Hi I posted once about my Quaker Sammy I know these answers are probably somewhere on this site but I have bought multiple foods for my bird and he doesn’t really eat it all he likes is the treats in first picture any advice to have him eat or help him like it
Picky eater
- Thread starter Jen&sammy
- Start date
- Feb 20, 2022
- 3,131
- 10,898
A belated welcome to the forums!
From everything I've read myself about diet transition, the best approach for most birds seems to be just keep offering the new stuff every time you feed him. Did he eat anything in particular when you first got him? Like a seed mix or a certain pellet? If you did it might be better to try feeding some of that with the new pellets and limit the outright treats a little bit - you could break up the millet and mix it in with the pellets too if he's really only eating that.
When I adopted my bird at the end of march, he was pretty much only eating sunflower seeds out of everything he was offered. I definitely threw away a lot of food for the first month, but I just kept mixing everything together so that for him to pick out what he wanted he would still at least put pellets in his mouth. I also started feeding him chopped up vegetables (I just chopped them with a knife into little bite-sized pieces, and then also offered some bigger strips to see what he liked) twice a day and mixed it in with all of the rest of his mix.
It took him quite a while to try new things and realize that they're really yummy, but it's so cool to see when they first realized that something you're offering them is tasty food!
It turns out my bird absolutely loves red bell pepper and millet, so I can use both of those mixed into food that I want him to try. He still doesn't eat all of the pellets that I offer him but he definitely eats a little bit so he's making progress at least, and I think for some birds it can a be really slow process if they've never eaten a varied diet before.
A lot of people also have success pretending to eat something you want them to eat, making a big show of it being So Yummy - then acting like they can't have it and letting them "steal" it from you
My parrot could care less about that approach and looks at me like "you go ahead and eat that surely poisonous kale; I'll watch from here thanks."
From everything I've read myself about diet transition, the best approach for most birds seems to be just keep offering the new stuff every time you feed him. Did he eat anything in particular when you first got him? Like a seed mix or a certain pellet? If you did it might be better to try feeding some of that with the new pellets and limit the outright treats a little bit - you could break up the millet and mix it in with the pellets too if he's really only eating that.
When I adopted my bird at the end of march, he was pretty much only eating sunflower seeds out of everything he was offered. I definitely threw away a lot of food for the first month, but I just kept mixing everything together so that for him to pick out what he wanted he would still at least put pellets in his mouth. I also started feeding him chopped up vegetables (I just chopped them with a knife into little bite-sized pieces, and then also offered some bigger strips to see what he liked) twice a day and mixed it in with all of the rest of his mix.
It took him quite a while to try new things and realize that they're really yummy, but it's so cool to see when they first realized that something you're offering them is tasty food!
It turns out my bird absolutely loves red bell pepper and millet, so I can use both of those mixed into food that I want him to try. He still doesn't eat all of the pellets that I offer him but he definitely eats a little bit so he's making progress at least, and I think for some birds it can a be really slow process if they've never eaten a varied diet before.
A lot of people also have success pretending to eat something you want them to eat, making a big show of it being So Yummy - then acting like they can't have it and letting them "steal" it from you
My parrot could care less about that approach and looks at me like "you go ahead and eat that surely poisonous kale; I'll watch from here thanks."
cnyguy
Well-known member
It is a good idea to stick with whatever food your parrot was used to before you brought Sammy home and gradually transition to different foods. Little by little, increase the quantity of the new foods while decreasing the amount of the old type of pellets or seed mix you provide Sammy.
You might have to do some experimenting too, especially with brands and types of pellets. Many parrots are like mine and prefer ZuPreem Fruit Blend. If Sammy isn't used to eating pellets, you could try softening some in water or unsweetened fruit juice. Put some pellets in a small glass (a shot glass works well if you have one) and add just enough liquid to moisten the pellets. Once they've softened, offer some to Sammy. You could use a small spoon or just put some in his food dish. If he hasn't eaten them within a few minutes, take them away so they won't spoil or re-harden. That often works with parrots new to pellets or those who are reluctant to eat them.
Experiment with other foods too. Most vegetables can be offered both raw and cooked. You could offer other things like cooked pasta or quinoa too. Sooner or later you'll discover things that Sammy will eat.
You might have to do some experimenting too, especially with brands and types of pellets. Many parrots are like mine and prefer ZuPreem Fruit Blend. If Sammy isn't used to eating pellets, you could try softening some in water or unsweetened fruit juice. Put some pellets in a small glass (a shot glass works well if you have one) and add just enough liquid to moisten the pellets. Once they've softened, offer some to Sammy. You could use a small spoon or just put some in his food dish. If he hasn't eaten them within a few minutes, take them away so they won't spoil or re-harden. That often works with parrots new to pellets or those who are reluctant to eat them.
Experiment with other foods too. Most vegetables can be offered both raw and cooked. You could offer other things like cooked pasta or quinoa too. Sooner or later you'll discover things that Sammy will eat.
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