How to get your birds to eat different things???

Both of my birds were raised on seed only diets by their breeders. I have tried getting them to eat different things but no luck with that. I recently added zupreem natural pellets to their seed mix. The cockatiel eats the pellets but not the green cheek (that I can tell). They are fed the ecotrition premium blend of seed which has bits of fruits and veggies in it but not much. Well now I am intent on getting them to start taking in some good foods. Any tips to help get them on thier new diet??

all i can say with the fresh fruit is eat it in front of them, might take more then 1 try and keep some in there cage so it becomes familiar

they just don't see what you are offering as food!

The trick is when you get them in your home, change everything. I use a different seed and add pellet unless they happen to be on the same diet. If they still won't eat the pellet you then take out the seed for a couple hours a day. Provide fresh fruits and veggies daily, it takes persistence.

I have had Max for a month. He was changing to a pelleted diet when I got him. The foster did a good job on offering a variety of pellets--Roudybush, Oven Fresh Baked and another kind. So when I got Max home, he was eating pretty much the same stuff.

However, introducing fresh veggies is always an interesting experience. I introduce the fresh veggies and fruits in the afternoon when I come home from work--so they do not spoil during the day when I am not home.

I come home, will greet Max. Pet his head if he allows. Take out the food and water dishes. Wash and dry them. Refill them with the pelleted diet and return to the cage. Then go back into the kitchen. Get the veggies and fruit of choice, and start chopping them finely. I put them in a bowl and start eating some in front of Max. When I know I have his attention--he will pace or dance on his perch--then I will let him out and he will fly to me and we can enjoy the goodies together.

I think the best way is to eat what you want them to eat in front of them at the dinner table. That way they know it is safe to eat and it should go in the mouth. We teach them. Just giving them a bowl of new foods usually will not work.

Be persistent! You may need to keep offering the same foods, over and over, before your parrots will try them. It took 8 months before I could get Ralph the Quaker parrot to eat broccoli (Quakers are notoriously fussy about food)-- but now he likes it. So don't give up!


Try preparing vegetables and fruits in different ways-- both raw and cooked, larger pieces, finely chopped, mashed up, and so on. Eventually, you may hit on a few things that your parrots will try in one form that they might reject in another.


Eating the same foods you're offering in front of your parrots-- and making them seem like the most delicious food ever-- often does work too.

Keep trying! I have switched 7 large parrots from seed to pellets, it does work.
I have read studies that show that the parrots just have to keep seeing it & keep seeing it & keep seeing it over & over again & they will eventually try it. Of course it might help to slowly phase in the pellets & phase out the seed. You will know if they are eating it from looking on the bottom of the cage. When I got my current Yellow Nape Lila she was being fed solely sunflower seed by a woman functioning as a very "small parrot rescue" in a very small town. She is mainly on a mix of 4 pellets now & fruit & veg & table food.

all the above are great ideas and can work well. what we do is when we eat our dinner we also make a bowl of what ever it is and our babies eat dinner next to us. not only does it show them its ok to eat it but it makes them feel like part of the family. they have never not tried to eat what ever we put in front of them.

Thanks for all the tips guys! Ima try some of them. Only problem with the veggies is convincing them to eat them by seeing me eat them because I don't eat them myself! Lol! I must say though my tiel does like to take whatever I'm eating righ out of my mouth. Maybe if I try placing it in my mouth she's will get the hint that way. I've started placing their veggies in their favorite food bowls (they both have one they prefer over the other even though they usually contain the same thing) in hopes that it will convince them to try it.