Food Issues, Help Please

[LivLaughLov]

Rowan (previously known as Blossom) only likes to eat seeds. I gave her gourmet seeds that she was weaned on and she picks out all the dried fruit and veggies and throws them. I tried mixing Harrison's High Potency in and she avoids it. She will eat TINY bits of Zupreem veggie if it's really tiny with her seed. I made mash for her and warmed it and she would not touch it until I sprinkled seed on top. Then she at least gets a little "by accident!"

I was at a wonderful Pet Expo yesterday and was encouraged to buy TOPS organic crumpets and try them first thing in the morning when she was the hungriest. So this morning I gave her a small amount for breakfast. She took one bite, searched for her seed then had a tantrum. Which was the first one I've seen! She jumped up and down in front of her food bowl, flapping her wings and screeching. When that didn't work she flung herself to the bottom of her cage, cried like a baby then lay on her back with her feet sticking straight up! Like I was killing her! LOL! When that still did not get her seed she turned somersaults over and over in the bottom of her cage and totally ignored me for the entire hour I left the TOPS.

Then I replaced it with her seed. I can't even try mixing it with her favorite food because she refuses everything after trying it. Should I continue to do this every morning? I am fine with her having seed but it is the ONLY thing she eats so I am trying to wean her off a little.

Thank you for any help,
Laurie & Rowan

 

[Birdlover11]

Seed is very bad for birds, it has A LOT of fat which can shorten a birds life span by 10 years ! It can also cause fatty liver disease . My budgies were seed maniacs so I started a thread just like you . A good way that worked on my budgies were to mix apple juice into their pellets and they love it and I finally was able to get them on pellets without the apple juice. What you would do was for every 2 spoon of pellets you would mix a cap full of a 100 % apple juice . As for fruits and veggies if you bird is a gigantic shredder and chewer pit in a large block of fruit and see if she will try to shred it or chew it. This will take time and you waist a lot of fruit and veggies in the process .

 

[Riio]

Rowan (previously known as Blossom) only likes to eat seeds. I gave her gourmet seeds that she was weaned on and she picks out all the dried fruit and veggies and throws them. I tried mixing Harrison's High Potency in and she avoids it. She will eat TINY bits of Zupreem veggie if it's really tiny with her seed. I made mash for her and warmed it and she would not touch it until I sprinkled seed on top. Then she at least gets a little "by accident!"

I was at a wonderful Pet Expo yesterday and was encouraged to buy TOPS organic crumpets and try them first thing in the morning when she was the hungriest. So this morning I gave her a small amount for breakfast. She took one bite, searched for her seed then had a tantrum. Which was the first one I've seen! She jumped up and down in front of her food bowl, flapping her wings and screeching. When that didn't work she flung herself to the bottom of her cage, cried like a baby then lay on her back with her feet sticking straight up! Like I was killing her! LOL! When that still did not get her seed she turned somersaults over and over in the bottom of her cage and totally ignored me for the entire hour I left the TOPS.

Then I replaced it with her seed. I can't even try mixing it with her favorite food because she refuses everything after trying it. Should I continue to do this every morning? I am fine with her having seed but it is the ONLY thing she eats so I am trying to wean her off a little.

Thank you for any help,
Laurie & Rowan

Oh My Gosh!! Im so sorry your having this issue, but how funny was her fit? Did you just laugh hysterically? What a turd bird!! Hahahaha

 

[MeganMango]

It was really hard to get Mango to eat the Harrisons pellets, but I kind of tricked him. Firstly I pretended to be eating then while he was with me and tried to keep him from getting at them (reverse psychology). He wants anything I have, especially if Im hoarding it. I also would give him some seed in the morning, wait for him to finish breakfast, and then put the pellets in for the day until dinner. After a while he started to really like them, and how he eats them like crazy. I use the seeds now only for treats during training or in foraging toys if hes going to be alone for longer than usual. I got the big coarse pellets and he prefers them so he can hold it in his foot (his personal preference). I did similar things to get him on veggies. I would let him hang out on the island in our kitchen while I chopped. I would put the small clean pieces on the edge of the cutting board for him and then when he came close I moved them away pretending I didnt want him to have it. I would keep moving it and laughing a few times until he was REALLY determined before I let him have it and he would gobble it all up (and give me the look-you know the one, its like the birdy version of the middle finger). The only thing he positively hated was green veggies, especially broccoli! He would scream at it and carry it all the way to the top of his cage and throw it off! I found he LOVES orange juice, so I dipped it in that to get him started. Now he eats all his veggies. The vet told me if they dont like the pellets you can try adding fruit juice to them to get the birds interest as well. You obviously dont want her going hungry, but maybe a little tough love and she might try some new food. When she throws a fit she knows you will give in, I wouldnt let her go too long if she goes on a genuine hunger strike, but maybe leave her with the pellets for the day after breakfast and see if she tries it. Maybe do this when you arent around so there is no one to give in to her drama (adorable BTW). Good luck!

 

[LivLaughLov]

Rowan (previously known as Blossom) only likes to eat seeds. I gave her gourmet seeds that she was weaned on and she picks out all the dried fruit and veggies and throws them. I tried mixing Harrison's High Potency in and she avoids it. She will eat TINY bits of Zupreem veggie if it's really tiny with her seed. I made mash for her and warmed it and she would not touch it until I sprinkled seed on top. Then she at least gets a little "by accident!"

