Help: My new Pineapple GCC wont eat fresh foods...

[cethlinn]

I have a new pineapple GCC age 10 weeks and for the life of me I cant get him to eat fresh foods. At the breeders he was eating fresh food 2x daily as well as his pellets and seeds. I have brought home the same foods they were feeding him and he wont touch the cook and soak or the fresh veggies and fruit. Although today we learned he loves mandarin oranges.
Please help I am worried he wont get a balanced diet like he needs.

 

[EllenD]

Are you certain he was eating fresh veggies and fruits at the breeder, or was that just something they told you? I'm asking you this because often when baby birds are weaned onto pellet and/or seeds only and they haven't been exposed to any fresh veggies and fruits, then it takes them a while to learn to eat them.

Also, how long have you had him? If you've only had him a short time then you need to be patient with him, as he needs to adjust to his new home, new people, new routines and schedule, etc. As long as he is eating a fortified pellet diet that is supplemented with a fortified, varied seed mix, then he'll be just fine nutrition-wise. Just keep offering him the fresh veggies and fruits (not so much the fruit, fruits are full of sugar and should only be given in small portions a few times a week at most, you want to offer fresh veggies daily though) to him every day, and you may need to try cutting them up differently too...If he's used to getting these veggies and fruit cut-up in a certain way and you're doing it differently then that can cause them to not eat them as well. Try smaller pieces, larger pieces, etc. Just keep offering them, he'll eventually learn to eat them, and you'll eventually learn which ones he likes and how he likes them...

 

[cethlinn]

Are you certain he was eating fresh veggies and fruits at the breeder, or was that just something they told you? I'm asking you this because often when baby birds are weaned onto pellet and/or seeds only and they haven't been exposed to any fresh veggies and fruits, then it takes them a while to learn to eat them.

Also, how long have you had him? If you've only had him a short time then you need to be patient with him, as he needs to adjust to his new home, new people, new routines and schedule, etc. As long as he is eating a fortified pellet diet that is supplemented with a fortified, varied seed mix, then he'll be just fine nutrition-wise. Just keep offering him the fresh veggies and fruits (not so much the fruit, fruits are full of sugar and should only be given in small portions a few times a week at most, you want to offer fresh veggies daily though) to him every day, and you may need to try cutting them up differently too...If he's used to getting these veggies and fruit cut-up in a certain way and you're doing it differently then that can cause them to not eat them as well. Try smaller pieces, larger pieces, etc. Just keep offering them, he'll eventually learn to eat them, and you'll eventually learn which ones he likes and how he likes them...

Ellen thank you! I never saw him eat at the breeders so I have no idea. I will keep trying and not worry so much then

 

[EllenD]

Now I didn't tell you not to worry so-much, lol! It's good that you worry about your bird, don't stop doing that! It's always better to question something he's doing or not doing, or a way he's acting, or anything else that might be bothering you, than to not ask the question!

 

[clark_conure]

1) get strawberries

2) eat strawberries

3) tell conure he can't has strawberries

4) hold strawberry in reach

5) say NO!

6) enjoy watching bird eat strawberries,

7) repeat for other fruit, veggies.....

works everytime

 

[Mdjandt]

1) get strawberries

2) eat strawberries

3) tell conure he can't has strawberries

4) hold strawberry in reach

5) say NO!

6) enjoy watching bird eat strawberries,

7) repeat for other fruit, veggies.....

works everytime

Lol! I’ll have to try that.


OP, you may be able to get him to eat warm applesauce. I am actually making some homemade right now. I’m trying to get my baby lovie weaned but I’ve used it on other birds. Since he’s young, he may be inclined to try something warm!

 

[Iridal]

In general our conure wants to try whatever we're eating, whether we want him there or not....

 

[DoubleTake]

Although today we learned he loves mandarin oranges.
Please help I am worried he wont get a balanced diet like he needs.

Not too much citrus for the little guy, too much acidity. I'll usually give me guys a piece once a week. twice if they are behaving.

 

[Iridal]

Oh another thing - for some reason Mango loves frozen veggies.... slightly thawed in my hand... I think he likes that they're kind of crunchy and he can dig in to them. But he goes nuts for it. I know "fresh is best" but for some reason he'll go for frozen and have fun thawing it himself in the water, eating it... and will leave fresh veggies alone. Its better than nothing.

Oh except fresh jalapeno. He's a sucker for those peppers.

