My 3 keets seem very happy and healthy on a quality seed diet mixed with an Australian blend that has dried fruits in it. But they seem to dump out all the good bits. They just WON'T take fresh fruit from me, just lettuces, parsley and such. Also, is a millet spray (large) too much about every other day for them? I heard somebody say millet sprays are like 'baby food' to a keet.....Any suggestions would be helpful.
2006-08-24 07:54:51 · 9 answers · asked by myrmidon 2 in Pets ➔ Birds
Continue to offer the fruit and they will eventually give up and try it! Millet is really like "candy" to birds...and should be used as a "treat", not an everyday food source. Sounds like you're doing a great job! Have you tried giving them cooked rice or cooked couscous? Mix in some of that parsley and see what they think. Also get some Chinese pea pods, wash them and hang one or two of them in their cage. My birds love them! Believe it or not, a lot of birds like hard boiled egg, chopped in little pieces. Throw out whatever is left of any "real" food after an hour or two. Good luck!
2006-08-24 17:02:01 · answer #1 · answered by KathieJo 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The main seed in parakeet food is millet. Millet is a type of grass. A millet spray is simply the head of the stalk with the seeds still attached.
Common parakeets (budgerigars) are not big fruit eaters --- their main diet consists of grasses and grass seeds. This is why they prefer parsley and the like. Do not feed them lettuce --- iceberg lettuce is almost devoid of nutrition. Millet, rape seed, thistle, herbs --- these are nutritious for parakeets.
In addition to seeds, make sure your birds have access to a cuttle bone and gravel and plenty of water.
2006-08-24 08:43:01 · answer #2 · answered by #girl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Often parakeets don't eat fresh fruit at first when they are not used to it. Just keep on giving them different kinds of fruit as often as you can. Mine really like apples, bananas and oranges. Maybe try giving them the fruit together with lettuce if they eat that, they might try it then. If one of them starts eating it the others will probably get interested too. If you give them a millet spray every day they will probably get fat, I think that's a little bit too much for them, but twice a week would be ok.
2006-08-24 08:42:14 · answer #3 · answered by zh_54786 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
My keets get 2-3 sprays of millet a week and they love it. If you are feeding them a good quality seed, don;t worry about the bits they pick out and won't eat. Have you tried fgiving them halves of seedless grapes? Mine love them! also small pieces of whole wheat and wheat berry bread. Small pieces of apples are good too, along with fresh green peas, and green beans. Also a few small slices of banana.
But I have had some keets that refuse all fresh food, and they have lived just fineon a good vitamin fortified seed. And remember to give them molting food during those times of the year!
2006-08-24 11:21:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Parakeets (actually what Americans call parakeets are not a true parakeet but a Budgie! But thats another topic:) Are grass eaters and tend not to like anything other then their seed food you are already giving them. You can try any fresh fruits or veggies, if they like it great, if not, dont worry about it. If your keet food is fortified you dont need extra vitamins (can be toxic to little birds) I saw some comments about millet seed and or sprays. Millet is a treat for birds and sprays should not be added to their cages if it is already in their food. Its very fattening to birds. One avg spray is more then enough for 2 parakeets for almost two weeks.
2006-08-24 10:14:38 · answer #5 · answered by stupidstuff619 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
We give them millet spray about twice a week. And I kept trying out different fruits until I found several that they would eat. Oranges, bananas and pears are the ones mine like the most.
2006-08-24 08:34:18 · answer #6 · answered by bcringler 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This may be stating of the obvious, but the trick for achieving success with introduction of new sources of food or reduciton of any pet's favorite diet is to phase it out gradually. Try to reduce the porportion of of their favorite seed mix eventually and introduce the fresh foods you are trying to get them accustomed to over time. My parakeets didn't trust new foods at first but with patience they got used to it and became more open to explore new sources of food. In my case it took around 2 months. hope it helps!
2006-08-24 13:44:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
my parakeet wont eat fruits but the like millet
2006-08-24 11:40:25 · answer #8 · answered by kurt c 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All you can do is keep offering it. But also as far as I know, lettuce is a forbidden food for birds, It gives them diarrhea and will kill them!
2006-08-24 18:57:08 · answer #9 · answered by kimpossibleprice 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I guess keep on tryng
2006-08-24 09:03:03 · answer #10 · answered by jackwalz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