I was at a wonderful Pet Expo yesterday and was encouraged to buy TOPS organic crumpets and try them first thing in the morning when she was the hungriest. So this morning I gave her a small amount for breakfast. She took one bite, searched for her seed then had a tantrum. Which was the first one I've seen! She jumped up and down in front of her food bowl, flapping her wings and screeching. When that didn't work she flung herself to the bottom of her cage, cried like a baby then lay on her back with her feet sticking straight up! Like I was killing her! LOL! When that still did not get her seed she turned somersaults over and over in the bottom of her cage and totally ignored me for the entire hour I left the TOPS.

Then I replaced it with her seed. I can't even try mixing it with her favorite food because she refuses everything after trying it. Should I continue to do this every morning? I am fine with her having seed but it is the ONLY thing she eats so I am trying to wean her off a little.

Thank you for any help,
Laurie & Rowan

Oh My Gosh!! Im so sorry your having this issue, but how funny was her fit? Did you just laugh hysterically? What a turd bird!! Hahahaha

Yes, it was hysterical! I had to call my husband at work to tell him too. LOL!

 

[LivLaughLov]

It was really hard to get Mango to eat the Harrisons pellets, but I kind of tricked him. Firstly I pretended to be eating then while he was with me and tried to keep him from getting at them (reverse psychology). He wants anything I have, especially if Im hoarding it. I also would give him some seed in the morning, wait for him to finish breakfast, and then put the pellets in for the day until dinner. After a while he started to really like them, and how he eats them like crazy. I use the seeds now only for treats during training or in foraging toys if hes going to be alone for longer than usual. I got the big coarse pellets and he prefers them so he can hold it in his foot (his personal preference). I did similar things to get him on veggies. I would let him hang out on the island in our kitchen while I chopped. I would put the small clean pieces on the edge of the cutting board for him and then when he came close I moved them away pretending I didnt want him to have it. I would keep moving it and laughing a few times until he was REALLY determined before I let him have it and he would gobble it all up (and give me the look-you know the one, its like the birdy version of the middle finger). The only thing he positively hated was green veggies, especially broccoli! He would scream at it and carry it all the way to the top of his cage and throw it off! I found he LOVES orange juice, so I dipped it in that to get him started. Now he eats all his veggies. The vet told me if they dont like the pellets you can try adding fruit juice to them to get the birds interest as well. You obviously dont want her going hungry, but maybe a little tough love and she might try some new food. When she throws a fit she knows you will give in, I wouldnt let her go too long if she goes on a genuine hunger strike, but maybe leave her with the pellets for the day after breakfast and see if she tries it. Maybe do this when you arent around so there is no one to give in to her drama (adorable BTW). Good luck!

Thank you Megan! I will give these great ideas a try. So far I haven't found any fruit or fruit juice she likes, but I will buy some small bottles of different types and try that. I got my Quakers off an all seed diet by mixing their pellets with pineapple juice but Rowan doesn't care for it. Also, I feel if I could find one type of pellet she didn't hate, I would gladly give it to her. Right now I have Harrison's High Potency, Zupreem Veggie and TOPS organic crumpets.

Laurie & Rowan

 

[MeAndMyG2]

Hi Laurie:
I'm having the same problem with my Goffin. He won't eat any pellets that I have tried which is Zupreem, Harrison's, Roudybush and Hagen. He will only eat the seeds from Goldenfeast which are high quality, but still not good for him. People have told me the same thing, to try the Harrison's, but I never knew to put them with the juice. Would you just soak the pellet in the juice? Knowing my guy, he will probably reject it and be stubborn until dinner time when he eats all of my food. LOL

I have also heard of mixing the pellets with the seed and then decrease the amount of seed each day until no seed is added. Have you heard of this technique too??

Keep the faith!
Vee

 

[LivLaughLov]

Hi Laurie:
I'm having the same problem with my Goffin. He won't eat any pellets that I have tried which is Zupreem, Harrison's, Roudybush and Hagen. He will only eat the seeds from Goldenfeast which are high quality, but still not good for him. People have told me the same thing, to try the Harrison's, but I never knew to put them with the juice. Would you just soak the pellet in the juice? Knowing my guy, he will probably reject it and be stubborn until dinner time when he eats all of my food. LOL

I have also heard of mixing the pellets with the seed and then decrease the amount of seed each day until no seed is added. Have you heard of this technique too??

Keep the faith!
Vee

Hi Vee, How I was able to get both my Quakers off an all seed diet was to take the pellets, I used Zupreem fruit, and stir fresh pineapple juice into it in the morning. After an hour or two I would remove it and replace with seeds for the rest of the day. Every couple of days I used less juice on the pellets. By the end of only two weeks I offered the pellets dry and they both ate them! Then I gave them seeds a few times per week only. Their main diet was fresh food and pellets. But they did not like any raw food, only cooked and cut in tiny pieces.

I tried the method you referred to with Rowan. Where you mix the pellets and seeds but this little monkey either eats around ANY pellets or throws them. I talked to her breeder yesterday and am going to try to get samples of Zupreem natural that she used. I have a ton of $ invested in pellets right now that she will not touch. I am planning to try to make birdie muffins with it. Good luck!

Laurie & Rowan