Food problem - Wont change from seed diet

LeoTheQuaker · Aug 4, 2019

So i have a young Quaker parrot, not sure of exact age but he was hand reared and i got him around 2 months ago.

I have been trying to change him from an all seed diet to a pellet one but i am just have no luck at all. He is extremely stubborn and i have tried him with Top's and Harrison's which i am currently trying at the moment but he is having none of it. He also will not eat any veg at all. I have tried mixing his food in with it, on its own, giving it to him in the morning, afternoon and night and still nothing. He wont even look at it.
I have tried him with pear, peach, leafy greens, squash, corn (both on the cob and frozen), peas, kiwi, carrots, chilli, broccoli, apple, green beans, snap peas, peppers, melon, nectarine, spinach and a whole load more i cant think of at the moment.

Any one have any tips or tricks to try and fix this problem. :51:

Allee · Aug 4, 2019

Sounds like a typical Quaker parrot. It’s a little unusual to find a hand reared baby parrot that has only been introduced to a seed diet. Try thinking about it from your little guy’s point of view, he really loves seed, it’s like junk food to him and it’s familiar, he’ll choose seed every time. It’s your job to make a healthier diet more appealing than the seeds. It takes time and patience to convince a Quaker a healthy diet isn’t all bad. A reliable trick with pellets is to soak them in a little diluted 100% apple juice, three parts water, one part juice. Try a different approach with the vegetables, offer just a few items at a time so your Quaker isn’t overwhelmed with too many choices. Finely diced veggies mixed together can help get your bird to taste a variety of different flavors. Here’s a great link for you.

http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html

Best of luck, please keep us updated on your little guy’s progress.

LeoTheQuaker · Aug 4, 2019

Allee said:
Sounds like a typical Quaker parrot. It’s a little unusual to find a hand reared baby parrot that has only been introduced to a seed diet. Try thinking about it from your little guy’s point of view, he really loves seed, it’s like junk food to him and it’s familiar, he’ll choose seed every time. It’s your job to make a healthier diet more appealing than the seeds. It takes time and patience to convince a Quaker a healthy diet isn’t all bad. A reliable trick with pellets is to soak them in a little diluted 100% apple juice, three parts water, one part juice. Try a different approach with the vegetables, offer just a few items at a time so your Quaker isn’t overwhelmed with too many choices. Finely diced veggies mixed together can help get your bird to taste a variety of different flavors. Here’s a great link for you.

http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html

Best of luck, please keep us updated on your little guy’s progress.

Yea so he is 100% hand reared as i was there the whole time he was being hand fed and so on. He was raised on a seed and fruit/veg diet and i seen him eating these but since i have got him home he ate 1 piece of fruit on the first day and since then he has shown no interest at all in any of the food (fruit and veg) that i have provided. He is extremely alert and he has had a check up at an avian vet and there is no problem with him at all and is 100% healthy, i guess is he just being ever so slightly stubborn haha. I guess he is a Quaker after all

Also is it 100% pure apple juice you use or is it the low sugar one. Thanks

Scott · Aug 4, 2019

Have you tried the Harrison's conversion guide? I did so and all 8 of my flock successfully transitioned from a Zupreem, seed, and chop diet.

https://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/using-our-foods/large-bird-conversion/ I followed precisely and it worked!!

Allee · Aug 4, 2019

LeoTheQuaker said:
Allee said:

Sounds like a typical Quaker parrot. It’s a little unusual to find a hand reared baby parrot that has only been introduced to a seed diet. Try thinking about it from your little guy’s point of view, he really loves seed, it’s like junk food to him and it’s familiar, he’ll choose seed every time. It’s your job to make a healthier diet more appealing than the seeds. It takes time and patience to convince a Quaker a healthy diet isn’t all bad. A reliable trick with pellets is to soak them in a little diluted 100% apple juice, three parts water, one part juice. Try a different approach with the vegetables, offer just a few items at a time so your Quaker isn’t overwhelmed with too many choices. Finely diced veggies mixed together can help get your bird to taste a variety of different flavors. Here’s a great link for you.

http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html

Best of luck, please keep us updated on your little guy’s progress.

Click to expand...

Yea so he is 100% hand reared as i was there the whole time he was being hand fed and so on. He was raised on a seed and fruit/veg diet and i seen him eating these but since i have got him home he ate 1 piece of fruit on the first day and since then he has shown no interest at all in any of the food (fruit and veg) that i have provided. He is extremely alert and he has had a check up at an avian vet and there is no problem with him at all and is 100% healthy, i guess is he just being ever so slightly stubborn haha. I guess he is a Quaker after all

Also is it 100% pure apple juice you use or is it the low sugar one. Thanks

Haha, sounds like you may have a quaker with a triple shot of stubborn. I use 100% organic apple juice, no added sugar. 1/4 cup juice, 3/4 cup water. Try to get the little booger converted before he learns to talk, it’s not easy to win an argument with a quaker parrot. Seriously though, Leo sounds like a wonderful little guy.

Laurasea · Aug 4, 2019

Don't give up! And try having a plate of veggies, and other stuff like scrambled eggs, cooked ournesl and have him out with you while you eat!! Mine steal everything from my plate. Once they get used to trying things, then they will give everything a try usually. I mash pellets into allvssft foods like eggs and oatmeal, and I hand feed them to my stubborn Quaker rescue. You will get there. Sometimes there are veggies mine eat like crazy then for a month won't eat those veggies but eat different ones. Red hot chili peppers are never turned down seem to be a favorite of everyone..

Food problem - Wont change from seed diet

LeoTheQuaker

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Allee

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LeoTheQuaker

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Scott

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