have even used ferret cages and found them to be quite suitable for lories.
Another essential cage element is bar spacing. Make sure the bars are not far enough apart for the bird to get its head stuck. If your lory is one of the smaller varieties, perhaps ¾" spacing would be the safest. For the larger birds such as the Lorius and Chalcopsitta varieties, 1" spacing is acceptable. The bars must be such that toys and perches can be fastened on.
One of the most important consideration is cleaning and sanitizing. Lories, like most parrots, are not especially neat creatures. Having a pull out bottom tray is practical. The tray can be lined with newspaper, which is cheap and safe, and can easily be cleaned. A grate in the bottom is also a good idea as it keeps the bird out of dropped food and feces. Pull-out grates are wonderful because they can be removed and easily cleaned. The cage itself should not be so heavy that it cannot be moved easily. If a wheeled stand is available for the cage that’s even better. This makes moving a bulky cage easier, even to point of wheeling it outside for a good cleaning with a garden hose. Some cages also offer seed guards or some sort of attachable apron. These are effective in catching droppings and food but be sure they can be removed easily for cleaning. Toys and perches should also be ones that are easily removed and cleaned. Many cage accessories such as perches and toys can be cleaned in the dishwasher.
Finally, be sure the cage you select has an opening large enough for you to reach in with both hands as you may need to remove the bird from time to time.
Because the nature of lory droppings is a bit unlike other parrots you may wish to do some additional mess control. A plastic chair mat, sold in any office supply store, can protect carpets. Shower curtains or shower board can be hung on the walls behind the cage. Some people prefer to hang panels made of acrylic or similar material that can be removed for easy clean up. All it takes is a little imagination and possibly a power tool.
Toys for Lories
Because these birds are active and easily entertained, providing sufficient and appropriate toys is rather simple. To a lory, pretty much anything & everything is a toy. There are certainly some necessary precautions when obtaining or making toys for your lory. If you’re using any items that have ropes or fibers, monitor the condition constantly. The fraying areas can become dangerous as the fibers can get wrapped around a toe, foot or neck. Consider the size and open spaces of the potential toy. Would they be of a size where a lory can get its head or foot stuck?
To start with, lories enjoy loose objects on the bottom of their cages. These can be plastic balls, sections cut from a cardboard paper towel tube, little whiffle balls with bells, plastic containers and tops, even plastic key rings from the infant section of the supermarket. Another favorite floor toy is a small plastic bottle, preferably with a screw on top, filled with beads or something that makes noise and rattles when moved. Noise, and lots of it, is essential to the well being of any lory.
Next, there must be hanging toys fastened to the top of the cage. Most lories enjoy swings. You can obtain an actual bird swing with a wooden, PVC or concrete perching area or you can fashion your own using a little imagination. Again, use caution if you are using rope as it can easily become frayed. While lories don’t have the destructive chewing habits that other psittacines have, they do enjoy some softer wooden items and they will demolish them. A great toy that combines amusement with nutrition are the kabobs or skewers you can attach large pieces of food to and hang from the cage. These are available in most pet stores who stock bird toys and supplies, but be sure to get the stainless steel ones. Because lories enjoy the challenge of dismantling things, rawhide knots can be another source of amusement. You must also be careful about the fastening hardware you use to attach the toy to the cage. Lories love a challenge and will enjoy undoing and removing things so ensure that the hardware is not likely to cause injury.
Safe and not safe plant & Flower
There are always questions about plants and which ones are safe and which ones should be avoided. The following is by no means a complete list of what is safe and what is not. You might need to do a little research on individual plants if you don't find it listed here.
Lories love flowers, so here are some SAFE common flowers your lory will love:
Acacia, Bottlebrush, Calendula, Carnation, Daisies, Dandelion, Eucalyptus, Hibiscus, Honeysuckle, Marigolds, Milk Thistle, Nasturtiums, Pansies, Passionflowers, Roses, Sunflowers and tree flowers including apple, citrus and eucalyptus.
Note: While many flowers may be safe, other parts of the plant including, leaves, stems and roots may be toxic
A PARTIAL LIST OF SAFE PLANTS AND TREES
Acacia, African Violet, Ash, Aspen, Baby’s Tears, Bamboo, Begonia, Birch, Bougainvillea, Christmas Cactus, Coleus, Corn Plant, Crabapple, Dandelion, Dodwood, Donkey Tail, Dracaena, Eucalyptus, Ferns (Asparagus, Birds Nest, Boston and Maidenhair), Figs, Gardenia, Grape Ivy, Jade Plant, Marigold, Mother-In-Law Tongue, Mulberry, Nasturtium, Natal Plum, Norfolk Island Pine, Palms (Areca, Date, Fan, Lady Parlor, Howeia, Kentia, Phoenix, Sago), Pepperomia, Petunia, Pine, Poplar, Prayer Plant, Purple Passion, Rubber Tree, Schefflera , Spider Plant, Swedish Ivy, Thistles, Umbrella Plant, Wandering Jew (green, variegated and purple), White Clover, Willow, Zebra Plant
SOME NOT–SO-SAFE-PLANTS
This is a partial list of plants that may be considered unsafe for a variety of reasons. Some may contain toxins that, when ingested, can cause problems. Or contact with may cause skin irritation. Others may be highly toxic in their entirety or some element of the plant may be toxic.
