She only eats Nutriberries!

[tonyasb]

I was trying to get my tiel, Lucina, to eat a more varied diet. I introduced a veggie mash and nutriberries to her Zupreme pellet diet. She took to the nutriberries like a charm. In fact, that's all she will eat now. She won't even eat the pellets unless I hold back the nutriberries all day! Should I be worried or can she get enough nutrition from the nutriberries?

 

[Holiday]

I was trying to get my tiel, Lucina, to eat a more varied diet. I introduced a veggie mash and nutriberries to her Zupreme pellet diet. She took to the nutriberries like a charm. In fact, that's all she will eat now. She won't even eat the pellets unless I hold back the nutriberries all day! Should I be worried or can she get enough nutrition from the nutriberries?

Nutriberries don't provide the kind of nutrition that pellets do. They are largely cracked corn, seed and peanut hearts. Most people here use them as treats.

 

[tonyasb]

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. That's probably why she likes them so much, she's a junk food junkie. Off to try birdie bread recipes to get those veggies in her...

 

[Anne & Gang]

even the pellets arent enough on their own..she needs a varied diet with veggies included like broccoli brown rice peas corn potatoes etc.

 

[atvchick95]

you have to switch a birds diet, slowly, you can't just cut any thing out cold turkey

it'll take a while for her to accept other foods. But you have to cut back on the nutriberries I know the package says it can be used as their soul food BUT it can NOT and should not - even with veggies, greens, and all the healthy real food in the world.

they should only be used as treats and nothing more.

But once you get her off her "junk food" she'll need a varied diet of pellets, a small amount of seeds, fresh(or Frozen- never canned) veggies, Leafy greens and other healthy foods.

 

[tonyasb]

even the pellets arent enough on their own..she needs a varied diet with veggies included like broccoli brown rice peas corn potatoes etc.

Trust me, I know this. I have been trying for MONTHS to get her to eat veggies in any form I can. I know eventually she will if I keep giving them to her but until then, I want to make sure she's getting everything she needs and if that means she only eats pellets for awhile, then so be it. At least she's eating something nutritious. She does eat the pellets if I don't give her the nutriberries but she protests! hehehe.

 

[Gen120]

I agree with the others that you should give her a varied diet. My cockatiels eat Zupreem Natural pellets, some seed, fresh veggies/fruits, bean/rice mix and birdy bread. Is there any fresh food that he really enjoys?

 

[myakando]

I can totally relate how frustrating it can be when trying to introduce healthier food choices to our birds. Don't give up. IMO, LaFeber's products contain pretty bad chemical ingredients in them so you'd probably want to get your tiel off of them soon. Just start nice and gradual. Sometimes it can helps to *pretend* that you're eating and enjoying what ever food you're trying to entice your tiel to eat. Have you tried fresh organic sprouts by any chance? I've been able to get some pretty hardcore seed junkies onto sprouts. Good luck

 

[KimKimWilliamson]

I can totally relate how frustrating it can be when trying to introduce healthier food choices to our birds. Don't give up. IMO, LaFeber's products contain pretty bad chemical ingredients in them so you'd probably want to get your tiel off of them soon. Just start nice and gradual. Sometimes it can helps to *pretend* that you're eating and enjoying what ever food you're trying to entice your tiel to eat. Have you tried fresh organic sprouts by any chance? I've been able to get some pretty hardcore seed junkies onto sprouts. Good luck

For me, this method works like a charm!! Prudence wont even look at something new in her bowl, but if I grab it (or even a new toy) and put it near my mouth and make "numnum" noises and act excited, she's there in a heartbeat ripping it out of my fingers and ingesting it without protest. This even works when Im trying to convince her to eat her pellets instead of the seed mix Im weaning her off of. (Came from the breeder on it with fresh in addition.)

 

[tonyasb]

I have noticed she likes to pick off my plate but it's always the grains she goes for (bread, oatmeal, grits). In fact I have a picture of her practically falling into my bowl of grits. That's how I know she likes bread and thought the birdie bread method I've read about others using to introduce veggies would work. When I've tried to entice her into veggies from my plate she ignores me! She's really good at that too. Little toot.