Pickiest conure ever!!

[fangirl]

My half-moon conure, Noodle, is an EXTREMELY picky eater. For a month now I've been trying to get her to eat some pellets (zupreem natural and roudybush) with no luck whatsoever. The seed mix she eats currently is Volkman's hookbill no-sunflower. She likes Lafeber's nutriberries but seems to throw away more than she eats.

For the four years I've had her I've given her the same fresh fruit and veggie chop as my cockatiel every day, but out of the whole thing she'll only eat grapes, shredded carrot, and occasionally banana. I have had NO success getting her to eat blended veggies/fruit in the food processor. I have had success with baking veggies into cornbread; she'll eat them that way. Should I cook some pellets into the next batch I make?

I've also heard about sprouted seeds and soak mixes, but I have no idea where to start with those.

Basically, I'm going back for my junior year of college in a couple weeks and I need to be confident that she'll eat something nutritious that my mom can prepare easily while I'm gone. (I'll be able to come home every other weekend.) Any advice?

 

[fangirl]

Just read in an article, "In the wild many of the Orange-fronted Conures eat figs, seeds, nuts, berries, and blossoms, but the Half-Moon Conure has been observed to feed mostly on fruits, so much so that their feathers are often found to be sticky." Explains why she loves papaya and melon so much! Perhaps I should make an effort to find more fruit variety for her. She doesn't like berries, though.

 

[MissLarissa]

For one, I would recommend taking her with you if this is your parrot. I took mine to college with me since it was cheaper to live in an apartment. My conure would not be happy to be left without me.
On a food note, there are recipes on here for birdy bread. I would definitely try giving your bird that. My guy was a picky eater too, there are still some foods he doesn't like, but he will generally eat anything put into this bread. While the ingredients can vary just make sure your mixture is moist enough. Any fruits or veggies you have (that are bird safe of course) and egg and the shell, water, ground up pellets and whole wheat flour, I like to put bakers cashews in mine as well as apple juice. And bake. You can freeze it so it will keep for a long time.

 

[SoCalWendy]

Have you tried Goldenfeast? Go to their website and check out the ingredients of their food. Kiwi loves the Australian blend, and there are also special blends for conures.