What to do about a bird with no to little food motivation

[TheSillyBirbHouse!1!1]

So I own two tiels. One of my birds, skittles, is extremely non-food motivated, I can even show him a sunflower like just right in front of his face. I’ve had him for about a year or two and he’s bonded to me and when we first got him he was food motivated and learned step up and even flew to me all the way across my room but then he just stopped caring about seeds. My birds have access to food all day and many foraging opportunities if that matters. I just want to know how to train skittles without seeds or to get him food motivated.

 

[nkrbkr]

So I own two tiels. One of my birds, skittles, is extremely non-food motivated, I can even show him a sunflower like just right in front of his face. I’ve had him for about a year or two and he’s bonded to me and when we first got him he was food motivated and learned step up and even flew to me all the way across my room but then he just stopped caring about seeds. My birds have access to food all day and many foraging opportunities if that matters. I just want to know how to train skittles without seeds or to get him food motivated.

Hi there! Just curious what his daily diet is like? Does he get seeds in his regular diet?

 

[TheSillyBirbHouse!1!1]

Hi there! Just curious what his daily diet is like? Does he get seeds in his regular diet?

I have low value seeds in his foragers but besides that he is own an all pellet diet since he hates veggies (we’re working on it though)

 

[clark_conure]

Does he show interest in human food? like when you eat?

 

[rheashard2]

As above. Also check his weight. This will help evaluating him.

 

[wrench13]

THis shows that parrots are individuals, and can change their minds about things. My Amazon used to never ever touch pellets (even though we made them available for years!) and one day decided that, Hey, these are actually food! Try other treats. We use pine nuts - Salty would plow the back 40 for a pine nut. ANd some birds are motivated by interaction, like scratches or attention.

 

[rheashard2]

As above. Nameliss prefers contact to treats.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

None of my budgies, the tames most bonded to us and the least human friendly, are food motivated, either. I can show them a millet spray and they may take a bite or two, but just as often will walk away. I don't know if it's because they always have a wide variety of nutritious food available to them all day (chop, greens and seed mix). Because of this they really aren't "trainable" (as in tricks).
However, some of them are very interested in whatever WE are eating or drinking. Some things we allow them to sample, and some is strictly off limits. The more "forbidden" it is, the more determined they are it have some! I can't use people food as training treats and I don't think it would work anyway. If I actually OFFER the item to them it loses its appeal- they want to steal it!