She won't eat her veggies!

[Missi]

Jasmine (7 month old SI) will only pick at her veggies. Eat a teenie piece here and there. She'll fill her little crop up on apple, pomegranate, spaghetti, mac n cheese, oatmeal, etc. When I give her a mix of chopped veggies, say, apple, banana, grape, bell pepper, cucumber, carrot, and corn...she will pick out the fruits and leave the veggies. So, I started just giving her veggies and only fruits as snacks and she still only just picks at the veggies and when eats all her pellets (yes, I know I know I have not yet found an organic bulk food store to make her nut/dried fruit pellet substitute yet). She just HATE veggies!

Does anyone else's fid do this??? Ekkies are supposed to love everything! Can anyone clue me in?

I might also add that I have tried dicing the fruits and veggies tiny so she has to eat it all...turns her nose up at it. Have also tried warming it.

[Kristi]

My TAG is the same way. The only veggies I can get him to eat with any consistency is sweet potatoes. He will only "pick" at everything else, including pellets. I'm finding with him that he will pick at the veggies more if I shred them up in my food processor. I can "fool" him with carrots for a while... I guess they look enough like sweet potatoes to get him started on them. He will pick at broccoli, but only if I cut the tops off into little tiny pieces. It's really just trial and error with them. What has helped me, though, is doing what you're doing ... offering only pellets and veggies during the day (especially in the morning... they wake up hungry!) and then giving stuff they like at night or as treats. I've been successful with my Hahn's doing things that way, and it's beginning to work with my TAG. You've just gotta stay consistent:^)

Now, my BG, on the other hand, will eat ANYTHING.

[stepht25]

Have you tried putting them on a skewer? My alexandrine can get picky about eating his veggies but if I change the way I serve them - putting them on a skewer, sticking through cage bars, wrapping them in a piece of paper, etc. he'll usually go for them. Even if it's just to attack and shred them at first. But at least it's a start.

[Missi]

Originally Posted by stepht25

Have you tried putting them on a skewer? My alexandrine can get picky about eating his veggies but if I change the way I serve them - putting them on a skewer, sticking through cage bars, wrapping them in a piece of paper, etc. he'll usually go for them. Even if it's just to attack and shred them at first. But at least it's a start.

I have tried everything...even tried chunks in one of those plastic carousel toys. I have a few different forraging toys....she's only interested if there's nuts or fruits in them! lol UGH!

[Missi]

Originally Posted by Kristi

My TAG is the same way. The only veggies I can get him to eat with any consistency is sweet potatoes. He will only "pick" at everything else, including pellets. I'm finding with him that he will pick at the veggies more if I shred them up in my food processor. I can "fool" him with carrots for a while... I guess they look enough like sweet potatoes to get him started on them. He will pick at broccoli, but only if I cut the tops off into little tiny pieces. It's really just trial and error with them. What has helped me, though, is doing what you're doing ... offering only pellets and veggies during the day (especially in the morning... they wake up hungry!) and then giving stuff they like at night or as treats. I've been successful with my Hahn's doing things that way, and it's beginning to work with my TAG. You've just gotta stay consistent:^)

Now, my BG, on the other hand, will eat ANYTHING.

Okay, great. Thanks for the tips! Consistency is the key, you're right!

However, I'm HOPING when she get's a bit more mature she won't be so picky!! HOPING!!

[Doyle'sMommy]

What about putting veggies into a bird bread?

[Stizby]

Have you ever tried making bread for your birds? There is a recipe section somewhere on this Board -- with the new restructuring I'm just not sure where. But you could do a search on the Board for recipes. I make a bread that Nancy (the Outlaw) posted called "Bottoms Up Fruitcake" or something like that. My birds love that recipe. I will puree many different types of veggies and fold into the batter. Getting good nutrition into a picky bird can be a challenge -- I face it everyday with my cockatoo. You have to be a little sneaky to get them to eat the good stuff sometimes. As the old saying goes, there's more than 1 way to skin a cat!!

[Missi]

Ya know, I have the Healthy Bird Cookbook and it has TONS of bread recipes in it, I just don't have time to cook! Let alone dinner for my boyfriend and I! I wish there was a birdie boutique around here where I could just buy it and freeze it! *SIGH* Southwest Florida SUCKS for everything guys!!! It doesn't have anything.

[Doyle'sMommy]

Ginich's birdiebread is good for the fids and mine love it! Maybe you could check that out.

[Missi]

Originally Posted by Stizby

Have you ever tried making bread for your birds? There is a recipe section somewhere on this Board -- with the new restructuring I'm just not sure where. But you could do a search on the Board for recipes. I make a bread that Nancy (the Outlaw) posted called "Bottoms Up Fruitcake" or something like that. My birds love that recipe. I will puree many different types of veggies and fold into the batter. Getting good nutrition into a picky bird can be a challenge -- I face it everyday with my cockatoo. You have to be a little sneaky to get them to eat the good stuff sometimes. As the old saying goes, there's more than 1 way to skin a cat!!

This is a GREAT idea!!