New Grey

[stephenrk]

Hi guys, hope everyone is well! I'm new to the forum reaching out for help with my greys addiction to corn on the cob

When I got him 2 month ago he was on an all seed diet with morning/evening meal of corn on the cob, apples and bananas. Since then I have successfully converted him to pellets (which is great) but he won't eat any other veg other than corn.

I have tried him with just about everything else and offered it different ways chop, skewer, hand etc. I will sometimes get away with chopping brocolli very fine so it sticks to the outer banana but he's still not getting enough.

Since he won't eat the veg I am inclined to give him more fruit ( apples, bananas, grapes ) so he doesn't starve. I know this isn't ideal for his sugar intake and needs to be corrected asap.

Appreciate any advice for Rex
Thanks Guys

 

[Flboy]

Welcome to the group!

 

[stephenrk]

Welcome to the group!

Thanks for having me

 

[Laurasea]

Hello and welcome.
I have parrots that grub on veggies even y budgies, I'm sure watching each other helped. So show him video of parrots eating veggies while you do to.

Cook fresh rice ( rice that has bern refrigerate grows stuff that's makes burds sick quick) then add minced lightly steamed veggies. This works often.

Grapes and apples should be treats only, I never feed grapes myself...

Oven baked bites pellets seem extremely well liked by parrots eve if they haven't eaten pellets before. And I like their ingredients.

A very nice chop article
Life From Scratch: Chop: all things good for birdie

Great tips for tempting veggies eating . Plus I recommend getting a digital kitchen scale and tracking weight.
https://threebirdsandacloud.wordpre...parrot-to-eat-vegetables-or-unfamiliar-foods/

 

[Scott]

Welcome to you and Rex! Greys are famously stubborn, you've made a huge leap successfully transitioning to pellets.

Try preparing two identical bowls of fresh veggies and fruits, give one to Rex, begin eating from yours. Make "mmmm" sounds, bob your head in delight. Parrots are flock eaters and you are one of the flock! Be prepared for lots of items tossed overboard but persist. May take years, literally decades for him to try something new and enjoy. A few linked threads to assist.....

http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...afe-fresh-foods-toxic-food-lists-sprouts.html

 

[wrench13]

You can also try hot peppers, the hotter the better. And try different sizes: whole, big pcs, small pcs, fine chopped. Repeat, until he tries and eats them. Very good for your parrot!!
What is scalding hot for us is merely tangy for parrots.

 

[stephenrk]

Hello and welcome.
I have parrots that grub on veggies even y budgies, I'm sure watching each other helped. So show him video of parrots eating veggies while you do to.

Cook fresh rice ( rice that has bern refrigerate grows stuff that's makes burds sick quick) then add minced lightly steamed veggies. This works often.

Grapes and apples should be treats only, I never feed grapes myself...

Oven baked bites pellets seem extremely well liked by parrots eve if they haven't eaten pellets before. And I like their ingredients.

A very nice chop article
Life From Scratch: Chop: all things good for birdie

Great tips for tempting veggies eating . Plus I recommend getting a digital kitchen scale and tracking weight.
https://threebirdsandacloud.wordpre...parrot-to-eat-vegetables-or-unfamiliar-foods/

Hi much thanks for the advice. Think I've read just about every article available online

I'll definitely be showing him a video and try him again with some rice. I've never seen him take anything hot, I've tried pasta, rice and chicken after he investigates what's in his bowl he doesn't go back near it. I'll keep trying - maybe one day he will give in and scoff the whole lot

 

[stephenrk]

Welcome to you and Rex! Greys are famously stubborn, you've made a huge leap successfully transitioning to pellets.

