Wont Eat Fresh Fruit's and Veggie's!?

[ninadivine]

My parrotlet wont eat any of the fresh fruit's and veggie's I've offered him and I've tried cutting it up into different shape's and sized but that doesn't seem to be the problem and I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas? Is there anything redily available to suppliment?

[CheekyandMalolo]

I've never had a Budgie, but our GCC's are a bit iffy about their fruit and veggies.
When they first arrived they liked apple and that was it. Now they will eat banana and sultanas as well as their apple.
We just kept on giving them a variety of food, maybe two or three in a bowl, all cut up in similar sizes, and always have a fruit in their that they know and like. Sometimes we mashed up a heap of apple and mashed peas/pear/berries/etc thru it, things that are easily mash-able. Also fruit kebabs tend to be a hit when it comes to catching their interest. You could also try mixing some fruit thru their pellets.

Oh another thing was that our GCC's are really interested in whatever we're doing when we are cooking(they go in their cage once we turn on pots/frypan/oven), so we'd encourage them to come and investigate, offer them little pieces of carrot, zucchini, corn, etc. For whatever reason they were quite happy to try food if we'd been 'playing' with it.

[zazanomore]

My birds aren't very fond of fresh fruits and veggies either. However, they will eat dried food. My guess is that because the dried food can stay in their cages longer, they become more curious.

The textures of dried fruits and veggies is also a lot of fun for them.

It might not be as good as fresh foods, but it's better than nothing.

[GlassOnion]

Never give up! Mine barely touch fresh foods, but I still offer them a small shallow plate twice a day with seeds sprinkled and mushed in with the veggies.

[Kirsten]

Skittles will eat fruits in shake form! Maybe you should try blending them up and making them mushy? Otherwise, my bird might chew on dried fruit occasionally. In fact, my Sun Conure will drink OJ and apple juice!

[ninadivine]

Oh, Thank you guy's so much for the advice it's great! I called the bird shop were I got him and they were suprisingly not that helpful in this but you guy's have given me so many idea's and don't worry I WONT GIVE UP! Oh, and he's not a budgie he's a Parrotlet, I'm just saying. He's bassically a tiny Parrot, he's as smart as an amazon parrot and talks too, just in a goofy little voice but he's very clear. I'm deffinetly going to try mashing them today. Thank you!

[CheekyandMalolo]

uhhh, I was pretty sure a Budgie and a Parrotlet were the same? Or is it a Parrakeet?

[zazanomore]

uhhh, I was pretty sure a Budgie and a Parrotlet were the same? Or is it a Parrakeet?

A parrotlet is a new world parrot. They don't have the long tails, so they are not classified as a parakeet (as parakeets are long, flat tailed parrots).

I called the bird shop were I got him and they were suprisingly not that helpful

I find a lot of people at pet stores to not be very knowledgeable. They know the basics, but that's it. Thank god there's the internet.

[GlassOnion]

I know someone who would give out poor advices like, "you can keep bettas in an unfiltered, unheated bowl the size of your palm" and if I object he proceeds to say, "hey I worked at a petshop for years".
Hate that!

(Fact: bettas should live in heated, filtered tanks just like other tropical fish. They're from Thailand! And no they do not live in footprint held water.. they swim in huuuuge rice paddies that go on for miles..)

[Michael]

http://TrainedParrot.com/New_Foods