Changing food

[Maui's Dad]

Hello all!
Maui has been with us for about two weeks now, and I'm concerned that the food that the breeder was using isn't that great. He gave us a great big bag of it, but it looked like a rather generic bulk mix (he obviously buys it in huge quantities for his birds). He said it was a basic Cockatiel mix, which seems to have a lot of sunflower seeds and dried fruits in it. Maui certainly prefers the sunflower seeds etc. (who wouldn't go for the fat first lol) We pretty much started to introduce small amounts of the new food with his old, in small increments about four or five days after we brought him home. We're trying to get him onto a mix of budgie seeds, with a premium small hookbill pellet/fruit mix. I throw in a few sunflowers for a treat, along with small bits of millet a couple of times a week, and at least three fresh foods per day (carrots, broccoli, apple, melon, chopped greens, strawberry etc.) I think we've got a great healthy diet going, but he still seems a bit finicky. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Brent

[chapala]

Hi Brent and welcome! I suggest you read through the diet sticky threads in the diet forum, and that may help answer your questions. Feel free to ask more!

Too much high fat seed will create health problems and shortened lifespans. A dry mostly grain mix is fine as part of the diet, and some pellets are okay too. I recommend a natural color pellet such as Harrison's, Zupreem or Roudybush.

[Jinx n Noodle]

I would say you're on a good start, it takes time to get them converted:)

[Rosekeet]

Just be patient and don't be surprised if it takes weeks or months for Maui to start eating new things. Birds need to keep seeing a new food to learn that it is food and to start to trust it.

You might want to consider making a mash. That's the only way Darcy will eat veggies.

[Maui's Dad]

Hey all,
Thanks for the great tips. He's partially on a Zupreem mix. But I really like the mash idea. I'll let you know how it works out.

[Lola B.]

Good luck! It smells wonderful but the taste must be an acquired one-- LOL!