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How to get my tiel to eat vegies.

Drake

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Peter
Hey guys!

So, i posted about 2 weeks ago, I got a fairly young, 5months old cockatiel. He started to take the millet from my hand, and not panicking anymore, which is nice. Thing is, he only eats the millet from his seed mix, not even the sunflower seeds. I tried many times, many different vegetables and fruits in the morning, he wouldn't eat them. Tried some millet on top of them, to get his appetite, no luck. What can I do, other than pellets, which isn't available at the pet stores near me?

Also, how can I go about introducing the clicker, if he only eats millet. Give him the spray millet, click then take away, and repeat?
 

winnieirn

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Jennette
Millet and seeds are more like bird candy. Usually not part of the main diet and are both used as treats. Pellets, fresh fruit and veggies are the real deal. Perhaps you could cut the fruit and veggies very small and try hiding them in the millet.
I’ve heard just getting rid of seeds and millet to get your bird to eat pellets and fruit/vegetables is another way.
Once he gets hungry he’ll eat what he got. That’s how I got Winnie to try eating pellets for the first time.
Good luck!
 

Ripshod

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Vary the size of the veg pieces. Offer it in different places, close to where he spends most of his day. Don't offer too many new things at once and don't change it too often. Offer just brocolli for a few weeks see how that goes. If it is accepted add something else, if it's not accepted change to something else.
The key is to be consistent. Try eating the veg from his dish in front of him, let him know it's safe food.
 

sunnysmom

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Opinions on best diet for cockatiels differ, but I always shoot for about 50% seeds (because tiels are granivores) 15% pellets and the rest vegetables. Tiels typically don't eat fruit. So I would focus on vegetables. As mentioned, try different sizes of vegetables. My tiels usually like theirs chopped really small. A good first one to try is broccoli because the chopped up tops look like small seeds. Pellets also may be too hard for your tiel since he's still young. You can try softening them with some water. Also my tiels like grains- cooked brown rice, quinoa, etc. You can add vegetables to those or try some of the Higgins Worldly Cuisine mixes. You can also try making birdie bread and adding vegetables to that.
 

Drake

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Peter
Okay, got it, gonna try to push some vegetables on him ^_^ How should I go about with clicker training?
 

Ziekenzie

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There’s a thread on clicker training somewhere here (I’ll see if I can post a link). I remember the first step was practicing using the clicker without your bird so you will get more comfortable using the clicker. Then you have to associate the sound of the clicker with a treat. Hope this helped!
 

Monica

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You would click then give the treat.

Here's ideas on converting birds to eating a more varied diet! :)

 

Alacari

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For my tiel, it was all about the shape of the vegetable. Regular broccoli - I'm not eating a tree. Cutting tops off and putting in food - there is green stuff in my food, I am not eating any of it. Broccoli slaw - best stuff ever, why have we never had this before.
 
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