Do picky birds get all they need?

[gecko_dance]

Gregory the timneh used to try everything when we first adopted him, but in the ensuing months, he has settled on apples and green beans almost exclusively. Occasionally, he will have a nibble of peas, carrots, or peppers, but no more than a nibble. Apples and beans, though, he will eat until full to bursting. Most of the literature/common knowledge advises providing a wide array of veggies lest the bird become bored but fail to mention any other drawbacks to a limited diet, and in the meantime, he's still going absolutely bonkers for apples and beans.

 

Besides boredom, has anyone heard of any health risks to eating the same veggies every day? (he's on a pellet diet too, of course).<br><br>Post edited by: gecko_dance, at: 2009/01/09 04:13

[BaxtersMom]

This is just my opinion but I think it will be okay with eating the apples and green beans. Atleast he is eating those and along with the pellet diet should be getting sufficient nutrients. It is good that he will take nibbles of other veggies from time to time and perhaps in time his tastes will change again. I would keep offering what you are giving him. And the good thing is the green veggies have more nutrients in them than the yellow or light colored veggies.

 

My grey will go through spurts. I think I know of a certain veggie he likes and then one day he won't touch it again for months. It can be so frustrating:laugh:

 

I have had pretty good luck with new ways to give him a variety of veggies though. At dinner time what ever vegetable I have prepared (minus the salt, butter, etc) I will offer to him and sometimes he eats them and some times he doesn't. Some days he will just look at it and other days he will surprise me and eat almost all I offered him. Atleast this way I am not buying fresh veggies just for him that he won't eat and go bad. With the dinner veggies atleast they are something that I had prepared anyway.

 

Another thing is sometimes they like their veggies cooked and other times they might perfer them raw, sometimes mashed up. Try different ways to prepare them and see if he prefers one to another. Mine used to like raw broccoli but wouldn't eat it cooked. Now he is back on eating it cooked but refused the raw. It's an ongoing process but don't give and keep offering differnt kinds but always have his favorites on hand too untill you can find other veggies, fruits he will eat.

 

Another thing I have tried successfully is when I cook oatmeal or scrambled eggs. I hide nutritious things in those foods that I don't think he would eat any other way. Or sprinkle a little bit of cinammon or nutmeg on the veggies. They do likes flavored foods as long as it isn't bad for to light salt or butter. I do this with cooked veggies but never tried it with raw veggies yet but don't know why you couldn't. (I'm not sure if you give him cooked veggies or raw)

 

Just keep trying different methods and if he still just wants the apples and green beans just keep feeding them to him. Persistance pays off;) Good luck.