Kiwi wants to eat only sunflower seeds, any advice?

[Gen120]

I got Kiwi on May 23rd and he was eating walmart parrot seed mix (his old owner was in the process of switching him to pellets (per my advice),when I got him). Anyways, he still wants that. I have mixed Harrisons in with it and he won't eat it. He will only eat birdy bread, fresh hot rice, and sunflower seeds (in the seed mix).

I have tried to get him to eat more stuff but I don't want to do him cold turkey (have done it with a few of my fids, and closely watching their weight). How do I convert him/any advice on that?? I have converted birds to pellets before but Kiwi is being quite stubborn. I don't want him to loose weight because he is not eating enough.

Thanks, Victoria

 

[JLcribber]

He's still eating the rice and B bread so you need to Eliminate the sunflower seeds all together. Kids will not eat their brocoli if they "know" they will be able to eat chocolate cake later. And they know.

 

[dorn27]

I agree. Kupo the seed junkie wouldnt quit until it was the only option. One thing I found worked with her though, was putting the bowl of just pellets next to her high favorite perch.

 

[birdlover82]

Have you tried any of the Goldenfeast foods? Gwen really likes them. Keep offering the good stuff. Gwen came to us on a horrible horrible diet. I got her switched over to the Volkman Parrotlet seed mix with no real problems and then just kept offering her the fresh foods. Have you tried hanging the greens in his cage? Gwen wouldn't touch them at first or when I was around but I'd come back and poof it'd be gone.
I personally don't feed her pellets. She's my only one I don't.
Good Luck.

 

[Gen120]

OK, thanks everyone! Susan, why don't you feed her pellets? I have heard something about pellets being bad for their livers, so should I not feed pellets at all? Just seed and fresh stuff? I am worried that he will loose a lot of weight if I don't give him some SF seeds, will he maintain the same weight if he continues to eat the rice/B bread?

 

[Bokkapooh]

I recommend trying to leave the pellets in the food dish all day long (and keep feeding him the veggies and birdie breads, etc) and only give seed at night for 1-2 hours. This is usually what I do for picky eaters.

 

[marian]

I have a question why not grind up his pellets into homemade birdy bread?Thats what I do for picky hiram.He wont eat pellets just left in his dish.I've tried zupreem and harrison he won't touch them.So now I put about 2 cups through the food processor for birdy bread.He eats that fine.Maybe that would help?

 

[Bokkapooh]

I have heard something about pellets being bad for their livers, so should I not feed pellets at all? Just seed and fresh stuff?

For any bird species that will not drink too much water, feeding strictly pellets is bad for their kidneys. Parrotlets and some species of other birds, just dont drink enough water, so if they are fed strictly pellets, their kidneys can begin to malfunction.

So for species that dont drink enough water, need a higher fat intake. Fat stores water. And I believe they need more veggies in their diet (veggies have a lot of water in them).

I feed Squid Harrisons High potency Fine(a fattier pellet then adult lifetime) and zupreem fruit blend budgie size. Im trying to find zupreem fruit blend budgie size in BREEDER blend, as its also high in fat. And she gets the same thing as my bigger birds get 50% veggie matter, 20% pellets, 20% seed and 10% healthy food items. She and her 'tiel cage mates get seed only at night.

This site below, talks about pellets and mutation parrolets, but I believe it holds true for normal green p'lets and other birds who dont drink too much water.

Pellets & Mutations

I am worried that he will loose a lot of weight if I don't give him some SF seeds, will he maintain the same weight if he continues to eat the rice/B bread?

He wont lose wait, he should be able to maintain wait on rice and B bread. He'll soon begin to eat his pellets once the sunflower seeds are cut off or only fed at night.

 

[Gen120]

Ok, thanks! I will put some pellets through the food processor and add them to some birdy bread that I will be making this weekend. Thanks for the idea! I only have a few sunflower seeds left so he won't have a choice but to eat other foods unless I get more sunflower seeds (which I am not going to anytime soon). Kiwi gets a very varied diet, some seed, birdy bread and rice mix with veggies/spices every day.