Why dont my birds eat fruit!!!!????

Question

My two stupid parakeets wont eat fruit. I dont know what to do. Im am just wasting my money on fruit and they wont eat it! I tried putting seeds on it but all they do are pick the seeds of and leave the strawberry there to start growing mose!!! Its really annoying. Please help! I know ALL of the stuff they have to eat!, i have like 10 books but i just need your help!!!

My two parakeets wont eat fruit. They are house parakeets so please dont suggest worms. That is just plain stupid. They are supposed to eat fruit but they just wont go for it! Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Actually, parrots are omnivorous in the wild and will eat their share of bugs. While they're not worms like what some suggested, they can eat meal worms and other insects. Not all parrot owners, however, are willing to do this. And neither am I. :P

Strawberries aren't the best fruit to offer because they have a likelier chance of carrying pesticides that can harm your birds. Have you tried a variety of fruits AND vegetables? Most fruits are less suggested for parrots other than lorikeets because of their high sugar content, so I think vegetables are both more popular and healthier. It may take a while to find the food you will be successful with, but you have to explore many different venues in different ways.

Popular ones in my birds are: romaine lettuce, broccoli, rappini, spinach, kale, parsley. Notice a trend? All dark leafy greens (and great for calcium). They refuse to try anything else. I've offered banana, apple, and orange but they won't have any of it because they dislike the texture. Most birds don't distinguish what they like through taste, but through texture because they have a poor sense of both smell and taste. HOWEVER, my birds will eat DRIED apples and DRIED blackberries, as well as dried peas and peppers. They don't like the extra juice in fresh fruits, but they do enjoy it dried.

Squash and yams are also quite healthy. It also helps if you offer it a variety of different ways, like leaving them in toys, clipping them to the cages, leaving them in bowls; diced, chopped, ripped, cut, whole, steamed, raw, etc. I would try and switch gears over to the alternative to fruit: vegetables.

Also, if your strawberries are growing moss, you're leaving them in too long. No fresh food should be left out for more than two hours or they'll spoil and become more unhealthy to the birds than they originally were meant to be. Use persistence and offer the same consistent foods everyday so they firstly, learn to get used to them, and then learn to associate them as food. You can also try showing them that they are edible by eating them yourself, or at least pretending to. Will it cause for a lot of waste? Yes, in the beginning. Most fruits and vegetables can be bought for under $5 anyway. Is it worth it? Definitely.

Answer 2

My birds don't like fruit but they do like vegetables, especially corn and peas and sometimes carrots. I buy the frozen mix and thaw it out for them in warm water, never give a bird frozen or cold food. They also eat the formulated Kaytee mix daily and only get seeds for treats once a week or so, otherwise they won't eat anything else. Seeds are a birds favorite food (but not the healthiest) and when you give them a choice they will ignore other foods. That "moss" growing on the strawberries is MOLD and it can make the birds very ill or even kill them, it's not worth the risk. Any natural food that isn't eaten in an hour should be discarded so bacteria and mold don't grow out of control and make them sick. Seeds and pellets should be okay if kept dry and clean.

Answer 3

For some reason most of the birds I've raised didn't like strawberries I have no idea why??? But other fruit should be introduced in small quantities mixed with the seed, then as they accept it you can come up with creative ideas to attract them to it. Like hanging it from the top of the cage and so on.

Answer 4

One thing I have discovered about cockatiels is that if you put something in a plastic bag, invariably the cockatiels will try what is in it, and everything tastes better through beak holes made in a bag. Also, I have discovered that my cockatiels do not care much for fruits. I have had them try apples and oranges, and some of them will eat them, but they don't seem to care for any other fruits. I've found that they prefer eating carrots if they are shaved, like in salad mixes. Mine love corn. I make birdy pancakes using a box of cornbread mix, about 3/4 cups of milk (you could put orange juice or some other juice in), some frozen corn, 2 eggs, and fry the pancakes. They love them. you can add pellets, oatmeal, different things, like ground carrots in, and add a little more liquid in to make it thinner if it gets too thick. You can put ground eggshells in that you can buy at pet shops too. The birds like cooked rice with corn or peas mixed in too. If the birds turn up their beaks, just put it in a plastic baggie.

Answer 5

i have two macaws one will eat fruit the other wont or would not i began by chopping up a quater of a pear very small and mixed it with his seed so there was much more seed than fruit then the next day i di the same with sweetcorn then apple then orange ect,,, it takes time but will work in time try it it worked for me,,,good luck,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Answer 6

You have to start them out when they are young...if your birds are adults its gonna talk awhile...just keep putting the fruit in their cage...don't give up...even sprinkle something they really like on the fruit...adults are very stubborn...and they know what they like and don't like...have Patience & you will be rewarded...also try corn, beans or rice...they really eat almost anything...but no Chocolate, or Avacado...
good luck...remember Patience..

Answer 7

not all birds like to eat fruits . they most like to eat flower seeds and sometimes breads and even like to eat and play other birds seeds treats . and they also like to look themselve at mirrors, like to dance with music . maybe you shouldnt buy anymore fruits for the birds you can use to eat yourself instead.

Answer 8

I didn't know parakeets ATE fruit. (Mine never did!!)
Some animals don't eat some items. ALSO, if they never had any growing up, they might not know that it is good to eat! (Like children, they learn from their parents!)

Answer 9

birds don't eat fruit because they are so use to eating worm and seed that they want eat anything.

Answer 10

they just dont know what it is.. try just leaving the fruit in for a day, they will taste it and see its really yummy...
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