Whisper Cuddles

[liz]

Rambo and Myrtle back talk. It is ridiculous for a parrot to tell you off.

[Wolf]

Especially when they are right !

[chika]

i am always trying to teach them new things to say. its really fun to hear them. also the the clearest sounding thing that clover says is ooww~

[liz]

Mine refuse to say what I want them to say. For years I have been saying "hey baby what's up". They will say "what's up" and "hey baby".

I have been calling peanut time and giving the Amazons 3 peanuts each at bed time. They get excited but won't say peanut.

[Pajarita]

Liz, if I were you, I would give them only one (amazons require much lower protein than other species) and a tree nut at that (peanuts are not really nuts, they are legumes).

[liz]

All I have been giving them is gloop (which Rambo won't touch) and fruit and veggies. Would it be better to give a walnut half?

[Pajarita]

Yes, half a walnut or one almond, one pistachio, one filbert, half a Brazil nut, etc is great.

Try giving Rambo grains that have been soaked for 24 hours (rinse after 12) mixed with some seeds first and, once he starts eating them, start cooking the grains al dente (and continue mixing with seeds), once he is eating those, stop the seeds, once he eats them, start adding a bit of sweet corn, then baby peas....

[liz]

I have tried all of that. He loves corn and peas but will not eat them if mixed in the grains. He has even reduced his variety of fresh food. Of all I cut up for him he only eats the apple. He has always been overweight because he does not fly so I am not yet worried about him getting skinny.
I keep cutting up the carrot, celery, bananas and peppers that he used to love. I hope it is just a faze he is going through.

[Wolf]

Come on, Liz, you know from experience that changes in diet doesn't always come easily when we are talking parrots. You also know that in addition to patience and persistence that eating with him and sharing food with him is the best way to teach him that what you are offering is food. So cook some of the whole grains done for yourself and nibble on it and share it with him until he starts to eat it. I had to do this with the gloop to get Kookooloo to start eating it. It was a bit bland but not bad. Then I started adding some seasonings to make it taste better. Same thing with the fresh produce. You can do this !!

[Pajarita]

And don't offer different veggies or fruits, just one at a time. It's easier to get them to eat a larger variety of things this way...