Goffins Cockatoo eats only pellets. Fresh foods not accepted

[gibson2503]

I have a 7 years old goffins cockatoo who I got when she was 4 years old. She will only eat pelleted food. Whenever I offer her fresh fruits or vegetables she just ignores them. How can I get her to accept fresh fruits and veggies in addition to her Zupreem pellets?

 

[itzjbean]

Pellets aren't the worst thing for our birds so you're lucky in that sense.

Do you chop them up when you serve them? You could try feeding JUST the chop in the morning - after she wakes up and is at her hungriest - and offer her a small plate of chop, or you can mix the two together so the pellets stick to the chop. Another solution, making a batch of birdie bread with both her liked pellets and chop.

 

[Scott]

Do you offer fresh foods in the absence of pellets? My technique is to feed "chop" and remove all pellets. Depending on climate, chop is served between 5 and about 8 hours. If you have been feeding the two foods simultaneously, try serving chop alone, even if your Goffins seems to avoid eating. They can go several hours without food, and this may be necessary in the beginning. However, never starve a bird into submission.

I have 5 Goffins and they almost universally enjoy the following: Lima, black, garbanzo, and kidney beans, green peas, cooked yams, cooked sweet potatoes, edamame in the shell, corn on the cob (given sparingly as they *love* it, but not the most nutritious) apple, pear, banana, pomegranate seeds, melon seeds, cooked whole-grain spiral noodles. Some will eat red and green peppers. If your Goffins is a very picky eater, a technique is to prepare identical bowls for you and the bird. Begin to eat from yours, visible enjoying each bite (even if not!) and make "Mmmmm" sounds. Birds are flock creatures, and you are part of the flock. It is amazing to watch one of my birds begin to eat, and the others follow immediately.

 

[chris-md]

Vary up how you serve the food. Take peppers: they may not take them in ring style, but chopped up super fine, or in strings, or even whole might be accepted.

 

[Caitnah]

Definitely try what Scot mentioned about eating in front of them. Many others have also stated this in other posts.
My adopted CAG is very picky as his previous owner had him on an all seed diet.

A couple weeks ago, I gave him a piece of watermelon. He immediately dropped it. Gave him another piece...dropped.

Then I ate a piece in front of him making "ummm" noises. He watched intently. Gave him another piece and he ate all of it. It is now one of his favorites.

But I can sympathize with you as I still can't get him to eat vegs.

 

[Scott]

A couple weeks ago, I gave him a piece of watermelon. He immediately dropped it. Gave him another piece...dropped.

Then I ate a piece in front of him making "ummm" noises. He watched intently. Gave him another piece and he ate all of it. It is now one of his favorites.

It can take time, even decades for a bird to try and love a specific food. My maternal Goffins "Peanut" ignored pear chunks for about 25 years. One day she picked up a piece and ate! Now she loves it! Go figure!!

 

[GaleriaGila]

Building on Scott's and others' remarks, here's my usual blurb on diet...

Harrison's Bird Foods
I feed Harrison's, supplemented by fresh healthy treats. My first, and later, my current avian vet recommended it. My bird loves the pellets now, but to get him converted, my avian vet suggested putting pellets out all day, and putting seeds (his old diet) out for two 15-minute periods a day. That would sustain him but leave him hungry enough to try new stuff. I presume the same technique could be used to get him to eat other healthy stuff, like fruits and vegetables! My guy was eating pellets in a couple of days, and now I can feed a good variety of other stuff, knowing he has the pellets as a basic. Pellets are out all day... fresh treats a few times a day. I also like Harrison's via mail because I never have to worry about out-of-date products.
Another couple of ideas...
My ol' man is an athlete and health nut. He actually EATS all the good stuff, so it's always around. I find that tossing various stuff into the food bowls at random is good... the variations and differences seem to stimulate curiosity and attention.
The other idea... if you can stand it (lol) EAT the stuff in front of the birds, yes. That encourages them. I have also found that if my ol' man eats stuff in front of the bird, the bird WANTS it for himself. Kinda a rivalry thing!


P.S.
After 30-plus years of offering the Rb cauliflower occasionally, he started craving it a few months ago. Scott's right.

 

[plumsmum2005]

My girl loves pellet mush/mash and this serves as a vehicle to mix in some good things undetected. Try and see if yours likes wet food too? Also offer bits and pieces from your plate as they always want what you have, or at least mine does LOL