taxidermynerd
Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
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Hi all!
So starting today, I'm gonna start really trying to convert Chirp over to a diet of at least 50% pellets, probably 10 or 15% seeds, and as much fruits and veggies as I can get him to eat. I saw a few threads on here with some really great ideas, and basically, combining a whole bunch of methods into this:
But at least he seems to recognize pellets as food, so there's that. Chirp is a very picky budgie. He also will take small nibbles of carrot, and when I made some chop (I have a bunch in the freezer) he would nibble little bits of it off my finger). He also really likes chopped almonds, but he hasn't gotten that in a while.
I'd probably offer the seeds and other treats during out-of-cage time (although he seems to like his cage so much that he prefers to sit in his cage to his playstand on top of the cage!), seeing as those are the times I offer millet (although that's more of a once-a-week thing) I think I'm also gonna try to find some all-natural pellets, or at least ones without artificial dyes. I'm pretty sure I read something about those being bad?
So I guess I'm basically asking for advice. Does my plan seem good? How did you switch your bird(s) over? Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated!
(Side note: Sorry if this is in the wrong spot!)
So starting today, I'm gonna start really trying to convert Chirp over to a diet of at least 50% pellets, probably 10 or 15% seeds, and as much fruits and veggies as I can get him to eat. I saw a few threads on here with some really great ideas, and basically, combining a whole bunch of methods into this:
- Take out Chirp's normal seed mix at night, and put in pellets instead (I've noticed he's a bit of a night muncher)
- Start off with leaving pellets in a bowl next to his normal food bowl.
- Once I can see he's been pecking around in the pellets and actually nibbling on them, I'll start offering pellets all day and his usual seed mix for a few hours in the morning and a few hours in the evening.
- Once he's used to eating pellets during the day, I'll make the switch to mostly pellets.
- Monitor to make sure he's eating, and if all is well, then he'll be switched over!
- After a while (maybe a few months?) repeat process on a slightly smaller scale to adjust him to fruits and veggies.
But at least he seems to recognize pellets as food, so there's that. Chirp is a very picky budgie. He also will take small nibbles of carrot, and when I made some chop (I have a bunch in the freezer) he would nibble little bits of it off my finger). He also really likes chopped almonds, but he hasn't gotten that in a while.
I'd probably offer the seeds and other treats during out-of-cage time (although he seems to like his cage so much that he prefers to sit in his cage to his playstand on top of the cage!), seeing as those are the times I offer millet (although that's more of a once-a-week thing) I think I'm also gonna try to find some all-natural pellets, or at least ones without artificial dyes. I'm pretty sure I read something about those being bad?
So I guess I'm basically asking for advice. Does my plan seem good? How did you switch your bird(s) over? Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated!
(Side note: Sorry if this is in the wrong spot!)