Try preparing two identical bowls of fresh veggies and fruits, give one to Rex, begin eating from yours. Make "mmmm" sounds, bob your head in delight. Parrots are flock eaters and you are one of the flock! Be prepared for lots of items tossed overboard but persist. May take years, literally decades for him to try something new and enjoy. A few linked threads to assist.....

http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...afe-fresh-foods-toxic-food-lists-sprouts.html

Thank you

It was a battle trying to get him to take to his pellets and then one morning something switched and he couldn't get enough of them haha

Hopefully this is the case for with veggies :41:

 

[stephenrk]

You can also try hot peppers, the hotter the better. And try different sizes: whole, big pcs, small pcs, fine chopped. Repeat, until he tries and eats them. Very good for your parrot!!
What is scalding hot for us is merely tangy for parrots.

I'll be sure to add hot peppers to my shopping list tomorriw

 

[Laurasea]

Well one way that has also worked for me, is increasing confidence and self choice. And rge more they try the more they will try.

I start out with stuff they like or are highly likely to like. I really try to get them trying things with different textures.. I offer by hand little things all day long then put on the dish.

I start with seeds, and everything I know they already like. I say yum yum when I offer stuff by hand. Then I offer stuff I think they are highly like to like, a tiny piece of bread, a cracker crumb, applesauce, popcorn, a fresh corn kernel. I offer everything h by hand then put on their veggies plate.

Then I offer new stuff and veggies bits , but intermixed with offering the favorite of seeds or what ever. Mine have become conditioned to run over and say yum yum and treat everything like a treat. I can feed a pellet, or a tiny piece of veg. It helps them understand the new stuff is food, they understand food gifts, it will help you if they are ever sick and you need to give meds in food by hand, helps your bond and trust. A behaviorexperti read says find up to 50 times a day to feed a tiny something by hand in reward to behavior. I've probably managed half that number.

I do offer things by hand all day still. I offer new foods this way. This has developed a culture in my house were my birds are very eager to try new foods and things and toys. It was a side effect I hadn't thought of that in getting do good at try new foods they would be good at try all new stuff. I dont make a big deal of new stuff. I offer it they usually touch and reject I put it on a plate and within a couple of minutes they will investigate.

Anyway a ramble but I hope it helps. There is a tipping point were they just seem to be willing to give everything a try.

 

[stephenrk]

Well one way that has also worked for me, is increasing confidence and self choice. And rge more they try the more they will try.

I start out with stuff they like or are highly likely to like. I really try to get them trying things with different textures.. I offer by hand little things all day long then put on the dish.

I start with seeds, and everything I know they already like. I say yum yum when I offer stuff by hand. Then I offer stuff I think they are highly like to like, a tiny piece of bread, a cracker crumb, applesauce, popcorn, a fresh corn kernel. I offer everything h by hand then put on their veggies plate.

Then I offer new stuff and veggies bits , but intermixed with offering the favorite of seeds or what ever. Mine have become conditioned to run over and say yum yum and treat everything like a treat. I can feed a pellet, or a tiny piece of veg. It helps them understand the new stuff is food, they understand food gifts, it will help you if they are ever sick and you need to give meds in food by hand, helps your bond and trust. A behaviorexperti read says find up to 50 times a day to feed a tiny something by hand in reward to behavior. I've probably managed half that number.

I do offer things by hand all day still. I offer new foods this way. This has developed a culture in my house were my birds are very eager to try new foods and things and toys. It was a side effect I hadn't thought of that in getting do good at try new foods they would be good at try all new stuff. I dont make a big deal of new stuff. I offer it they usually touch and reject I put it on a plate and within a couple of minutes they will investigate.

Anyway a ramble but I hope it helps. There is a tipping point were they just seem to be willing to give everything a try.

Thanks again for your support and giving me a few techniques I can use! Rex and I really appreciate it ��

I wasted a lot of veggies today as expected but he did show a bit of an interest in Brocolli stem and green pepper from my hand. Of course when it was offered in his bowl he totally ignored it and mostly picked out the corn and apple. I'll continue to try him with these though and mix it up with other things that he likes and is familiar with ��

However dim it may be, there's light at the end of the tunnell haha