My cockatiels won't eat fruit or vegetables ?

Question

I've been having my cockatiels for 2 years now and they won't eat fruit or vegetables. I give them fresh fruit & vegetables everyday but they wont touch it. I bought them from Petsmart and they were really mean and nasty when I got them. They have calmed down alot but they still wont eat fruit & vegetables no matter what kind I give them. Is it any way that I can get them to eat it?

Answer 1

Get creative! You are not restricted to simply "Fresh" fruits and veggies! You can try dried ones, canned ones and cooked ones too !
My cockateils also will not touch fresh veggies or fruits, So I started giving them dried fruits and veggies mixed into their food. They *Love* it !! I use a small inexpensive dehydrator to dry my own green peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and much more!!
If you don't want to do the work yourself, you can buy dried fruits in a grocery store , although a health food store is a better choice to insure that there are no sulfites or other bad additives. Dates, raisins, prunes, banana chips, dried cranberries, cherries or apricots are all good choices, although you will need to cut them up into "Birdie-bite" sized pieces. Cockateils won't try to bite chunks off of big pieces of dried fruit because the dried fruits are very tough.
As for dried veggies, you should be able to find dried crushed hot peppers in the spice section of your grocery. Birds adore them! And they have lits of vitamins and isoflavones for their health!

If dried foods are not popular, try giving them canned ones! although they have less vitamins than fresh, they will still have some , as well as fiber . green beans are a favorite, as well as corn, peas and carrots. Canned fruits are good too, with pineapple, or peaches being a favorite, Be sure to let the fruit warm to room temperature, as the birds are not fond of cold things most times.

And, of course, your own cooked foods may be in great demand. Serve rice, mashed potatoes, veggies, pasta, macaroni and cheese, and even meat ( in small amounts ). they love warm food as long as it is not hot. Be careful to cool it to lukewarm levels to avoid burning a crop.
If you eat in front of the bird you may be surprised how much interest he will take in your food. Eating is a communal affair for Cockateils, and they may want to try your food if you show them how good it is ( "MMMMmmm!! Wow, this is SURE good!! Yummy" as you eat with exaggerated bites and chewing !).

Be sure to avoid avocados, and the seeds of apples, peaches and apricots, which are toxic to birds.

Most Cockateils will usually respond to one fo these sources of fruits and veggies!

Answer 2

that is why you should buy from a breeder and one that will let you visit. Try mixing seed in with the veggies. Stay way from fruit for now, except apple. I get a frozen mix, I mix peas and carrots with corn. They love it. I don't like to use pellets but if they won't eat veggies try pellets. At least they get the vitamins. I make breads like corn and veggies mixed in. Don't use jiffy mix or any mix to much salt. Make it from scratch.

Answer 3

Mine doesn't like veggies much either. Will eat a little iceberg lettuce, but that is mostly water. He will eat mashed potatoes, cooked corn, and will take a bite of most anything that we are eating, but to say that he eats much, he doesn't. He will eat the honey sticks, whole wheat bread, and millet. But fresh veggies, he won't have anything to do with them. He loves popcorn though. I put vitamins in his water cup.

Answer 4

mine didn't either, but I get him those fruit and vegetable cackatiel treat sticks which he loves!

Answer 5

i don't know....sorry