What about feeding GCC only Fruits?

[Parsaxyz]

Hello all

My bird is crazy I think hahaha he hates pellets but loves fruits, I mean put any type of fruit in the cage and this lil dude will eat it. So is it really necessary for a parrot to have a pellet diet? Cant I just give him fruits and some seed mix in the day so he gets full?

I tried searching about this and didn't find any that were anything like my plan (just forgetting about pellets and going right in for the 70% fruit - 30% seed diet)

Technically isn't fruit really good for them?

And if my plan isn't something that I should do, how should I convert my GCC to eat pellets, he eats one or two if I feed him by hand but doesn't show much interest YET but I guess that's fine, if its in his cage though he just completely ignores it and eats the seeds, how do I get him to eat it in his cage?

Please help
Thankyou!

 

[Owlet]

An all fruits diet is generally a bad idea because fruits are high in sugars and generally just not good in high consumption. It'll also lack a lot of beneficial nutrient. I suggested making large batches of crop (fruits, vegetables, and grains all mixed together ) that you can freeze and thaw as needed. A good pelleted food is great to go along with fruits and vegis too.

 

[Parsaxyz]

Well this is embarrassing, sorry about that. Thats a good idea, but as for pellets it's not like he hates them but he doesn't prefer them when he's got seed or fruit mixed in (Ive tried both) should I just keep at it and hope he eats a few pellets every once in a while? Or should I just completely switch it to a pellet diet no more seeds, just fruits in the morning and pellets for they rest of the day?

 

[Owlet]

Try crushing the pellets and mixing it in with the fruits and vegis. I'm not sure how good or bad seeds are for conures though.

 

[GaleriaGila]

This worked for me...
I feed Harrison's, supplemented by fresh healthy treats. My first, and later, my current avian vet recommended it. 30-ish years ago, Harrison's was still a small company. My vet was actually able to talk to Dr. Harrison about my bird's species and status, and they decided on the High Potency. My bird loves the pellets now, but to get him converted, my avian vet suggested putting pellets out all day, and putting seeds (his old diet) out for two 15-minute periods a day. That would sustain him but leave him hungry enough to try new stuff. I presume the same technique could be used to get him to eat other healthy stuff. My guy was eating pellets in a couple of days, and now I can feed a good variety of other stuff, knowing he has the pellets as a basic. Pellets are out all day... fresh treats a few times a day.

 

[tqmmyt]

Feeding your bird only fruits is not a good idea, as fruits have a high sugar content. Try introducing lots of vegetables to your GCC if you already haven't! I've seen a video where someone took blueberries, microwaved them for a bit so that they softened, and then mashed it up and used the juice as a flavoring for foods that their bird didn't like, to get them to eat it. Maybe you could try this with the pellets and slowly add less and less of the juice until it isn't needed anymore.

 

[SassiBird]

GaleriaGila's suggestion is a good one.
It's sounds like your boy will eat the pellets, but prefers the sweets and seeds. I, personally, will eat broccoli, but I prefer caramel rolls. Our fids aren't much different.

 

[EllenD]

I agree, fruit should be a very small part of a parrot's diet, as it is only giving them sugar and water. That's pretty much it. Veggies are a different story, they provide parrots with vitamins, minerals, and at least a little bit of sustenance, but if he were to eat only fruit he would not be getting near the nutrition he needs (i.e. calories, fats, fibers, vitamins, minerals, etc.) And seed only diets have obviously been proven to be unhealthy in the long-run.

The above methods given for switching over to pellets typically work very well, specifically Abigail's post. I would also try to incorporate fresh veggies into his diet while reducing the amount of fruit he gets. The amount of sugar he's taking in is not good. Does he like veggies?

"Dance like nobody's watching..."

 

[wanesso]

I'm having a similar problem with my conures preferring fruit and seeds but not touching the Harrison's pellets. I'll try leaving out pellets only and see if they get hungry enough as Rickybird's mom suggests--but I'll get "that look" I bet....I know they're cursing under their breath!

 

[GaleriaGila]

I'm just such a believer in nutrition. Rb has been on Harrison's and fresh stuff for about 25 years.
I am pretty much a slacker in everything else. I reinforce bad behavior. I let him do whatever he likes. I allow him free flight, which pretty much gives him his way. Time-outs? Can't catch him!
But nutrition?
I am ruthless, and he knows it.