What is the best treat??

[Bilalsabaayoun]

I have bean always wondering about the best treat that I should give to my african grey,some people say it's sunflower seeds but I don't think so because others say sunflower is not good for birds,I have read that fruits like grapes or vegetables like red pepper and corn are loved by parrots.

So I wish you could help me pick the best treat for my parrot

 

[Phlox]

"Treats" are anything you want them to be that your bird will eat. Training treats are whatever will motivate your bird, which is why a lot of people use sunflower. They are fine in moderation, and a bird will do almost anything to be one. My amazon certainly wouldn't do anything for a grape. My GCC likes grapes, but sunflower seeds work a lot better and I can keep those in my pocket. Grapes not so much.

 

[Kalidasa]

I vote for pine nuts sometimes it takes a while to find a new birds weakness.

 

[Kiwibird]

Sunflower seed and seed in general has really gotten a bad reputation. It is NOT unhealthy for birds when it is only a PART of a balanced diet. The problem with seed come from people who feed their birds nothing but seed. It's kind of like how if you put some butter on your bread, it's not bad for you, but if you eat a stick of butter every day and little else, it would become bad for you.... Seed would make a good foraging treat since it does not spoil

Fresh produce on the other hand is not a treat, it's a dietary staple, and a MUST for healthy birds. You should offer fruits and vegetables every day (please familiarize yourself with what is safe for bird to eat). A bird should get a wide variety of produce each day (many people make chop mixes to be able to offer a wide variety).

"Treats" are things that a bird likes, but probably shouldn't be a major part of their diet. For treats, I'll give my bird noodles, a small chunk of bread, a cracker, a piece of cereal, a piece of popcorn.... things that aren't outright toxic, but aren't something he should have every day or in large quantities either. I *personally* don't use treats for training, just as a way to be nice to my bird (and sometimes, shameless bribery lol). For actual training purposes, I prefer kisses and verbal praise. I don't always have a treat on me when my bird does something good or shows a new behavior/noise I like and want to reinforce. I can, however, always give him a kiss and tell him he's a good boy and when his expectation is praise and a kiss instead of a treat, it makes life a lot easier.

 

[NiRD]

The best treats for your bird is what he enjoys the most. Let your bird tell you. In some cases, the best treats won't be food at all. I have a bird whose motivator is affection, and birds that prefer toys to food.

 

[Colorguarder08]

The best treats for your bird is what he enjoys the most. Let your bird tell you. In some cases, the best treats won't be food at all. I have a bird whose motivator is affection, and birds that prefer toys to food.

I agree the only one who can tell you the best treat for your bird is your bird. It's like a dog (I'm a huge dog person btw and have the most experience with training them) you have to figure out what their "currancy" is. For example Rocky is part malamute and part retriever he has the brains and personality of the malamute and only the look of the retriever so it would be assumable that since his malamute half is the dominate half praise wouldn't be his motivator. For most independant breeds they will only participate in training if they see the benefit for them usually treats. Rocky is the oddball his "currency" is praise and being around his human. Anyways back to the point nobody can tell you what the best treat or reward for your bird is because they don't know your bird. Trial and error is the only way your gonna find out.

 

[Ninjette]

my friend told me walnuts would work too

 

[EAI]

It really just varies bird to bird. Keep trying to offer him different things until you find something he really likes. For the most part, people seem to find millet as their bird's treats. When they say that sunflowers aren't good for birds they're probably referring to sunflower's are a bad daily diet. Small intakes for treats would be fine.

I say fruits are more for their diet and shouldn't be offered as treats. I don't see why fruits and veggies could be treats, if he has a special liking into one type of fresh foods go ahead and use them!

 

[weco]

I have bean always wondering about the best treat that I should give to my african grey,some people say it's sunflower seeds but I don't think so because others say sunflower is not good for birds,I have read that fruits like grapes or vegetables like red pepper and corn are loved by parrots.

So I wish you could help me pick the best treat for my parrot

As others have already said, it all depends on what your bird likes and too, what I might think of as a treat may not be available in your part of the world and things that are local to where you are may not be available here.....we often forget that some of us do not enjoy the same things at market that others do, just like many of us assume everyone has an avian veterinarian right down the road, when that is far from the truth.....

The best choice will probably be things you bird does not often get and like another said, trial and error will be your best help.....good luck.....

 

[bitmeddler]

My Quaker Parrot has a drop of honey from a spoon.....A miniature marshmallow and a cashew nut(unsalted) once a day......He must say, "I love you" To be thus treated............