Picky Eater

[ranaz]

So Kookie likes some veggies and fruits but he doesnt try anything else. His daily meals constitute of the following:

 

• A slice of Banana
  
• a chili pepper
  
• OKRA
  
• a slice of corn on the cob
  
• a slice of orange
  
• a slice of apple that he rearly touches
  
• a cherry or and grape
  
• 2 to 3 almonds
  
• a peanut in shell
  
• pomegranate
  
• a small ammount of sunflower seeds (hes crazy about them anytime)
  
• Harrisons pellets (he eats only when hes very hungry and there is no other choice)
  

 

Ive tried everything else but he doesnt even try from snow peas to beans to carrots to sweet potato to zuccini.... he only shreds and throws

 

Do you think the above is enough to get him his daily dose of vitamins? Is it too much sugary (he likes fruits more than veggies)?

[danmcq]

They are picky and will always eat their favorites, which the list above is very yummy, but most have almost zero vitamin or mineral content..

 

Cut down the quantities and frequency you offer of fruit.

 

He needs calcium sources and vitamin A sources. The reason I focus on just these two out of the many other important ones, is because they are the primary deficiencies seen in greys and will result in health issues.

 

Start offering green leafy veggies like Dandelion, Kale etc. also carrots, yams etc. raw, boiled, nuked etc. and cut in different sizes to see which he prefers and starts eating the most of. Many will eat them more readily cooked and still warm quicker then stone cold. It takes time, but they will start eating them if you take away or greatly lessen the sweet fruits they all love.

[birdhouse]

Maybe you could try taking out the things Kookie likes most, for a few weeks. Particularly the bananas, 1 type of nut & sunflower seeds which are filling. She might be more interested in munching on other things if she's less full.

 

Most Greys don't seem to be too inclined to eat out of boredom. Although they might play with their food. If she's already full, she hasn't really got a reason to check out that other thing that doesn't really sing to her taste buds.

 

My guys all eat greens differently. Charm likes big, wet leaves hung on the side of her cage. Kura prefers to eat her's all chopped up in a mix of other things. Phenix, likes foot sized stems more than leaves. For some reason, he won't strip the leaves himself. I'm expected to trim things down for him. But that's okay with me as long as he'll eat the good stuff.

[Guest Kali_the_Destroyer]

Kali won't eat apples unless I slice them thinly for her. Won't eat raw carrots, only cooked. Kale is a favourite, broccoli, chard, peas in the pod & pumpkin too (I grow our own veggies). She rarely has sunflower seeds, and only one monkey nut per day. She loves cheese & porridge & toast: she'll have a go at most things I'm eating myself.

 

This is in addition to her basic diet of Pretty Bird Grey biscuits

Edited December 22, 2010 by Kali_the_Destroyer

[pearllyn]

SOunds a lot like Alfie. I tried her with Banana for over two years before she has eventually come to enjoy the odd one, and she wouldn't touch her pellets until she saw David eating them first!! Keep trying the nutritional stuff - one day he may just decide he can't live without it! Like us, tastes change over the years. Let him see you eating anything you particularly want him to have - it'll become almost irrestistable to him!

[ranaz]

ok so ive had some success in pellets in the last week, now Kookie gets less fruits and no nuts in the morning. I have to go to work from 7:30 to 5 pm. His food bowl is full of pellets and he is eating them. Im mixing 3 types from Harrison's: the adult formula, the peanut flavoured & the chili flavored and he is munching on them. I even tried a couple of days with only pellets and observed his poop to know if he is really eating well or just shredding them...and the amout of poop was huge....too much actually

pellets make around 50% of his food now so its a big jump. I refill them daily and he is enjoying them. On daily basis i kept the corn on the cob and the red chili (loaded with vitamin A). He gets an almond or 2 a day (has calcium) and hes as happy as ever. Banana every few days, and finally he is eating carrot, the small baby carrots.... so I guess its good

 

I think the pellets should give him the basic needs, so what do u think guys?

 

He still doesnt eat green, except the seeds of green okra or seeds of capsicum, but no broccoli or any green leaves

[birdhouse]

Pellets are supposed to be well balanced & Harrison's are supposed to be good quality. So, you've got Kookie heading in the right directions. She could probably live pretty well with her current diet for a while. So, you've done pretty terrific so far!!

