My Conure does not take ANY treats!

[baron1282]

It seems like my pineapple (Patrick) does not like treats. Sure I can get him to eat junk food for a treat to train him, but he does not like any of the parrot treats that are more healthy.

On occasion I feed him a small Nacho Doritos and he goes NUTS for it. It's really funny. I know they are bad for him so I really don't do it too much. Being I don't eat that much Doritos anyway, it's a once a month thing. Also he likes Cheez-Its, its the same as the Doritos, I don't eat much but when I do I give him some here and there. Can I use them for treats? I am hesitant to do so because I know they can be bad for his health but I figure the little I give him can't hurt him. I just don't want to use them as treats because I feel it would be harmful to his health.

So what can I try different? He hates all vegetables, cooked, clean, it does not matter. He hates them. He eats Blackberries only and an apple every now and than. He gets fresh fruit here and there, and we tried potato's and won't eat them. I tried the parrot mash recipe and he hates it. It seems he hates everything that a normal parrot likes.

Thank GOD I got him to eat a pellet diet. I got him on Zupreem Fruit Blend and the Natural Blend. He almost never gets seeds now, but I did give him a seed honey stick this week. He LOVES them as well. So he does get his junk food in. LOL

I tied a lot of products. It seems like almost everything on Amazon and at the pet store. The yogurt blend, the fruit looking treats, everything. HE does not like them.

So would using Cheez-its to train be ok? I only want to teach him how to wave at me and some other simple tricks. Nothing to major yet.

 

[antoinette]

Sure there are many birds that refuse to take treats no matter what species.

When I began training Mishka to talk, he began talking plain popcorn for a few times.
Shortly after that he refused any treats while training.

I do give Mishka a few Doritos now and again BUT in moderation.

Keep trying there must be something.......

 

[baron1282]

The worst thing my bird gets into is my Mountain Dew. When I have a glass of it, he bites and claws at me until he gets to it. I keep him in the cage when I have one and he screams for it.

I know Mountain Dew is really good, but gosh golly it's bad for him. That's all I need is a little Conure hyped up on Caffeine. Sometimes I get to my glass to late and he gets a sip or two in. So you can tell I am very mindful of his health, I don't want him to die early! So I try very hard not to drink one in front of him anymore. It's still funny to me.

If I just give him one Cheez-it while training (Every other Day), break it up so I can give it out over the training time. Would that be ok? Use what he really loves to get him to do what I want right.

 

[MonicaMc]

Since he's on a pelleted diet, why don't you train him with seeds?

 

[Echo]

No I would not use the Cheez-it or doritos for training. That should NOT be a reward item, more like a "forbidden" item he has to steal LOL....He would get wayyyy too many if using them as training.

Have tried nuts? Pieces of Cashews, almonds, Pine nuts, walnut? Lots of birds like nuts! I would put a variety of them in his cage and see which one he really likes. Then use little tiny bits of that nut for training.

It can take a while to find the perfect treat, you just need to observe what he eats first when you give him his food. Also, it can take few weeks to months before they try and like a food so please don't give up on the parrot mash. A teaspoon per day, every day, and he might eventually like it! You can even mix the new foods with the ones he likes to entice him....

 

[Echo]

Since he's on a pelleted diet, why don't you train him with seeds?

I agree. Seeds as reward is a great tool!

 

[SoCalWendy]

Have you tried Nutriberries? I don't know any bird that doesn't just love them.

Rio gets all excited in the morning when she sees the bag. She will immediately do her business and then start whistling and clicking at me.

She get two along with her pellets. Later I feed her veggies and other foods.

 

[jugoya]

Try soaking cheerios in juice xP

 

[Annageckos]

My little brat is always changing her mind on what she likes, loves and hates. For a while now she hates nuts. Any type. She does love any of the fruit nutri berries, but is not so fond of the veggie types. She also loves safflower seeds, hemp seeds and peanuts (which she only gets once in a while). She doesn't care much for sunflower seeds. She has a sweet tooth and gets dried and fresh fruit. If you want to get your guy to eat mash you can try what I did. Firstly all the fruits and veggies need to be cut up really fine, I use my food processor. I added a bit of apple juice and some seed to entice her to try it, now her mash is Ziva's favorite food.

 

[JasmineGCC]

I've not met a parrot who doesn't like sunflower seeds - a few a day won't hurt if your bird is on pellet diet. My GCC loves pine nuts too. She also loves me to feed her drips of fresh fruit juice off my finger tip!

 

[Katiejayne]

I use sunflower hearts so that I can break one into like four pieces to use for training mine loves them but I know he shouldn't have many which is why I buy the hearts so I can break them up x

 

[JerseyWendy]

Does he like any fruit at all? You could try very thinly sliced apple or carrot. Try eating it in front of him, make a big deal on how yummy it is, and he may just give it a try.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Nutriberries have always been a hit with my birds too. Or a piece of walnut, or for the "candy" experience, Gilbert is crazy about craisins. I sometimes cut one craisin in to a couple pieces and use that one thing for multiple rewards.

 

[baron1282]

I will try the Nutriberries. I am for a lot!

 

[SoCalWendy]

Let us know how it goes

 

[MagegrayWolf]

I wouldn't give Doritos or Cheese-Its to a bird at all. The salt content of such items can prove fatal. not to mention all the other preservatives and stuff they add.

I would suggest trying something like nuts, seeds or bird bread.

 

[94lt1]

My cinnamon green cheek Rain loves pecan.. already shelled of course.... I could only imagine the fit she would have, trying to crack a hard pecan shell..lol

 

[PatrickTheGCC]

Ok, you're gonna find this funny, and I think it's a bit of a coincidence, But my Green Cheek (Yellow sided TRQIS) Also named Patrick takes no treats at all. Maybe sometimes he'll take some apple but that's on rare occasions. I'm not surprised by it though since he is a very sassy bird. He doesn't take treats, listen to commands, and can get a little loud. He also hates my brothers a lot, but he has been getting better. Even from all that he can be incredibly sweet and is incredibly attached to me. He was recently groomed so he can't fly upwards, but he never seems to mind. He gets angry about me being gone at school sometimes so he'll stay in his cage for five minutes before immediately giving in and either going out of his cage so I can pick him up, or just flies over to me.

 

[noodles123]

Patrick, I have done this before too lol (AND I am not the only one---neither are you)...but I just wanted to let you know that this post if from 2013 haha. SO GLAD you are posting and I am sure the OP would appreciate it, if they checked it...

I am just saying this to save you time and effort! Someone else had a thread from 2009 going the other day and that wasn't even the record

 

[ChristaNL]

and sometimes it is even fun!

I like the ...hey, same name, same crazy stuff going on.
It's like a sequel.
As long as nobody expects the old crew to respond ...
(Monica is still active, not sure about Echo )