fussy eater

[prettyLing]

I have had a rehomed 12 year old gcc for 2 years. He was never finger trained and I've given up with that. He is fearless and has the run of our house but is caged at night or when we are out., and lately he is very attached to my husband and he constantly sits on his shoulder or computer. I have been feeding him seed mix and fruit and he likes to eat out of our plates, especially meat, but he has rejected bird pellet type food. He also chases our cat away from her dish and eats her dry kibble. Would the cat kibble be good to feed him regularly since he wont eat bird pellets? I understand a steady diet of seed is insufficient and sometimes it seems that he doesn't even eat most of the seed in his dish.

 

[LaManuka]

I have had a rehomed 12 year old gcc for 2 years. He was never finger trained and I've given up with that. He is fearless and has the run of our house but is caged at night or when we are out., and lately he is very attached to my husband and he constantly sits on his shoulder or computer. I have been feeding him seed mix and fruit and he likes to eat out of our plates, especially meat, but he has rejected bird pellet type food. He also chases our cat away from her dish and eats her dry kibble. Would the cat kibble be good to feed him regularly since he wont eat bird pellets? I understand a steady diet of seed is insufficient and sometimes it seems that he doesn't even eat most of the seed in his dish.

Birds, bless 'em, would always MUCH rather eat stuff that's not so good for them rather than the healthier option!! I wouldn't think cat kibble would be so good for your boy, being formulated for a completely different set of nutritional needs as they are. Perhaps you could try the trick that worked for me when I was trying to convert a VERY stubborn cockatiel to a better diet? She point blank REFUSED to even look at pellets every time I tried to convert her, but what eventually worked was when i ground up her pellets into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle, and I sprinkled that over her food. That way she was unable to avoid ingesting it and it also enabled her to get accustomed to the taste. Over a period of about a week or two I gradually ground the pellets less finely until BAM, one day she was just eating them like she'd done so all her life!! That trick worked for me when every other method of conversion recommended by my vet and the pellet manufacturers had failed, so maybe it might just work for you too?!

 

[prettyLing]

thanks for the advice. its worth a try.