 

I think most of us would guess that greens would be pretty much a no brainer for birds. But it seems like it's the hardest thing to get them to eat. Just don't give up & keep trying everything you can think of, because they're important.

 

Phenix took years to get to where Kookie is now. He's a great eater, now. The only secret to success that I found was never give up. They'll get there in their own time, but only if you keep trying.

 

Good Job!!!

[Elvenking]

I keep putting the same veggies in Issac's cage over and over forever now....Carrots, sugar snap peas, yellow squash. couple apple slices, and jalepino pepper pieces. I go back to broccoli sometimes but he doesn't like it cold. He will do anything from toss it all on the cage bottom, to gobbling up a little bit of each. When I steamed the broccoli...he liked it. I am constantly trying options for him and it's never a slam dunk. Sometimes if I notcie that he just does not eat a certain thing in his bowl...I stop putting it in there for a while and replace with a different veggie. Then i will go back to it and discover that he is eating it again.

 

Things Issac loves are scrambled eggs (I have to limit those to about half an egg in a serving...I think he would eat as much as i gave him). I mix in a little bit of red palm oil and microwave him some and scramble it up for him. His neck really starts pumping when he gets eggs...by far his current favorite.

 

Another one is Penne Noodles glazed with Red Palm Oil. These are a hit as well. The search is always on for things he likes. I have tried making things for him that other greys totally love...and will shrugg em off. And vice versa.

[judygram]

Stephen hit upon one thing that makes a difference for some greys, some like their veggies hot or cooked so offer them in different ways to find one way they might eat them, try them raw, cooked, mashed, sliced, hot or cold to see if they will eat them but keep offering them for sometimes they just start eating the veggies but it is good that Kookie is eating his pellets well.

[Mawnee]

Good point on the heat! I found cosmo likes his veggies warm. I actually buy bags of frozen mixed veggies(corn, peas, green beans, carrots). I'll put them in a little water and microwave them for a minute(untill it boils) to cook them. I then rinse with cold water to cool them down and ensure there are no hotspots. Lastly I'll rinse them in warm water to safely warm them back up for him. This is his daily veggies serving. Aside from that he gets the usual bits of apple, bananna and shares whatever veggies we have for dinner.

[birdhouse]

I found a nice frozen "bird" veggie mix at Stop & Shop. It's called Ranchero Fiesta blend. It's got the usual mix veggies plus some, like garbonzo & kidney beans & peppers.

 

Mawnee... how come you don't just sit the frozen veggies in hot water until they warm up? It doesn't take long & they'd be less cooked & crunchier.

[Mawnee]

I tried but he seems to like them softer. I think its because it reminds him of formula(hes 9 months old). He doesnt care for raw crunchy veggies at all yet. That wont stop me from offering them to him all the time though

[Morana]

OK, this is a thread totally for me!! My birdie just won't eat veggies and over time I read about lot of different stuff people give their greys but I am always so unsure about is this particular type of food appropriate for the bird. Almost always I find contradictory information so I am always discouraged. I messed up.-I put this long enough! Also I am wondering, do we not kill all the vitamins when cooking veggies for our birdies?

Can I please ask for a list of nutritional food that most of members would agree upon, especially veggies/food loaded with vitamin A and calcium? And please note whether it is preferred something to be cooked or to be raw.

I'll start:

oat (cooked)

eggs (and how the hell do you put red palm oil in it? Do you fry the eggs first and then add RPO or..?

broccoli

dandelion (just leaf?)

kale

...

[Greywings]

Keep in mind your guide is veggies and fruit with dark rich colors broccoli, kale, sweet potato, red or orange peppers, papaya, mango, carrots, beetroots and tops ect. A good way to intro your bird to good eating habits is the sneaky approach-chop the fresh goodies very fine almost blended and toss with what your bird already recognizes as food. Some of the fresh stuff will stick to what he picks out to eat and he learns to get a taste for the new items. If you cook them a little-steam or parboil you can add to a mash or make into an omelet for your bird. Use your imagination and at least let him see you eat or pretend to eat these things making appreciative ummm and smacking sounds this will provoke interest. Let us know how it goes.

Edited January 14, 2011 by Greywings

[birdhouse]

at least let him see you eat or pretend to eat these things making appreciative ummm and smacking sounds this will provoke interest.

