Refuses to eat veggies

[Duel]

So far whenever Snick tries something he doesn't like he shakes his head really fast and backs away from what I had offered on my finger. So far he doesn't like grapes, carrots, oranges, green apples (have yet to test other apples), cucumbers, and romaine lettuce. Things he does like include rice (white, yellow and brown with white being his favorite), bread, hard boiled eggs, ravioli pasta (plain no sauce of course), crackers, and chicken which is fed in very small bits. Even though I've been told lovebirds like veggies he seems to not like them so far. Any other foods I can try with him that he might like?

 

[AkasyaEllric]

I had a hard time getting Slade to eat veggies, the only way it worked was by giving him freeze dried. He wants it crispy and so he can dunk it himself. I tried a ton of fresh food and he just wasn't having it. More fresh food you could try though is, bell peppers, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cooked sweet potato (cooled off). Veggies should always be more than fruit. If you would want to try the freeze dried though both @Nikomania and @Danita make and sell it along with Texas Natural Freeze Dried Products.

 

[Rain Bow]

You could try sprouting... More nutritionally beneficial.

The hows are here:
Feathered Food Court | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[DoubleTake]

Just gotta keep trying, it is a wasteful process. It some times takes Loki over a month to accept something new. So far she will eat sprouted seed, cauliflower, green apples, kale, squash and sweet peppers. She just started to accept sugar snap peas.

 

[Zara]

So far he doesn't like grapes, carrots, oranges, green apples (have yet to test other apples), cucumbers, and romaine lettuce.

A lot of people have this mentailty; ¨I gave my bird carrots, they didn´t eat it so they don´t like them¨ and then stop offering it.
Persistence is key. Also delivery method plays its part. Simiilar to that toy they never played with for 3 months but now that you have moved it further east it is the most incredible toy your bird has ever had.
So don´t write off all those things yet. Try new approaches to feeding veggies. A skewer can be fun, you could stick larger pieces or whole veggies through the cage bars, share a ¨birdy¨ meal (plate share), chop the veggies and offer for breakfast, finely chop they veggies in the blender, make birdy bread, make birdy mash.
I went the breakfast route, so I wake up, make breakfast while I´m brewing my coffee, then I remove everyones dry food bowls and offer veggies, leave them an hour then swap the dishes back. (Start with just half an hour when you first start out, and up the time that you leave the breakfast in the cage as the weeks go by). *the breakfast can be chop, fine chop, mash, freeze dried chop etc*

Just gotta keep trying, it is a wasteful process.

Parrots are wasteful in general, and a bird transitioning even more so.
My tip to you would be to make a super small breakfast. As you only have one bird, prep the food for the next 3 days, put about 6-8 g in the bowl for todays breakfast, then save the rest for the next two days.

Offer many different foods, keep the variety high.

You may find that frozen veggies are a godsend, especially diced stuff. For me and my 6 birds we can never buy fresh pumpkin as we´d never go through it, so I pull out 2 diced pieces for breakfast each time. Alternatively you could freeze your own vegetables.

Use something as sprinkles to top the food. I used millet or quinoa, it gets the beak in the dish quick. You can use millet sprinkles on a skewer too, just roll the skewer through the millet so it sticks.

You could try sprouting... More nutritionally beneficial.

Sprouting is an excellent way to cut the dry seed intake and most seed eaters will eat them.
Have a read of this for some How-to info: Some general info on sprouting .. thought it might be helpful | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

Here are the links to the freeze dried mixes that Morgan mentioned;
Avian Organics The Largest Selection of Organic Parrot and Bird Food Online Bird Bread, Bird Mashes, Cage Blends, Bird Treats
Bodacious Birdie Bites-Freeze Dried Organic Bird Food
I´ve never used this type of food, but I hear lots of birds enjoy it.

Just remember, whatever food you decide to offer, offer small amounts and do it daily. It will be a wasteful process but that´s just how it is.

I wish you luck

 

[Tazlima]

For my guys that like eggs but are leery of veggies I've had excellent luck with green eggs. Basically put broccoli and maybe squash or carrots (whatever veggies you have handy) in the blender and add just enough raw egg to blend it like a smoothie.

Cook the resulting goop as if it were regular scrambled eggs.

It makes crumbly green stuff that even my super picky veggie-hating tiel absolutely loves.

I don't make it often, because I've read that too much egg is bad for them, but it's the only thing I've seen them devour the first time they tried it.

 

[sunnysmom]

When I had my foster lovie, I made him "pepper cups". I would take mini peppers, hollow them out, and stuff them with chopped up vegetables and fruit and a few seeds and pellets to entice him. He loved them- and good foraging. It may be something for you to try.

 

[Mizzely]

It's a process! My Jardine's is finally trying stuff a year after bringing him home! My tips and tricks are near the bottom: My Chop "Recipe"

 

[Tazlima]

When I had my foster lovie, I made him "pepper cups". I would take mini peppers, hollow them out, and stuff them with chopped up vegetables and fruit and a few seeds and pellets to entice him. He loved them- and good foraging. It may be something for you to try.

