# My birds only eat seed! Help!



## One Time (Apr 27, 2012)

Hi there! I'm new to the forum, will try find an introductory place to introduce myself asap (i'm a bit slow finding my way around here still, sorry!) but i basically joined because i have a question that i was wondering if someone here could help me with.

I have 3 cockatiels, a 4yo, another one that i'm not sure how old he is but i've had him 2 years already and another new addition of 12 weeks. My problem is that they're so naughty, all they want to do is eat the tiny orange-y yellow seeds ("wild bird seed") and sunflower seeds in their foodbowl, none of the other things i put in. I've read on the internet and realise its important for them to eat other things too, i'v been putting a variety of all sorts of things in for them, since i got my first one about 4 years ago. But they dont touch it. Now with my new birdie, i want to see if i cant try fool them into a healthier diet somehow. What does one do to force them to try new things?

I've even tried limiting the amount of seed they get sothat they "go hungry" to try force them to try the other choices, but all that happens is they get ravenous, when i put the food in they fight over the seed, but STILL dont try anything else! After 6 days of this, i felt so bad, i ended up putting more seed in for them again. I dont want them to die of starvation or end up fighting viciously over food (which they normally never do).

I've tried every possible yummy option, and put it in their cages fresh every day for the last year or so, but the fruit and veges just sit there, just plain bread or bread soaked in milk goes off after a day untouched, they wont try fried egg, pellets (either dry or soaked in warm water to soften them), oats, cerials, sweetpotato... nothing! I feel like i'm wasting money and effort by putting other food in because they never touch it, are they going to get sick if they dont start eating other things too?

All three seem healthy and happy, its actually only the two older birds that have been eating an all seed diet, the new one hasnt really been with me long enough to feel the effects yet. Although she seems to be following their egsample and just eating seed too!

At the bird farm down the road from me, they say i must take the other food away slowly, reduce its volume slowly and replace it with other food, to force them to eat other things or "starve", but as i said earlier, that doesnt seem to work...???


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## Charlie292 (Feb 1, 2012)

I'm sure more experienced people will reply soon, but have you tried eating the food in front of them? I pretend to eat the vegetable etc, or actually eat my own piece (I've been told its not ideal to share food as human saliva is bad for them, or something) and this gets them interested. 

Anything to make it seem fun, so hiding pieces in foraging toys etc, or maybe mixing chopped veg with millet so that as they pick off the millet they might accidently taste the food?

I also think that the way you present the food is important, so try chopping, shredding, dicing, lots of different ways and some birds will eat things in certain ways. Also my birds love veg stacked on a birdy kebab stick which they can pick at! hope this helps. Just keep at it I would say, most birds do come round.


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

This thread might be helpful to you, http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27479, its on diet and there is also a link to tips on introducing new foods.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Please don't try to force them to eat new foods by withholding their seeds. For long-term health they need to have a more balanced diet, but in the short term the most important thing is to get enough calories every day.

Nutriberries (made by the Lafeber company) probably aren't available in South Africa. This is unfortunate, because they're nutritionally equivalent to pellets but look like seed balls, so they're more attractive to cockatiels.

You didn't mention vegetables in your post. If you have access to clean, pesticide-free grass with unripe seed heads, try offering this to your birds. Grass seed is part of the natural diet of wild cockatiels so this might stimulate their natural instincts. If they don't eat it the first time, keep on trying. Sometimes it takes a while for birds to accept a new food. If you put a thin layer of grass in their regular food dish on top of the seed, they will have to at least touch the grass to get to the seed, which could eventually lead to eating the grass. You can offer other types of bird-safe vegetables too; the ones that resemble a stem or a seed head might be the most appealing to the birds.

I have other tips for encouraging birds to try new foods on my website at http://www.littlefeatheredbuddies.com/info/nutrition-conversion.html


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## hanna (Apr 14, 2012)

Our Joe is a "seed-junkie" too but I started to get him interested in few other things: first of all he loves egg and biscuit, he gets it once, the most twice a week and I started to cut the little broccoli tops into it... so he "has" to eat them too. 
I gave him egg as well, first when I offered he took off into the furthest corner of his cage, but then I pretended to eat it too, so the next thing you know, he ate it, almost inhaled it, lol...
So basically try and start slowly with all different kind of foods... but also be aware what they naturally would eat in the wild and this is most seeds.

When you offer sunflower, the grey striped one is better than the black one ( less fat content )

Hope this helps a bit too,


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## pterryanna (Apr 28, 2012)

I've noticed that my bird will only eat certain things at certain times even things he loves. He started eating "new" things when he sees me eating them. He will not eat cockatiel seed its a huge waste to give him special blends so he just gets "canary" seed. He loves eggs, rice and pasta and he loves eating with me. I'll give him his own plate with plain rice or egg and assorted veggies. I've also noticed that he likes certain colors so I try to give him fruits and veggies or treats in those colors. These are just a few things that have worked for me. Good luck! 

The nutri berries are great. You can order them online.


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## mishkaroni (Jan 6, 2012)

My birds were seed birds for a long time. They ate fresh veggies, but not pellets. I started buying a seed brand that had pellets in it and when I adopted two tiels who were on a pellet only diet, I decided all my tiels needed seed and pellets. I started mixing it in their food more, but wasn't sure if they were eating it. I bought mini cups to place in their cages and put the pellets in it. This worked. It took a few weeks for them all to come around, but their curiosity won them out. They like the colors and like to destroy the pellets and make a mess. Now they sit and eat the pellets and seeds. It just takes time and different techniques for different birds. I've read on here not all birds like their pellets and there are alternatives. Don't be frustrated, cockatiels totally know what they want and what they'll try...


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## One Time (Apr 27, 2012)

U guys are awesome! Thank you so much... after reading similar posts by other people (that i discovered after i'd posted my question) and your replies, i think i have some new ideas. I havent seen Nutriberries at any of our petshops, i see so many of you talk about them. Will ask when i go to the bird farm again. And the idea to pick wild grass is good, i get out to the veld often with the horses and will see what i can pick and packet out there for them. Thanks guys!


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## Vulpini (Mar 31, 2011)

I had to mostly squash most of my veggies, or make them tiny to get them to even try them, and even then it was only when they saw me eating the same stuff. Also, I read somewhere that combining colours can make them more interested in the food overall, and this really helped with one of my tiels. The other simply needed to see the older tiel try it first.


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## byronc (Apr 14, 2012)

The best thing you can do is to mix their so loved seeds with the new food!  Place a small dose in the mix and in every refill increase the amount of the new food you want them to eat!  Worked for me...


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I have a reformed seed junkie.  I think persistence is key. And trying foods presented in different ways- chopped, whole, cooked, raw, etc. The first vegetable I got my tiel to eat was broccoli- raw and cut in tiny pieces- it kind of resembles seeds. And then corn. You can also try sprouting seeds. Good luck!


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