Need Nutrition Advice

[Violet]

I have an 8 year old female lovebird who I got at 2 years of age as a rescue. I feel like I have tried every trick in the book to encourage her to eat something other than her seeds and pellets. I have literally scoured the internet looking for creative ways to introduce veggies and fruits into her diet but with no luck.

She used to be slightly overweight and a plucker but she has since lost the weight and gained some muscle. She still plucks occasionally but some of her feathers have grown back and she is, imo, happier seeming. I have noticed though, that quite a few feathers around her head and neck are pinfeathers, and she has had a weird amount of them for about the past year. Since they are on her head and in an area she can't pluck, I don't believe they are plucked feathers growing back but rather that she is having nutritional deficiencies. Also, her feathers aren't nearly as nice and shiny as I think they should be.

Now she was last at the avian vet about 6 months or so ago and had a blood test because the vet said she just didn't look so healthy... Everything came back normal. The more I think about it though, the more I think she is suffering because of how lacking her diet it. My vet of course recommended that I keep trying to offer her fresh food but it just isn't working and hasn't been for the last few years. I am kind of desperate. I read the other day that apple cider vinegar is good for birds and would love to hear your thoughts on this:

What are the nutritional benefits of ACV?

Many vitamins, minerals and other nutrients and substances are available in ACV to improve the health of your bird. ACV can provide them with enzymes and important minerals, such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, chlorine, phosphorus, iron, silicon and other trace minerals. The vitamins contained in ACV are bioflavonoids (vitamin P), beta-carotene (precursor to vitamin A), vitamin C, E, B1, B2, and B6. Tannins from the crushed cell walls of fresh apples as well as malic acid, tartaric acid, propionic acid, acetic acid and pectin (fiber) are also contained in ACV. Be sure to purchase organic unfiltered, unpasteurized, naturally fermented ACV for its medicinal features. ACV ranges in color from a light golden to orange. You’ll know you’ve found the right stuff if you see sediment, referred to as the "mother of vinegar" on the bottom of the bottle. Do NOT buy white distilled vinegar, as it has none of the beneficial elements listed above.

Retrieved from: Apple Cider Vinegar for Birds by Alicia McWatters

I am rambling now. Anyway, what I want to know is if anyone has ideas like the ACV for things I can give her that will help compensate for what her diet lacks. She just will not eat anything outside of pellets and seed, so I am hoping for suggestions for things I can put into her water or 'trick' her into eating, so to speak. I feel at a loss because I have no idea how to improve her diet and cannot for the life of me convince her to try anything new (also, she is semi-tame but doesn't 'like' people really, she is much happier doing her own thing and hanging out on top of her cage than she is being handled).

Thanks and sorry for writing such a long and confusing post!

 

[lene1949]

At 8 years of age, she might need some serious encouragement in order to eat other foods...

I would throw out seeds and pellets in the evening, and then use the same dishes (after washing, of course) the next morning with some grated fruit and vegetables... Most bird love sprouted seeds

You can try and serve them different ways, like celery sticks threaded through the cage bars, thread different fruit and vegies on a cabab thingi you can get for birds - corn is good for this, as is chunks of apple, carrot, celery, leafy greens, etc...

You can also try steaming some sweet potato, mash them up and put some of her favourite seed or pellets in there...

 

[Spiritbird]

Have you tried bountiful harvest food from MSBS? Most parrots love it.

 

[walterbyrd]

My wife makes the following puree for our new lovebird. Our lovebird eats it.

Broccoli, banana, orange, quixona.

 

[beck]

I have a 30+ year old African Grey whose diet consisted of sunflower seeds, peanuts, and McDonald's before I got her. Getting her to eat nutritious food has been a challenge. I want to second lene1949's suggestion of sprouted seeds! I sprout this stuff for both my birds and they looove it. It's very easy and super nutritious. She'll also pick at the birdie bread I make... I throw a couple different kinds of peppers, zucchini, and carrots in the food pro and mix it in with some bran muffin mix. She seems to like tearing it apart more than actually eating it, but I'm pretty sure she ingests at least a little bit

 

[walterbyrd]

Is there any way to see if my lovebird likes the sprouted seeds before I buy a whole kit with seeds and all?

Can I buy that sort of thing at a pet store, or something?

BTW: my lovebird will no longer eat her vegetable mash. No idea why.

About the only things my lovebird will eat are: apples, bananas, corn (boiled on the cob), roudybush, and - of course - seeds and nuts. She especially likes sunflower seeds. But I only give her seeds, or nuts, as special treats.

 

[Purl]

Is there any way to see if my lovebird likes the sprouted seeds before I buy a whole kit with seeds and all?

Can I buy that sort of thing at a pet store, or something?

BTW: my lovebird will no longer eat her vegetable mash. No idea why.

About the only things my lovebird will eat are: apples, bananas, corn (boiled on the cob), roudybush, and - of course - seeds and nuts. She especially likes sunflower seeds. But I only give her seeds, or nuts, as special treats.

Are you on Facebook? Join a group called The Parrot's Pantry..you can do sprouts just with a mason jar and some cheesecloth.
That's what I'm planning to do.

 

[emmil]

First of all, you can give vitamins drop in the drinking water. This will be a quick vitamin/mineral supply for her. Don't forget to hang a cuttle fish bone too. It'll be a mineral source, toy and beak exercise! Have you tried sprinkle her favorite grains on shredded/chopped fruit/veggies? Give them on a plate when she's hungry. Yes, make her hungry but not starving. Try various safe veggies and fruits, sooner or later you'll find 1 or two that she likes. What about fresh corns and mung bean sprouts? Most lovebirds can't resist them. It takes a lot of times, and most of the times the veggies will be wasted but you'll get the result eventually, don't give up!