Best Things to add to Parrot's Diet?

[KimberlyAnn]

Yes, enzymes are very important for humans and animals. Some of us get it from meat, some of us get it from plants, some from both. Without enzymes, we can become very ill over the long run. Internal organs shut down etc...because we can't extract vitamins out of the foods we eat without enzymes. Most enzymes die around 160℉ which makes processed foods for animals and humans, not nutritionally beneficial. Why eat vitamin fortified processed food (pellet, kibble, fast food burger) if you can't digest and absorb the nutrition from it? Yes, absolutely...fresh vegetables/fruits/soaked or sprouted nuts or seeds/flowers/grains/etc are necessary for you and your bird. (Or cat, or dog)

But to try new things...I roll them in a little powdered cinnamon or cayenne pepper. Works every time! That's how I get Emmi to eat new things. Or I eat it in front of her and she wants to try.

It does take time and consistency. If your bird does not like something after you have tried to offer it for two weeks...try it again in a month of so. Just keep trying.

[Sabrazom]

I will indeed take time, im slowly sneaking vegtables/fruits into his food bowl for him to eat, and if push comes to shove, ill just remove any edibles *Besides cuttlebone* and leave a fruit/veggie for him to eat in his dish, Ann & Parjarita, thank you for the advice, maybe i should put a bit of cinnamon powder on a carrot and sees if he may like it, and im sure i won't make the bird mash instantly, i first want to get him to like veggies/fruits first.

*okay, i need to stop typing, sammy freaked out and bit my nose and im bleeding..i should probably tame him, he doesn't really trust me..he ok with me more than love me..ouch.*

[Pajarita]

Ouch! That hurts! And I know from personal experience...

Try presenting the carrot in different ways: grated, julienne, diced, sticks, cooked and diced or mashed, etc. I know somebody who puts the entire carrot stuck between the bars on the inside of the cage, like a perch, because it's the only way her bird will eat it. With parrots, you need to be creative!

[Sabrazom]

Him, sticking a carrot through the bars may not be the bets idea due to it maybe falling... ill try some other ways, I've tried dice, but he throws them out of his bowl like a toy...ill try mashed.

[Harpmaker]

Corsair likes her carrots grated, and her yams cooked, sliced, and sprinkled with cinnamon--except when she doesn't like them. They can be very picky indeed.

[Pajarita]

Yes, one of my grays would only eat raw carrots if they are coarsely grated (she won't touch them if they are finely grated!)

[Sabrazom]

I tried to coarsely grate carrots & apples, hes a bit more interested in it, but still not sold.

[Sabrazom]

Okay, i put his bowl near him and hes eating the carrots and apples!!! YAY!

[Harpmaker]

Oh, well done!

[Pajarita]

YAAAAAYYYYY!!! Good job! Just keep on adding new items every few days until it eats a nice large variety (the wider the range, the healthier the bird will be). My birds like grated raw beets, too.