 

[clark_conure]

sooooooooo....any luck? feedback on advice leads to better advice in the future.

 

[Scott]

Parrots are generally flock-eaters, and you are one of the flock! Try making an identical bowl of fresh vegetables and fruits for you and Pidgey. Start eating and obviously enjoying... mmmm and ahhhh sounds are helpful. Then give him his own bowl and keep up the antics.

Not guaranteed, but often a helpful technique!

 

[GaleriaGila]

My usual thoughts, for your consideration...

Harrison's Bird Foods
I feed Harrison's, supplemented by fresh healthy treats. My first, and later, my current avian vet recommended it. My bird loves the pellets now, but to get him converted, my avian vet suggested putting pellets out all day, and putting seeds (his old diet) out for two 15-minute periods a day. That would sustain him but leave him hungry enough to try new stuff. I presume the same technique could be used to get him to eat other healthy stuff, like fruits and vegetables! My guy was eating pellets in a couple of days, and now I can feed a good variety of other stuff, knowing he has the pellets as a basic. Pellets are out all day... fresh treats a few times a day. I also like Harrison's via mail because I never have to worry about out-of-date products.
Another couple of ideas...
My ol' man is an athlete and health nut. He actually EATS all the good stuff, so it's always around. I find that tossing various stuff into the food bowls at random is good... the variations and differences seem to stimulate curiosity and attention.
The other idea... if you can stand it (lol) EAT the stuff in front of the birds, yes. That encourages them. I have also found that if my ol' man eats stuff in front of the bird, the bird WANTS it for himself. Kinda a rivalry thing!

 

[cethlinn]

sooooooooo....any luck? feedback on advice leads to better advice in the future.

He is eating warm rice with some vegies mixed in as well as fruit. but he is still only trying them and wont eat alot. I am going to try mashed sweet potatoes this week and see if he likes them. so far his favorite is still mandarin oranges and now the rice.

 

[cethlinn]

My usual thoughts, for your consideration...

Harrison's Bird Foods
I feed Harrison's, supplemented by fresh healthy treats. My first, and later, my current avian vet recommended it. My bird loves the pellets now, but to get him converted, my avian vet suggested putting pellets out all day, and putting seeds (his old diet) out for two 15-minute periods a day. That would sustain him but leave him hungry enough to try new stuff. I presume the same technique could be used to get him to eat other healthy stuff, like fruits and vegetables! My guy was eating pellets in a couple of days, and now I can feed a good variety of other stuff, knowing he has the pellets as a basic. Pellets are out all day... fresh treats a few times a day. I also like Harrison's via mail because I never have to worry about out-of-date products.
Another couple of ideas...
My ol' man is an athlete and health nut. He actually EATS all the good stuff, so it's always around. I find that tossing various stuff into the food bowls at random is good... the variations and differences seem to stimulate curiosity and attention.
The other idea... if you can stand it (lol) EAT the stuff in front of the birds, yes. That encourages them. I have also found that if my ol' man eats stuff in front of the bird, the bird WANTS it for himself. Kinda a rivalry thing!

Ok my hubby eats that healthy stuff too so I will get him to eat with Pidgey and see if it helps.

 

[cethlinn]

1) get strawberries

2) eat strawberries

3) tell conure he can't has strawberries

4) hold strawberry in reach

5) say NO!

6) enjoy watching bird eat strawberries,

7) repeat for other fruit, veggies.....

works everytime

Tried this and he now will eat other fruits but still no to the vegies

 

[Paulp1]

I've had the same problem with my conure Indy. There are some things he'll eat (from my dinner plate)like squash, sweet potato, risotto, mac n cheese , but mostly he will only eat seed and pellet mix, millet and nutraberries/nutracake. A few weeks ago I tried grapes again, this time not only cutting the up some but squishing them so the juice was coming out.

He went over and pushed them aside with his beak and backed away. Then stood straight up like he had an epiphany. Has loved grapes ever since.

I tried carrots in many different ways cut, shredded ect. No go doesn't even look twice at them. Except for baby carrots, they are his mortal enemy. He goes into full dinosaur attack mode. Wings out, head down, bobing weaving and slashing. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT HOLD THE CARROT!!! At this point he is in a complete frenzy and won't stop until he is holding the carrot down and administering a kill bite. He then leaves it alone and doesn't try to eat it. I found this out by accident one night when I was snacking on some.