Review on 🐦 Volkman Birdie's Buffet: The 15 Minute Soak & Serve Solution for Your Feathered Friends by Amanda Collins

My 5 month old parrot finally took this mix and seems to be enjoying it now. I had to deduct 1 star because the 15 minute soak is a bit off. While other species with larger beaks might be able to break up wood, cardboard, and (in this case) soggy but still hard food, my little one just doesn't have the strength to digest undercooked food that isn't properly soaked (even though he thinks he is an ara). When I was told "intended use" my bird swallowed it, found he couldn't crack it, and spat it out, losing interest in the process. What worked for me. Luckily, some food comes a long way for him, so I was able to get him to try again by actually cooking it. Birds seem to need to quickly determine if there is food in their mouths. When it's soft, they find that the outer "shell" has ruptured and some of the "flesh of the nut/seed/berry" spills into their mouth. I think it's a "Hello, this is food" signal, so keep asking and eating. A lot of resistance with almost no cracks allows them to keep moving. Breaking the pieces into smaller pieces can also help. I can even try a mini chopper to get a smooth consistency before cooking. I put about 2 tablespoons in a bowl of water to cover and microwaved it at 2-3 minute intervals, then let it sit 1-2 minutes between cooking. Leaving it alone helped it soak up the water before the next boil and allowed me to find a good texture before it turned to mush. Once it was with the right cook, a few ice cubes in the bowl stopped the cooking process. Drain off excess liquid and you're done. Now some people may complain about the cooking time but firstly I want my friend to eat something different and secondly I did it while cooking a family dinner. I don't care and I have leftovers in the fridge the next day. This is fed 2-3 times a week. Other final tips: I place my noodles on a flat surface/plate rather than a bowl and sprinkle some seeds/granules on top to attract them. Once the food was laid out, he could choose what he liked and then start trying other new and exciting flavors. It is very pleasant to watch as he emerges with food all over his beak.