My IRN won't eat Pellets

[sherylb]

I have a 2.5 yr old Ringneck. He use to eat pellets as well as fresh veggies I give each morning. Lately he has gotten to where he will not eat pellets at all. He wants veggies. He weighs less than about 6 months ago. He's looking pretty rough but he is molting. He just looked thinner than he should. If I just stop the veggies and give him pellets will he eventually eat them? He seems to not eat anything until I give him the veggies. I know veggies are good for them but I was told they also need pellets for a balanced diet.

 

[SailBoat]

A wide and full range of natural veggies is an excellent base for a Parrot. This is commonly referred to as the wet segment of a meal, sometimes called 'chop'. In their natural range, they also eat a very wide cross-section of dry foods, which will change during the natural grow cycle during a year. This dry selection will include a wide range of 'natural' seeds, grains, and select nuts common for the home range of your Parrot. Example: Seeds reference a Very Wide cross-section from a huge selection of grasses, flowers, to plants in general and just as widely grains.

Parrots that have been actively eating rarely just stop eating a specific portion of their 'normal' diet unless there are problems with the food itself. Pellets not stored correctly can become stale (old), with time, temperature and humidity levels. Dry parrot food should always be frozen in freezer bags that contain a weeks worth of feeding and the balance in like bags left in the freezer.

Note: Weight loss is never a good sign as it is commonly connected to an illness. Check the state of your pellets and consider replacing it with a smaller fresh bag.

FYI: Contamination is alway a possibility! Check the bag and smell of the product. As stated above, consider replacing it with a smaller fresh bag.

 

[noodles123]

I'd look at getting him to the vet due to weight loss and change in diet...just to be safe

Don't cut him off and just hope that he starts eating pellets- especially if he is already molting (which costs more energy) and looking thinner. Stubborn birds can starve.

You can maybe cut down a bit on the veggies and try to incorporate the pellets (once you verify that they are not stale etc). Certain veggies (like iceberg lettuce etc) can fill them up without providing any real nutrients, so consider that as when you you select the types of veggies you give.

Does he eat any seeds or nuts? I am just curious.

 

[sherylb]

I give him nutriberries for treats so that is the only seed he gets. I do give him almonds or walnuts as treats. I feed them TOPS pellets so they are good pellets. also, the veggies I give are peas, corn, edamame, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, sometimes sweet potatoes, carrot strips. I also feed quinoa and rice sometimes. he was 136 grams about 6 months ago, today he is 125 grams.

 

[noodles123]

I give him nutriberries for treats so that is the only seed he gets. I do give him almonds or walnuts as treats. I feed them TOPS pellets so they are good pellets. also, the veggies I give are peas, corn, edamame, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, sometimes sweet potatoes, carrot strips. I also feed quinoa and rice sometimes. he was 136 grams about 6 months ago, today he is 125 grams.

That sounds like a high enough carb/fat diet that the weight loss seems odd to me (was his weight ever checked by a vet?)...Plus, you said yourself he LOOKS thinner...Then again, if he isn't eating pellets, they DO contain fat, so it could be related to that if there is something wrong with them or if he has an issue preventing him from eating them....
Yes, there will be fluctuations due to poop/food in-crop/water weight etc (unrelated to actual weight) but I think that seems significant and I would try to find out what is going on...he's not that big of a bird to begin with....
My vet just told me some rule about the actual percentage shift that was acceptable due to those factors and I cannot remember it..dang it (I was going to call and ask for you, but it is Sunday, so they are closed)! Maybe I am wrong...that just seems like a lot, but I am not an expert in grams and weights...See what others say.

Have you felt his chest/keel-bone? (right under his crop)? How pointy is that bone? If it feels very sharp, your bird likely is too thin.

Also--how is his beak? An overgrown beak can make chewing pellets harder for some...That (of course) is tied to its own set of reasons usually (vet care advised), but just throwing stuff out there.

 

[Ira7]

My Amazon won’t touch pellets, but he gobbles down all of his fresh vegetable. He doesn’t get ANY straight seed...he was only eating the sunflower...so I only give him the “plain” Nutriberries, augmented now and then with a few of their other types.

You can try grinding to powder (coffee grinder or other) the most nutritious pellets out there and sprinkling it on foods he WILL eat, so he’ll get SOME of that nutrition down.

 

[Scott]

Another alternative is Birdie Bread. You can creatively mix all sorts of nutrition into a delicious home-baked product. I've made Allee's Jolly Jungle Bread with near universal success. http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-food-recipes-diet/65841-poppy-s-jolly-jungle-bread.html

Many recipes available, ground pellets could form a base ingredient.

 

[sherylb]

He will not let me handle him so that I can feel his breast bone....he’s deathly afraid of hands....he gets on me and kisses me but I can’t touch him. He down 6 grams from a few months ago...I will see about a vet visit...he has the bacteria fecal test done a few months ago ...he acts normal...

 

[sherylb]

I will try this....I am going out of town for about 5 days in a couple of weeks and the place that will watch him only gives pellets and not chop becaose she’s too busy with all the birds she has....I’m a bit concerned about that

 

[SailBoat]

6 grams is not outside of normal variation within half a year (lighter in summer, heavier in winter). Possible providing a quality seed mix with the pellets may off set your concerns somewhat.

 

[sherylb]

I will try to find a quality seed mix with pellets...any suggestions ? I hear seeds are not good for them but have started hearing a quality seed is ok

 

[SailBoat]

I will try to find a quality seed mix with pellets...any suggestions ? I hear seeds are not good for them but have started hearing a quality seed is ok

If that was true, all the Parrots in their natural range would die of starvation!
We have a 'Word Use' problem in the Avian World: Far too often, the word seed is used in place of 'SunFlower Seed,' which depending on the Parrot can be a health problem. We greatly limit to near zero the sunflower seed in our Amazon's dry diet as they can result in fatty liver issues in Amazons.