Ooh! I'm definitely going to try this!

 

[Rain Bow]

All of these are GREAT ideas!!!

@ Zara said it best, persistance!

Fids are going to eat many things full of carbohydrates & the sugar they break down into. They love, any of this stuff, but just like us, many they just break down to empty calories.

I have been eating most meals w/ Buddy for approx. 2 1/2 years now. I'm still getting him to eat NEW or Re-Newed things that he wouldn't touch his beak w/ till now. They ARE individuals like us & sometimes just hate or key items.

Try:

Different cuts - thick to thin

Ex: My Buddy prefers carrot & celery sticks but loves his apples cut in an oval shape as big as his head. Hates any baby food or food of that consistency (apple sauce & oatmeal)But loves wet sprouted seeds & grains.​

Seasonal or rotational

Ex: Refuses to try it this year & it won't be available where you live till next? Make a physical or mental note to try again next season or after the next few shopping trips if it's still available.​

Cooked or raw:

Ex: Found out this year Buddy will only eat summer squash & zucchini cooked. I then thought
No wonder he wasn't enjoying it raw!
​

Finally, Sometimes...

theivery:alien1:​

off your plate is REALLY necessary.

​

Keep in mind, parrots are flock oriented, they are more likely to eat with you & more specifically, the same foods as:

They're feathery friends (if you have more then 1 bird)​

In the absence of more than 1 bird you & your family as you've taken over the function of your fids, flock!

​

 

[Duel]

Oh yes I just remembered, there is one vegetable he likes and that's BROCCOLI. I would rip off small pieces from the top and have it in my hand for him to eat from. Of course, he won't have any of it if I just put a whole piece in front of him.

 

[Zara]

If he likes brocolli, maybe he will enjoy cauliflower. And peas are usually a hit too

 

[Rain Bow]

Oh yes I just remembered, there is one vegetable he likes and that's BROCCOLI. I would rip off small pieces from the top and have it in my hand for him to eat from. Of course, he won't have any of it if I just put a whole piece in front of him.

Just not every day non-stop w/ broccoli... Someone here mentioned that it can be a detriment to tyroid function, when given every day. So please be sure to rotate things.

I can tell you that most fids will not eat tomatoes. Something about the citric acid. So if this is one veggie your having issues w/ you can stop. Oh, Buddy does like it cooked tho, like in a tomato sauce w/ no salt, a little oregano on a few noodles.

Buddy will only eat an orange that's been squeezed into his water.

Buddy hates hot peppers, hot pepper spices ect... But throw some in his 1 egg a week & scramble it up. 9 times out of 10, he'll eat it. Zon's often have Vitamin A deficiency, the peppers help w/ that deficiency. Buddy's never had an issue, the key again w/ all of this is persistance & a little creativity.

You just never know how they're gonna eat things. But we're always here to help out!

 

[cecaunan]

Hey guys, have we thought of using some pelletized spinach for our lovebirds? I am still new for lovebirds but i feed my small shrimps these pellets. You can buy these from ebay normally and comes in different leafy vegetables. Thanks.

 

[Zara]

pelletized spinach

What food is this?
If it is just spinach it wont be good. Spinach should be given in moderation as it impedes calcium absorbtion.

 

[cecaunan]

What food is this?
If it is just spinach it wont be good. Spinach should be given in moderation as it impedes calcium absorbtion.

These are shrimp food and made from pure veggies like spinach, carrots, pepper, etc..
Here is the link from ebay; 50ml Food Sticks 10 Varieties Selection in Practical Screw Socket - Shrimp Food | eBay

It was made from dried veggies and pelletized. The good thing is that no preservatives added here.
I agree that it should be given in moderation but was thinking if the birds dont like the actual veggies, then this can be alternative.

 

[Duel]

These are shrimp food and made from pure veggies like spinach, carrots, pepper, etc..
Here is the link from ebay; 50ml Food Sticks 10 Varieties Selection in Practical Screw Socket - Shrimp Food | eBay

It was made from dried veggies and pelletized. The good thing is that no preservatives added here.
I agree that it should be given in moderation but was thinking if the birds dont like the actual veggies, then this can be alternative.

This sounds like a good solution. I've tried a few different ways of feeding him veggies and fruit but so far hes not buying it. Should I give this a try?

 

[Mizzely]

My understanding is nettle is not safe for parrots which is an ingredient in that food.

 

[cecaunan]

My understanding is nettle is not safe for parrots which is an ingredient in that food.

thanks for that advice but there are others like spinach or carrots only. Will check what else do they have since i am only feedign my shrimps only kurbis, spinach, nettle, walnut leaves, catappa leaves and some herbs.

 

[cecaunan]

Gonna be a hard time to introduce my 2 new birds to fruits and veggies but we are trying now as early as possible.
Placed some diced apples but they did not even tried to look at it.
Now my daughter picked up some little berries growing from our small yard with a very tempting red color but still not looking at it.