Amaryllis, Azalea, Black Locust, Box Elder, Buttercup, Cactus (danger from thorns), Caladium, Cedar, Clover, Crocus, Dieffenbachia, Elderberry, Gingko, Holly, Iris, Laurel, Lily, Marijuana, Milk Weed, Mimosa, Mistletoe, Morning Glory, Orchid, Olive, Ornamental Ivy, Philodendron, Poison Ivy, Poppy, Pothos, Ragweed, Rhododendron, Trumpet Vine, Verbena, Wisteria
Also not safe are the bulbs of flowers such as tulips, jonquils, hyacinths, daffodils, and iris.
NOTE: Nightshade is a group of plants whose members can be highly toxic; however there are some safe and edible members of this family. Potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant are all edible; however, the leaves, roots and vines may not be. All parts of Belladonna can be deadly poisonous.
Lories love flowers, so here are some SAFE common flowers your lory will love:
Acacia, Bottlebrush, Calendula, Carnation, Daisies, Dandelion, Eucalyptus, Hibiscus, Honeysuckle, Marigolds, Milk Thistle, Nasturtiums, Pansies, Passionflowers, Roses, Sunflowers and tree flowers including apple, citrus and eucalyptus.
Note: While many flowers may be safe, other parts of the plant including, leaves, stems and roots may be toxic
A PARTIAL LIST OF SAFE PLANTS AND TREES
Acacia, African Violet, Ash, Aspen, Baby’s Tears, Bamboo, Begonia, Birch, Bougainvillea, Christmas Cactus, Coleus, Corn Plant, Crabapple, Dandelion, Dodwood, Donkey Tail, Dracaena, Eucalyptus, Ferns (Asparagus, Birds Nest, Boston and Maidenhair), Figs, Gardenia, Grape Ivy, Jade Plant, Marigold, Mother-In-Law Tongue, Mulberry, Nasturtium, Natal Plum, Norfolk Island Pine, Palms (Areca, Date, Fan, Lady Parlor, Howeia, Kentia, Phoenix, Sago), Pepperomia, Petunia, Pine, Poplar, Prayer Plant, Purple Passion, Rubber Tree, Schefflera , Spider Plant, Swedish Ivy, Thistles, Umbrella Plant, Wandering Jew (green, variegated and purple), White Clover, Willow, Zebra Plant
SOME NOT–SO-SAFE-PLANTS
This is a partial list of plants that may be considered unsafe for a variety of reasons. Some may contain toxins that, when ingested, can cause problems. Or contact with may cause skin irritation. Others may be highly toxic in their entirety or some element of the plant may be toxic.
Amaryllis, Azalea, Black Locust, Box Elder, Buttercup, Cactus (danger from thorns), Caladium, Cedar, Clover, Crocus, Dieffenbachia, Elderberry, Gingko, Holly, Iris, Laurel, Lily, Marijuana, Milk Weed, Mimosa, Mistletoe, Morning Glory, Orchid, Olive, Ornamental Ivy, Philodendron, Poison Ivy, Poppy, Pothos, Ragweed, Rhododendron, Trumpet Vine, Verbena, Wisteria
Also not safe are the bulbs of flowers such as tulips, jonquils, hyacinths, daffodils, and iris.
NOTE: Nightshade is a group of plants whose members can be highly toxic; however there are some safe and edible members of this family. Potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant are all edible; however, the leaves, roots and vines may not be. All parts of Belladonna can be deadly poisonous.
SPROUTING MADE EASY
SPROUTING MADE EASY
Margrethe Warden
While not the “miracle” food they are often touted as, sprouted seeds and beans can be a beneficial part of any bird’s diet. Sprouting does alter the nutritional make up. The germination process can increase the vitamin and amino acid content of the seed or bean and it can also decrease the mineral, fat, and protein content.
People are often reluctant to attempt sprouting seeds and beans on their own because they believe it to be a complicated process. In fact, it is really quite simple. The thing about sprouts is you soak them 12-24 hours, using a stabilizer (bleach or grapefruit seed extract), drain them, and wait. If you use bleach you will need to rinse them every couple of hours until they've sprouted. I got started in sprouting through China Prairie using one-quart canning jars with lids and the grapefruit seed extract (GSE). The advantage of GSE is that you don't have to rinse the seeds once they've soaked & been drained. You can go to the China Prairie site and order their starter kit for $75. It includes several pounds of human grade seed for sprouting, three jars and lids, a tower for draining the jars, the GSE and a spirulina supplement that makes the whole thing smell very good.
