Sun conure not eating healthy

[VDosky]

So I’ve adopted a sun conure who has been on a sunflower seed diet her whole life. All of my birds eat healthy fresh vegetables and fruits but it seems like no matter how I present new things to her she refuses to eat it. I’ve tried to chop up several vegetables bite size and sprinkle seeds on it so that when she’d eat the seeds she’d at least get a taste of the vegetables and know its edible. So far she’s only ate apple and she chews on lettuce before dropping it.. she’s already overweight and she doesn’t get that much exercise due to her clipped wings so I really want her to get on a good diet! She’s so used to seeds that I can’t even give her treats because it’s all the same to her. I’ve bought a clicker to train her but I still can’t come up with a treat to give her as she is used to most seeds now.. i was thinking about blending some green veggies and pouring it over her seeds, would that be a good idea as she’d still ingest some of it while eating seeds? Where I live pellets aren’t sold unfortunately neither are sprouts so I was thinking about sprouting myself and see if she’d like that.

 

[fiddlejen]

Does your Sunny like to chew on things? I have had succes both with my budgies and my Sunny, with clipping veggies to the cage as chew-toys. While destroying them, they will ingest some of them.

Beyond that, suggest making sure you provide a good-quality seedmix, as they have nutrients added that will be otherwise lacking in the diet.

Also many people find success with Eating the food in front of their bird, actiing like Ooohhh it's so delicious, fake trying to keep the bird from stealing it (Let them take some from you), etc.

Also don't give up. My petstore budgies have never changed over to eating Mainly pellets but, after months of trying, they did go ahead with eating them Along With their normal seedmix.

As far as a birdie smoothie, i have no idea if it will work, but, just make sure not to leave that for too long before replacing it with clean food. Un-cut, non-sweet green veggies can last a long time sitting out, but blenderized veggies will go bad much for quickly.

Currently for my baby budgies, I take a plateful of mixed lettuces, add some other chopped veggies, and then sprinkle their seeds over that. (Along with some nutriberries and pellets.) This is working quite well.

Oh, and regarding "only chews it a bit and then drops it!" --- well that is where it starts! Everything a bird likes it will drop in hopes of growing some more. Som don't give up on just putting some veggies Under the seeds a few times a day. This might work too!

 

[Scott]

Superb advice above! To elaborate on shared eating, consider the "chop challenge." Prepare two identical bowls of fresh veggies + fruits, begin eating from your bowl. Offer the second to your Sun, make "mmmm" sounds and bob your head in delight. Parrots are flock eaters and you are one of the flock!

 

[fiddlejen]

Superb advice above! To elaborate on shared eating, consider the "chop challenge." Prepare two identical bowls of fresh veggies + fruits, begin eating from your bowl. Offer the second to your Sun, make "mmmm" sounds and bob your head in delight. Parrots are flock eaters and you are one of the flock!

Haha the Chop Challenge -- Scott I don't think that's how it works.

It really goes like this: prepare two identical containers of food, begin eating from "YOUR" bowl. Offer the second bowl to your bird. Bird will Ignore it in Favor of "YOUR" food.

Bird says, "If you don't want that bowl of food, I don't want it either. I will eat whatever YOU are eating!"

 

[Linda lee]

My sunny sun conure only likes fugi apples and seeds but I put harrisons mash mixed with capsules of spirilina for greens.

 

[Linda lee]

So I’ve adopted a sun conure who has been on a sunflower seed diet her whole life. All of my birds eat healthy fresh vegetables and fruits but it seems like no matter how I present new things to her she refuses to eat it. I’ve tried to chop up several vegetables bite size and sprinkle seeds on it so that when she’d eat the seeds she’d at least get a taste of the vegetables and know its edible. So far she’s only ate apple and she chews on lettuce before dropping it.. she’s already overweight and she doesn’t get that much exercise due to her clipped wings so I really want her to get on a good diet! She’s so used to seeds that I can’t even give her treats because it’s all the same to her. I’ve bought a clicker to train her but I still can’t come up with a treat to give her as she is used to most seeds now.. i was thinking about blending some green veggies and pouring it over her seeds, would that be a good idea as she’d still ingest some of it while eating seeds? Where I live pellets aren’t sold unfortunately neither are sprouts so I was thinking about sprouting myself and see if she’d like that.

My sunny bird only liked fuji apples but I would put harrisons mash mixed with spirilina capsules on top of seed. Keep that in fridge. Amazon hello!

 

[Linda lee]

My sunny bird only liked fuji apples but I would put harrisons mash mixed with spirilina capsules on top of seed. Keep that in fridge. Amazon hello!

I miss my sunny bird! She was the love of my life!!!

 

[Heyyyitsmom]

I have also struggled with getting my GCC on veggies. I saw a video on IG that I just tried to attach but the file is too big. Anyhow, she made a veggie chop that her conures literally scream for. I made it.. Chico initially stuck his nose up at it but this morning I tried again..I added a teeny amount of unsweetened applesauce .. just enough to lightly flavor it.. I sat down with him like I was eating my breakfast and, of course, he jumped right in. Success! I am in disbelief and overjoyed, lol. Let me know if anyone wants the recipe.. it is a little lengthy. Orrr.. maybe the video will post on a new thread? I'm new here..

 

[OdliDPrincess]

Tonight, I had a glass of apple juice. I create my own juices, so it's 100% juice with no added sugar. I smeared some on a teaspoon and served it to my parrot. He adored it! While drinking it all down, he made his happy chirps.