My parrot is a porker

[Knight05]

I don't know why but she won't eat fruits, veggies, beans or anything even semi remotely healthy like other peoples greys. But anything junk food and she is on it like white on rice. I pull out a carrot or a mango and she just chews it into 50 pieces and throws it on the floor. But I pull out a slice of pizza and she will eat the whole thing. She loves taco bell too. I know this stuff is bad for her though and I don't want my parrot to have a heart attack, it's weird though shes like a kid with a high metabolism she doesn't gain weight she just loves to eat people food.

[Animalspirit]

Of course she does! She sees you eating it, and you know, parrots learn from obeserving each other. In the wild their parents teach them what's good for them and what not. If she's the only parrot between humans, she learns from you what she should eat. What I mostly do, is taking a bite of the food myself, telling them how good it tastes, and put it in their bowl without looking at it anymore. Don't worry, if she's playing with the food. This is what parrots do. they try the food, they play with it first. Finally she will try and eat it, because you did!

I think it's also better not to eat a pizza in presence of your bird, at least, for a while. Give her foraging toys with healthy food, and teach her finally to leave your meals alone.

[BaxtersMom]

I am having the same problem:( It is a constant struggle to get Baxter to eat healthy food. He came to me as an adult and already had established his poor diet and it's really tough getting him eat the veggies and fruits. He will leave them there all day most of the time. My other 2 birds love healthy foods and I feel good about their diets but Baxter is tough. What I have started doing just recently is giving them all veggies for their morning breakfast with some pellets, no seeds untill afternoon and hoping that he will be hungrier enough to give them a chance. I think I am making a little bit of progress with it though. He is picking a few things out and eating them. Was wondering if I should give him veggies only in the morning with no pellets?

 

I have tried eating healthy foods in front of him and made a fuss over them. When I offer them to him he won't even show interest in what I have and when I toss it in the bowl for him he leaves it. :unsure:<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2008/10/25 17:19

[Animalspirit]

If they love pellets better than veggies, they will eat them first. Birds always choose what they like best and what's large. I give my birds veggies, fruits, beans and nuts in the morning, and later on they get their pellets. In the evening they get some seeds before they go to bed.

 

If you want them to eat something they are not used to, you can start by giving them just the carrot, adding the pellets later. Don't show any concearn, they will notice. My TAG didn't know carrots when he came here, now he loves them. Sometimes he doesn't eat any of his veggies but the next day he does. I don't worry about that.

 

BTW, I noticed that my birds have different taste. All my birds eat banana, only my rosella doesn't. That's no problem, he'll eat everything else, especially pellets. And pellets are complete food, after all!

 

Did you try wild rosehips? I regularly pick them when I walk the dogs. My parrots love them!

[Luvparrots]

I believe that when you're hungry you eat what is presented to you. If you want your grey to eat healthy that is what you should give him. Like you, they will not starve if they have food before them. In the middle of the night if you are hungry don't you eat what you find as leftovers in the fridge. Remove food at night, they aren't going to starve from 10 pm to 8 am, and serve fruits and vegetables in the morning if that is what you think is healthy then present the pellets. Dinner of pasta and vegetables then pellets for example. Save the nuts and treats for rewards. This is what I intend to do with my grey.

[Knight05]

Ya i tried the whole mmmm this carrot is num-my type approach and she just stares at it then stares at me like "you're kidding right? that stuff tastes horrible"

[Christian]

Gatiep eats all his vegies. I never give him junk food... But he gets a sip of coffee every now and then... but only 2 sips

[jonathan_split]

She eats pizza and taco bell? Haha, oh man, that's so funny.<br><br>Post edited by: jonathan_split, at: 2008/10/25 21:27

[Gryphon]

We are currently working to be rid of junk food. I'm finding that consistency is key. Gryphon gets his veggie/fruit salad every morning and bean mix at dinner. We make a big deal out of meal time and all eat together.

 

At first all he ate was grapes and sometimes an apple piece, but gradually I have noticed him eating the fresh corn and even squash. I think having it in front of him every day for two weeks is helping him learn to try new stuff. Green beans are a consistent "no thanks" :lol:

 

My vet assistant suggesting swapping out the occasional dorito piece with honey nut cheerios. Gryph seems to prefer very strong flavors. He doesn't even acknowledge nuts as consumable so we are looking for positive reinforcement treats! I'll let you know if it works.

 

Stephanie

[cflanny]

I have a cabob like device where you put all the veggies on it ZZero loves it goes first before anything in his bowl cause its like a toy with veggies mabey he would have fun with it. I got it in the rodent section of the pet store, just hangs in the cage with a bell on the bottom.