training treats

[Boozieshome]

Anybody know an irresistible treat? Boozie must have had a bad diet because she shuns every treat I try to give her. She refuses fruits and veggies. She only eats almonds and seeds. She did take a spoon away from me that had fresh hummus I had just made and loved that. I put the pellets I have seen recommended on the forum, and she won't eat them. I mixed them with nuts, and she only eats the nuts. I will buy different pellets the vet recommended and she seemed to like.

But, for training, I want something she can't resist, any ideas?

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZmjc12T6sk"]May 28, 2017 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[clayman]

I use finely chopped nuts (pecan, pine nuts, almonds,...). I only give them during training to make sure my girls don't grow weary of them.

 

[Kiwibird]

Our amazon is hit or miss with treats (and trick training in general. If he's not interested, he's not going to participate), but for the purposes of simply reinforcing good behaviors we'd like him to continue, verbal praise and a kiss on the beak are always welcomed

Hummus is a good start. If Boozie will eat hummus (thought I would suggest making him his own, sans the salt), he might also eat other grains and beans, which are MUCH healthier than seeds and suitable for daily feeding. Try him with a little rice (brown or wild), quoina, oats (plain), lentils, barley, (plain, no sugar added) hot cereals etc... Be sure to cook thouroughly, but they also like beans. A bean soup mix (no salt or flavoring) is a good place to start. My bird LOVES edamame, peas and lima beans too. As for fresh produce, just keep offering. Try offering bigger piece, tiny pieces, shredded pieced, cooked and mashed etc... and keep offering new varieties. Parrots can be very picky and may eat the same fruit or vegetable they refused earlier if offered in a different format. What kinds of produce have you tried so far? Berries and cherries (pitted) are in season and big hits with birds (be warned, they can make droppings a bit red). Corn is also a big hit this time of year, after cooking and cooling, cut off a 2-3" section and offer it right off the cob!

 

[wrench13]

Salty loves pine nuts and walnuts and peanuts. He get 1/2 peanut with his breakfast of pellets. I use the pine nuts every night for our training sessions ( and we have that every nite with out fail). I'd use walnuts too, but he likes to scrape walnuts down to a thin sliver , then he eats whats left. Takes too long for training.

Salty would paint my house for a pine nut. Check it out.
http://www.parrotforums.com/amazons/62937-right-now-salty.html

 

[Birdman666]

I use finely chopped nuts (pecan, pine nuts, almonds,...). I only give them during training to make sure my girls don't grow weary of them.

YEP! That's the stuff... Slivered almonds worked pretty good. Chopped up peanuts (like the toppings you put on ice cream.) The aforementioned Pine Nuts, (but those are expensive!) Zons are nutty birds, so...

Safflower seed is another good one. Especially if you limit the seed in their diet (which you should with a zon. Fatty liver disease issue.)

 

[Boozieshome]

Our amazon is hit or miss with treats (and trick training in general. If he's not interested, he's not going to participate), but for the purposes of simply reinforcing good behaviors we'd like him to continue, verbal praise and a kiss on the beak are always welcomed

Hummus is a good start. If Boozie will eat hummus (thought I would suggest making him his own, sans the salt), he might also eat other grains and beans, which are MUCH healthier than seeds and suitable for daily feeding. Try him with a little rice (brown or wild), quoina, oats (plain), lentils, barley, (plain, no sugar added) hot cereals etc... Be sure to cook thouroughly, but they also like beans. A bean soup mix (no salt or flavoring) is a good place to start. My bird LOVES edamame, peas and lima beans too. As for fresh produce, just keep offering. Try offering bigger piece, tiny pieces, shredded pieced, cooked and mashed etc... and keep offering new varieties. Parrots can be very picky and may eat the same fruit or vegetable they refused earlier if offered in a different format. What kinds of produce have you tried so far? Berries and cherries (pitted) are in season and big hits with birds (be warned, they can make droppings a bit red). Corn is also a big hit this time of year, after cooking and cooling, cut off a 2-3" section and offer it right off the cob!

I have tried strawberries, bananas, grapes (she ate them at first, but now shuns them), pineapple, peppers, cucumbers, squash, brussel sprouts, and more.

 

[wrench13]

Yeah, their tastes can change. Salty used to love blackberries * the nubbly ones). Now he throws them out on to the floor.