She won't eat her pellets

[glitterysparkle]

Sephora will be 18 weeks old on thursday, and I've had her a little over a week. I had her wellness check done and everything was A Ok....

 

I had been feeding her this mash http://www.greyforums.net/forums/bird-food/89601-alexs-yummy-mash.html#89857

 

2 x daily and trying to get her to eat her pellets in between. She was weaned onto Zupreem fruitblend but really refuses to eat them and haven't seen her eat more than 5 TOTAL in her time here.

 

The mash I give her is 3 kinds- one containing dried fruits and nuts, one sweet potato and oatmeal, and one with frozen veggies. She likes her food warm.

 

Anyway, the breeder suggested giving her nothing but the pellets for 3 days. I tried it yesterday and she ate probably a total of 2 full pellets after all the crunching....this morning she refused flat out so I'm back to mash.

 

I really want to make sure she gets everything she needs nutritionally...maybe i should switch pellets? I already contacted harrison's and roudybush for samples...any other suggestions.

 

While on mash her weight has remained steady.

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated...

 

Robin

[danmcq]

Hi Robin.

 

It's great your are monitoring her weight closely. As long as she is maintaining her weight your doing things correctly.

 

The best way to try and get higher Pellet consumption. Is to only leave the mash, veggies or fruit etc. in the cage for a short time, say 30 minutes. Then take them out on only leave the pellets for 3 or 4 hours, then offer veggies or bean mix etc. for 30 etc. Then back to the same scenario.

 

Trying different pellets is a very good idea. Sephora may just end up liking one of them. I do know they all like HOT spicy things. So hopefully Harrison's and others will provide samples of the Hot and Spicy pellets.

 

Good luck in getting her on the diet you prefer. :-)

[Spinner]

Sephora is refusing pellets because she's getting something else she likes more - the wonderful mash mixes. :cheer:

 

Start mixing a few pellets into the mash just before serving it. This will get her used to seeing and eating some of them, while still getting the tasty mash. Each day, slowly increase the percentage of pellets until she is getting mostly pellets. Once you move to full pellets with no mash, then you can feed a meal with mash as desired.

 

I don't care for the "feeding only pellets for a few days" method. This could be harmful if she refuses pellets altogether. I would also consider changing to Harrison's or Roudybush pellets.

[ranaz]

I agree with spinner and thats a great idea.

I would not go for the starve or pellets choice...you dont want her starved after all, be patient and keep trying things. My grey loves veggies and doesnt like pellets, but they are always there in his ffod plate, keep offering different varieties.

 

Good Luck

{Nature-00020095}

[Jingles]

i was going to say what spinner said!!!

 

Good luck

[glitterysparkle]

Thanks everyone:)

 

I have tried mixing in her pellets with mash but she just picks them out...i even tried putting them in the food processor and "hiding" in the mash but then she doesn't eat the mash....i'm hoping she'll like other pellets better.

 

otherwise she's a good eater- will eat fruit, veggies and mash no problem. pellets are another story.

 

~Robin

[lovethatgrey]

I think that if your mash is a complete and varied and she is eating it very well, then I would not worry that she is less interested in the pellets.

I always feed my mash first and foremost, then vegetables, seeds,fruits, pellets, nuts. All in that order.

 

Thankfully I don't have picky eaters.<br><br>Post edited by: lovethatgrey, at: 2009/09/18 03:04

[glitterysparkle]

well, the harrison's arrived yesterday and they are a winner:woohoo: Sephora took right to them, and I'm a happy bird mama:)

 

I hope all my grey problems are as easy to solve as that one, ha.

 

~Robin

[ranaz]

great news...lucky mama

 

{Nature-00020095}

[she]

Well done. My birds like the Harrisons.