# My tiel won't eat without me!



## ninjabunnieshya (May 31, 2011)

I bought my cockatiel about three weeks ago. She still doesn't have a name, but I'm calling her "birdie" and "sweetie" for the moment. She is a complete and utter sweetheart and a cuddle monster. Her hatchdate was March 15 of this year.

The problem is, she was a little over 100 grams when we got her, and she had dropped to 83 when we weighed her last week. That's around 20 grams in two weeks. She is perfectly healthy otherwise; she's active her droppings are normal.

Through some careful observation, we determined that she only eats when I prompt her (I'll stir her seeds around with my finger, or hold up some millet or a veggie). And when I prompt her to eat, she hungrily dives in. It's the same with her water. I have to hold her on my finger up to her water crock, and then she'll take a big drink. I don't mind doing this, but when I'm at school and various other activities, she's going to need to eat! I don't know how to get her to eat without me around. She calls for me incessantly if I leave my room. 

My mom has started hanging out with her when I'm gone, but a person can't be sitting with her ever single minute of the day.

She also won't play with any of her toys in or on top of her cage; she'll only play with them when I hold them for her.

She seems very attached to me, and I love that, but I don't want my little girl to eat when I'm not around!  How can I get her to eat by herself?


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## Jac249 (May 19, 2011)

Are you like 100% sure she won't eat with out you? She may just be stressed from moving into a new place and being with new people. Is she kept up late? She may be stressed from that too? Have you tried millet sprays? My cockatiel won't hook into a honey treat but if there's millet omg it's on! If shes young she may be unsure to eat on her own - or our vet says sometimes they milk that they can get fed coz they think they can get away with it. If your way worried you could always get her a nice amount of hand rearing formula. The vet told me to try this when I was concerned about Tia. Then I bought the millet and didn't have to worry. Good luck.


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## emehart19 (Jun 1, 2011)

Feed her anything she will eat, seeds...millet...she could be super stressed or feeling a food change. Please take her to the vet too. My female lost a bit of weight and two days later we had lost her to liver failure, despite our vet's best efforts. She just turned to nothing in a few days. 20 grams is a lot, not to scare you. On our little friends, any weight loss can be a danger.

Also I kinda thought "Beedie" would be a cute name!!!


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## casualrepartee (Apr 28, 2011)

Just went through this myself a few months ago. Don't worry, they WILL eat on their own. You mentioned seeds -- highly recommend moving to a diet of mixed pellets/veggies/seed. Seed by itself is just not enough and can lead to health issues.

When I first brought Hemingway home, he wouldn't eat unless I was right there with him, and he was out. I was SO nervous! The key is to eat with them, and put them in their cage with their food when they eat with you. That way they know that when you eat, its time for them to eat. 

After a while, they'll start eating on their own.

On an aside, you mentioned the weight thing. When I got Hemingway, he was 108 grams (big for a tiel!) he dropped down to about 86, and he's resting normally around 90 or so now. Part of that is because they've been removed from the flock setting (normally) and won't be as motivated to eat as often for lack of peers for food competition! You definitely need to incorporate pellets with your seed. My breeder advised me to start giving hemingway 3 nutriberries before bed (and then alone) to get the weight up. After a while, he got very comfortable. A lot of it is adjustment to you and a new home  Fret not.


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