 

And, again, actually letting him eat with you can be a big enticement. They're social learners. They're always curious. They tend to have a "what's yours is mine" attitude. All of which are helpful to encourage them to try new foods.

 

And, it's fun for some birds to drink from a cup. Phenix had a fascination with a bright orange plastic tumbler I had. I would blend together fruits that I could drink, fill the cup & sit down with him. He couldn't resist finding out what was in there. So I'd "let" him see

 

Then I moved onto veggie blends. Although, I wasn't really drinking them

[Luvparrots]

My Ana Grey eats best when she is stealing food from my plate. I guess she believes I am her flock not the other two fids in the bird room. I know I need to be careful of my saliva mixing with hers so I always put samples of the foods to a side so she actually has her own little meal to one edge of my dinner plate. Because I live alone this does not cause me any hardships and Ana Grey eats tons and I enjoy the company!!!!

[Ray P]

Corky and Cricket will try any food they see us eat at the table so we always have a plate at the table for them. They can see us put food from our plate to their plate but I think that they think we are trying to poison them because they eat off our plate and not theirs. We move them back to there plate but they run back to ours.

Back in the days of old the kings had food testers to test for poison so I gess that is what we are.

Edited January 15, 2011 by Ray P

[Luvparrots]

Same with Ana Grey, I tried giving Ana Grey a plate of her own and she ignores it so she eats from the corner of my plate. I use a large dinner plate!!!! I have to or there is no space for me!!!! LOL!!!!!

Edited January 15, 2011 by luvparrots

[Morana]

Great advice people! Thank you so much!

I let my Zak drink from a cup and her loves it but I never get an idea that I could easily do it with vegetables too!

Another question.. How do you fry eggs for them.. On red palm oil? on regular oil, without oil,..? Afterward add RPO?

What is sweet potato? Tops?

Are red or orange peppers dried or fresh?

[judygram]

If you want to add red palm oil to eggs then scramble them, add a little of the oil to the eggs when beating them up or you can scramble them in a little of the oil as they will absorb some of it.

I find that Josey will want to eat from my plate even though I provide her with her own little plate, I guess she thinks that what I have on my plate is better even though it is the same thing.

Sweet potatoes are sometimes called yams, like regular potatoes they grow underground and most greys love them, tops is referring to the beets which is another vegetable that grows slightly underground and the leafy tops can be eaten also, the same for turnips.

Peppers can be offered either fresh or dried but they usually are available in green (most popular) yellow, red and orange.

[Morana]

Uh... today I offered Zak some fried eggs in which I put, a bit less than, a tea spoon of RPO. Served the eggs along with mine on the same plait. I pretended it was so delicious (although I haven't put enough salt in my eggs :-S ) and he tried it and trowed it away.. :-( He tried several times but always the same reaction..

Maybe he wasn't hungry..?

I put his eggs in his dish so maybe he'll try it later... How long can the eggs stay in the dish like that?

[ranaz]

Thanks everybody for sharing ... still trying on new veggies, but he wouldnt have them...In the mean time with less fruits and almost no seeds....he is eating really eating pellets... early morning I hear him munching on them, or late after his sleep time...now he even likes them...wow amazing and Im so glad..

He still eats the red chili peppers , a good source of vitamin A, loves almonds (source of calcium) and likes fresh corn, orange and a slice of banana from time to time, so we keep that up. He plays with carrots , throws around teh broccoli and doesnt touch the rest... he even says nooooo, nooooo Kookie nooooo...guess a strong statement of his dislike...

[Morana]

One more failure. We tried cooked but cold vegetables. Today we're gonna try warm vegetables and maybe a frappe with veggies and some fruit in it (without milk)... Hope it works! :-)

[Ray P]

When trying to get your fids to try new foods there are no failures just stepping stons that you may use again and again. And one day (surprise !!!)

[birdhouse]

Ray said it! They change their minds ALL the time. So just because they don't go for it on the first try or even after you tried something for a week or two, doesn't mean they won't ever eat that food.

 

Ranaz, have you tried corn in the husk? Also, Phenix started eating broccoli because I cut off the buds & sprinkled them into other foods & mashed them into one of his favs - banana.

 

 

Morana, maybe if you offered the veggies just a little warmed up. Or maybe with some palm oil or fruit juice poured over them? Just barely wipe a little peanut butter on them? Maybe some apple sauce?