Hi Everyone.

I noticed that Dozy is not eating her veges/fruits like I would like her to. Most times it looks as if these go untouched.

I'll fill 4 bowls - 1 with fruits, 1 with veges, 1 with sprouts and 1 with seeds. The seeds go extremely fast and then the sprouts but the veges and fruits look almost untouched. Maybe there is a carrot or a piece of broccoli at the bottom of her cage. For dinner I'll make her a mash of some kind with either rice and veges or pasta and veges. She loves the rice and the past but not crazy about the veges. When I first brought her home it seemed she was doing really well with the fruits and veges now I'm not so sure. Any suggestions?

Thanks

A lot of times, it can be all about the presentation. Offer a variety of veggies of different colors and textures in the same bowl. Maybe try smaller pieces too. Another thing that works is have her see YOU eating the veggies and rave about them like they're the best thing in the world. She may not recognize them as food yet, and seeing a flock member eating them will help. You could also try to prepare them differently - some birds like raw veggies, some like cooked. You'll have to experiment with different things and above all, try, try again It can take a bird weeks or months or even years to start eating fresh foods.

I would say it's too much selection. I'd offer the dark greens, grains,veggies and fruits in one bowl. Topped with some sprouts. And only put a coupla seeds in there. Buried deep or not at all. I'd remove the seed during that time.

It all depends on your schedule. And your feeding schedule.

Are you feeding any pellets? If so she has to eat 85% pellets to get the benefits of the supplemented vitamins and minerals. Otherwise if your plan is to feed fresh for everything it's tricky. It can be done but with a Grey especially you have to make sure for the calcium.

More later....gotta run out....:-)

I meant to say, since she's a baby she WILL eat what she gets. The trick is to not let her only choose her seed. She needs some seed but not the main nutrition...

Cindy makes a good point about removing the seed when you offer the fresh foods. I do this with my small guys and it works great. I also offer the fresh stuff as their dinner, after they've been flying and playing and getting a good workout. This way they've worked up an appetite and they eat their veggies no problem when it's dinner time. My guys are on a schedule and they know when it's time for dinner or snacks.

I took the suggestion that someone offered to put the veges and fruits together in one bowl and top with sprouts. She was picking at the sprouts and now and then I saw her eat some veges.

One thing with birds is when you offer new stuff its like a allien to them.One thing I do is eat the foods first let them see you eating them,and get excited when you eat something make noises lots of yums and that perks their interest ,birds are like kids they want what you have.also are you just giving seeds or do you mix in pellets? make sure you are offering pellets,weaning pellets work the best to get them to eat them.

Wordybirdy, here's a photo of Piper when she was a baby learning to eat...Chance is right sometimes they dont recognize it. And also the presentation. And size lol...and texture ha ha....ok, everything ..and like Sarah said the time of day. The big meal is usually in the afternoon to fill their crops for overnight. And a sorta good one 30 minutes after waking up.

If she doesnt get her food about 30 minutes she may have already started on whatever seed is in there and you didnt see it...

I give all different types, big, small, steamed, not, and usually run through the food processor. But they love the stalks to chomp down. And for a Grey I'd say holding them would be good. Like a stalk of broccoli.

She'l get used to it. Also most birds love the grains so you can put them in there too, and bury some down inside. Perhaps a plate not a cage cup, too...I use the ones in this photo every day....

Piper learning in her baby cage:




Piper a couple months older in her bigger cage:



Leftovers after extravaganza involving bread and seeds LOL:




This broccoli was as big as they were LOL:



A couple weeks ago when I was in a hurry and they were peeping I just quick cut this stuff up around 1 pm...that's beet tops and swiss chard which is Piper's favorite for some reason..:

Cindy-

Your such a good mommy, you should see all the food she has prepped for the birds in her fridge but none for herself !!! LMAO.....Ah ha thts how u stay sooo skinny LOL...But I love the pictures of my god fids...

Sometimes it takes you to eat it infront of them. Bella has a thing for orange veggies/fruits but I'm working on those greens. She found out apples are tasty.

That took me and my mom both eating them. Then she had to have it and ATE all of hers. So when I prep myself an apple I make sure she gets her own slice.

The greens. I'll work on the greens. I just need to find a better organic selection in this area.