Changing diets

[Lynette002]

Hey everyone!
I recently purchased a 3 month old blue budgie, and when I was talking to the bird store, they said to feed him/her (we don't know yet) a mixture of seeds and pellets, which is what they were currently doing.

However when I went to our avian veterinarian a couple days later, he told me that I should switch Willow (my budgie) to an all pellet diet, because it was healthier.

Since Willow had previously been on a mixture, I decided to try just going completely to pellets. But two or three times that day I would look up and see him/her digging frantically through the food dish trying to find seeds.

So the next day I put a little less than normal seed in the mixture in an attempt to slowly get Willow off of it, but it's not working too well. It still appears that the only food my budgie is eating is the few seeds that are in the mixture.

I put out a different fruit or veggie every morning, but Willow doesn't appear to be eating any of that either.

However, I don't think it's just nervousness from being in a new home, I'm pretty sure she's already gotten over that, so what do y'all think I should do?

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

[laducockatiel]

Hi congratulations on getting your budgie!

So now let's get to the question, I think it would be best to keep him on his current seed diet until you have had him for a couple of weeks and he has settled in. This will mean that he is comfortable with you and then he will slowly get used to the pellets. The reason why to conver him to a different diet, is that think how he is feeling, "I don't know where I am, I dont know what to eat" etc. He will be very nervous and confused because he has not much that is familiar to him, so the worst thing to do is change his food too.

When he is used to your house and comfortable with you, then it is time to change his diet. To do this, slowly and slowly, over the period of a week, every day, put in slightly more pellets and a little less seed, don't just change it completely. Hopefully after a week, he will be on a healthy and complete diet. Along with the pellets, give the bird veggies.

Good luck, if you have any questions pm me

[Sixwing]

Congratulations on your new budgie.

It can take them quite some time to get on to a new diet - Ladu's certainly got that right!
If the bird is ignoring veggies for now, just keep offering them and make sure they're always good and fresh - eventually, a curious and clever parrot will investigate just about anything that's around.

[Lynette002]

laducockatiel: Thanks so much, that's extremely helpful!
Sixwing: Thank you for the amazing advice!

Thank you guys a ton!

[laducockatiel]

No problem at all

[Lynette002]

Thanks, the site looks great, but I guess it doesn't matter anymore.