Best Practices for feeding your most Finicky parrots?

[Saemma]

My biggest challenge with Thomas Red Bellied was to convince him to try and eat some cooked mash and some cooked vegetable like sweet potato.

He liked Harrisons, he liked all the raw vegetable, however he would completely ignore any type of cooked vegetable or mash.

When we discovered that he loved Bird Bannock my sister in law decided to spread some mashed sweet potato on it. Et voilà he liked it!! I was ectastic to find this out.When I returned home I continued this process of offering him his morning bird bread with a spread of sweet potato on it. Each morning he would gobble it down very enthusiastically. This week I decided to smear some a mixture of sweetpotato and cooked mash on the bannock to see if he'd like it. Indeed he did.

It dawned on me that since he seemed to like food that could be held in his foot perhaps this is where I needed to be a bit more creative?

I decided to mix some sweet potato and some mango medley mash together. Once it had the consistency of risotto I took a very small portion and gently rolled it into a small ball with my finger tips, then I handed it over to Thomas. (The size of the ball was about the same size of a Harrisons) nugget.

He LOVED it, gobbled ALL of it down and went for 3rds and 4ths.

 

[saroj12]

Brilliant!!

 

[luvsgreys]

Olivia is my best eater, a little piggy monster I call her. Emmett enjoys all cooked foods warm, and will snub even his most favorite squashes if they are "too cold." He also eats best off a spoon or from a small bowl held by moi. One thing I have noticed, is that if Emmett sees Olivia chowing down on something, he does seem more apt to try the new food himself. Sort of a healthy food competition between neighbors I guess. If I'm trying to make sure they get in some extra veggies in I'll try to get creative with my presentation. For example, Emmett is not a fan of raw carrots, so I'll grate them raw into his mash, and he will gobble them up that way. I've learned a lot about feeding a picky parrot from reading other parronts stories here, and hope that I can continue to peak Emmett's interest when it comes to new foods. I love the idea of spreading some new foods onto Thomas' much loved birdie bread!

 

[Sparkles]

When Lino came to me, he didn't want to eat anything but sunflower seeds. So, first I sprouted them. Than I added sprouted seeds over chopped fresh and cooked veggies, than I started sprouting other types of seeds and grains. Now he eats everything.

So happy to hear about Thomas

 

[Saemma]

When Lino came to me, he didn't want to eat anything but sunflower seeds. So, first I sprouted them. Than I added sprouted seeds over chopped fresh and cooked veggies, than I started sprouting other types of seeds and grains. Now he eats everything.

So happy to hear about Thomas

Thanks Iskra! With Thomas, I'll take all of the small victories I can get!!

 

[Sparkles]

Thanks Iskra! With Thomas, I'll take all of the small victories I can get!!

If there's one thing that can help convert him to a better diet, than those are AO products!!

 

[kcbee]

Awesome!! I might try that trick with Mali, she refuses to eat any sort of mash.

 

[Saemma]

Here's my little *oddball* Thoma eating his cooked mashie balls. http://forums.avianavenue.com/poice...eats-his-cooked-mashie-balls.html#post1496406

 

[Maxsmom]

I like your problem solving technique. Great that he will gobble anything with sweet potato on it! I have a feeling that I have a finicky eater with Charlie so it is good to hear of others' techniques. And Max doesn't like mash so maybe I will try this technique with him..he definitely likes to hold food...as does Charlie now that I think about it. Thanks.