You can do it yourself piecemeal if you'd like. Get some wide mouth canning jars and you can use cheesecloth purchased from the supermarket, secured over the lid with a rubber band. You can buy GSE from most health food stores or on the Internet from Nutriteam. If you order online, I recommend getting the 4 oz. size. Add about ten or twelve drops (I cc) per quart jar.
If you don't like draining through cheesecloth, you can get lids to fit wide mouth canning jars from The Sprout People . You can get jars in the 2 quart size too but that's a LOT of sprouts. They also sell seeds for sprouting but they're expensive.
For seeds you can order the 5# bags from China Prairie alone or you can gather up your own seeds & grains. I do buy some human grade seed and beans for sprouting from SunOrganic Farm. Keep in mind you will pay for shipping but their prices aren't bad. You will want to include mung beans, adzuki beans, lentils, whole peas, hulled sunflower seeds, hulled pumpkin seeds, millet, radish seeds, hulled oats, wheat berries. Also, Arrowhead Mills organic popping corn sprouts – that is the only brand of dried corn I've gotten to sprout.
OK, now you're ready to actually start the sprouting process. Get your jar and fill it not quite half full with the dried beans. Fill it the rest of the way with water. Add the GSE, 1 cc per quart. If you get it from Nutriteam you will use 11 to 15 drops per quart. Soak for 12-24 hours. I usually start them soaking first thing in the morning and drain them just before I go to bed. Drain all the water out, rinse if you wish and set the jar, tilted, with the opening down (so it can continue to drain but get air) in a dry place out of direct sunlight. I use the sink in a half bath and leave them in the dark. 24-36 hours later they are food. The little sprout tails should be very short - 1/8-1/4" long. If they get too long the nutritional value diminishes. The sprouts will keep several days in the refrigerator so if you end up with more sprouts than you have birds, you do not need to worry. They will keep!
Margrethe Warden
While not the “miracle” food they are often touted as, sprouted seeds and beans can be a beneficial part of any bird’s diet. Sprouting does alter the nutritional make up. The germination process can increase the vitamin and amino acid content of the seed or bean and it can also decrease the mineral, fat, and protein content.
People are often reluctant to attempt sprouting seeds and beans on their own because they believe it to be a complicated process. In fact, it is really quite simple. The thing about sprouts is you soak them 12-24 hours, using a stabilizer (bleach or grapefruit seed extract), drain them, and wait. If you use bleach you will need to rinse them every couple of hours until they've sprouted. I got started in sprouting through China Prairie using one-quart canning jars with lids and the grapefruit seed extract (GSE). The advantage of GSE is that you don't have to rinse the seeds once they've soaked & been drained. You can go to the China Prairie site and order their starter kit for $75. It includes several pounds of human grade seed for sprouting, three jars and lids, a tower for draining the jars, the GSE and a spirulina supplement that makes the whole thing smell very good.
You can do it yourself piecemeal if you'd like. Get some wide mouth canning jars and you can use cheesecloth purchased from the supermarket, secured over the lid with a rubber band. You can buy GSE from most health food stores or on the Internet from Nutriteam. If you order online, I recommend getting the 4 oz. size. Add about ten or twelve drops (I cc) per quart jar.
If you don't like draining through cheesecloth, you can get lids to fit wide mouth canning jars from The Sprout People . You can get jars in the 2 quart size too but that's a LOT of sprouts. They also sell seeds for sprouting but they're expensive.
For seeds you can order the 5# bags from China Prairie alone or you can gather up your own seeds & grains. I do buy some human grade seed and beans for sprouting from SunOrganic Farm. Keep in mind you will pay for shipping but their prices aren't bad. You will want to include mung beans, adzuki beans, lentils, whole peas, hulled sunflower seeds, hulled pumpkin seeds, millet, radish seeds, hulled oats, wheat berries. Also, Arrowhead Mills organic popping corn sprouts – that is the only brand of dried corn I've gotten to sprout.
OK, now you're ready to actually start the sprouting process. Get your jar and fill it not quite half full with the dried beans. Fill it the rest of the way with water. Add the GSE, 1 cc per quart. If you get it from Nutriteam you will use 11 to 15 drops per quart. Soak for 12-24 hours. I usually start them soaking first thing in the morning and drain them just before I go to bed. Drain all the water out, rinse if you wish and set the jar, tilted, with the opening down (so it can continue to drain but get air) in a dry place out of direct sunlight. I use the sink in a half bath and leave them in the dark. 24-36 hours later they are food. The little sprout tails should be very short - 1/8-1/4" long. If they get too long the nutritional value diminishes. The sprouts will keep several days in the refrigerator so if you end up with more sprouts than you have birds, you do not need to worry. They will keep!
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