Rosie only eats sunflower seeds!!!!

Hi there everyone,

I have had Rosie for just over a week and she is too cute for words!!! She is getting used to my hand and settled quickly and without fuss. The food she was eating was the cheap sunflower mix and I changed her onto a mix that had lots of different kinds of seeds etc. I wanted to wean her slowly from that onto pellets as I have noticed that she is not like Hugo in that he would eat anything.

She eats alot but only sunflower seeds and prefers to eat off the floor. The amount of food Im wasting is a sin. She has a bowl of veg/fruit and she doesnt touch it at all. She simply picks out the sunflower seeds and leaves the other yummy seeds etc.

Any advice? Am I being to hasty in worrying as I have only had her a week? Im under the impression that one needs to begin changing habits slowly but as soon as possible.

Is there anyone else who has experienced this problem or am I doing something wrong? Im also going through alot of food and am worried that if I leave the bowl in with a certain amount she will get hungry because she has picked out the sunflowers. I am changing the food 3 times a day and its alot. The metal bowl is big enough for her to climb in - they didnt have smaller sizes and I live far from town. I have de-wormed her 2 days ago. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Pet stores just do not get it. I guess they are not able to feed what the birds need so they give them seeds and the birds get hooked on them. Yes I am afraid you will waste some food here. This is how my vet told me to get Rosie on the other foods and pellets and it did work. Take out all food at bedtime. Then first thing in the am offer a variety of fruits. She will evenutally eat them if you do not offer the sun seeds at that time. Just keep on offering the fruits and vegies until you find out what she likes. Sit down and let her see you eat them too. She will most likely be curious about you plate and want to eat from that plate and not hers in the beginning. Gradually reduce the amt. of sun seeds. It is going to take time and waste. Here is a link
Lovebirds - feeding your lovebirds

Try the grapes, melons, papaya first.

Thanks SB, I understand that I put the seeds in after she has eaten some fruit/veg and then as you mentioned wean her off? I read the site that you included and it says nothing about pellets but about seeds that are good for them. I will go out and see what I can buy and mix myself...am I on the right track?

Ecclipse you know the drill !!!!!!
One for you one for me
Eat one, enjoy it and hopefully Rosie May will follow in your footsteps.
I did this with Mishka, when I changed her pellets, and she did what I did and began eating them
I know it's easier said than done, but it's worth a try

Read through the link below, all the ins and outs pertaining to changing pellets (lovebird's included)

https://www.birdsupplies.com/Articles.asp?ID=180

Please keep us updated

Hey Jess I am sending another link that in the answer section there is a discussion about lovebirds and pellets that may be of help to you. I am not too familiar with lovebirds so looking to other sources. Parrots: Pellet Diet, peachface lovebird, pelleted diet

Thanks SB, your a star!!!!
Wahahahaha - very funny Ant hahahaha - you know that Hugo spoilt me with having a taste for eating everything! I had a good giggle because I read about it on the net and it didnt look too hard until I had a crack at it - its hard!!!!! hahaha. My version of Hugo trying foods was for him to take the first taste then demand more. My lil maddam has other ideas....like chewing my books and running along my shelves. She even has a knack of hiding behind books then when she thinks Im not looking scuttles towards her perch. According to her, sunflower seeds are the in thing! Will start my routine tomorrow - you may never know, she might just surprise me. Hold thumbs! Thanks again for the links...will go check it out

Hugo and Cooper had so much in common. Then I got a fussy Ecky

I have the same issue with my best mate cockatiel, Izzy. Izzy belongs to a teacher at my school and is still on an all seed diet, despite everything I try. When I finally get somewhere with it, my teacher takes him home and I have to start all over again. The one thing I have accomplished is removing the sunflower seeds. It takes a while, but every morning I pick all of the sunflower seeds out.

Sorry, I have a habit of rambling on about me and my experiences lol. I got my budgies to eat other stuff by hiding it in their gum leaves, and leaving it out in my room ( surprisingly, they will eat anything that is not meant for them ). SB has given great advice.

Nothing to add, because, as always, excellent advice already given.

Will keep you guys updated...lol. When you think that you have got things sorted they swing a curve ball - lol. Rosie jumped onto my hand last night - yipppeeee!!!! We are getting there!

When all else fails then tough love is sometimes the answer. In my experience with animals and switching their diet, weening has only worked in a couple of cases. Not offering the chosen food at all (tough love) worked every time. They will starve themselves for a couple of hours and then the hunger gets so bad that they will eat anything - and they do.

But, that is with animals not birds, that is why I say - If all else fails.