Won't eat veggies

[EngTeach]

I've got a 2 yrs. old Goffin Cockatoo that refuses to eat veggies. I've tried mixed frozen veggies and fresh sliced veggies of all types,\(cooked and uncooked) but he refuses to eat them. I've tried leaving nothing but veggies in his dish during the day and then feeding pellets in the evening. He won't touch the veggies. I tried leaving just veggies for almost 2 days, he wouldn't eat them. I'm at a loss as to what to do. I know he needs the vegetables, but short of force feeding them I don't think he's going to eat them. Its hard to get him to even eat fresh fruits. He does eat eggs, chicken, rice, and pasta, but if its a veggie....forget it. What am I to do. He's also on Zupreem pellets.

[huntress]

Get a handy chopper (luv mine) and just grind up those vegis and cook them right in with the scrambled eggs, broccoli tops are good for this. Anything can go into that chopper and mince it up and cook it in with the eggs,rice, chicken whatever. watch him and see if hes getting any in while he eats, just a tiny bit and add more later. Whole sweet corn cobs stuck in the bars with the husks left on will sometimes entice them. A bird Kabob strung with stuff to make it into a toy sometimes works. Birdy Psychology? Have you tried having him sit with you at the table and watch you eat? (toos are big on that) make lots of yummy sounds and shush him away if he gets interested and then make more yummy sounds. After a bit if he is interested pretend to not notice him sneaking a taste....

[EngTeach]

I've done the birdkabob..he just jused it as a toy, but didn't eat the fruit. I'll try the grinding up of veggies and mixing with egg and chicken, he might go for that. Is there a vitamine subsitute I can give him until I get him eating more veggies? My other Goffin loves her veggies....wish Chaucer would eat his

[huntress]

No vitamin supplements if he is eating pellets. It is possible to overdo it and there is plenty in the zupreem pellets. Have you ever tried the dehydrated stuff like Beak A'petit? Do they get the oppourtunity to be together? The two goffins?? One can "teach" the other to enjoy vegis. If they dont get along out of the cage maybe putting the cages together so one can watch the other eat!?

[4HAND]

Blend veggies [with water] add to a heathy oat or corn muffin mix and bake some birdy bread.This is the only way my conures will eat veggies!
Tena

[EngTeach]

Thanks for all the advice, I'm going to try it all. As far as my two Goffins getting together, they haven't as of yet, I've only had MeMe a little over a week and she's still in another part of the house in quarentine. But as soon as my vet gives me the okay I plan on introducing them to each other slowly. Maybe MeMe will show him a thing or two about proper nutritian.

Is it possible for a bird to get proper nutritian from just a pellet diet and some chicken, egg, apples, too?

[Pepper's Pa]

I find that placing foods inside of a foraging toy makes them much more interesting and appealing to my Senegal, Pepper. When offered the identical food at the same time in his food bowl or in a hanging foraging toy, Pepper nearly always chooses to forage at the toy. I've been most successful with this simple toy, the Jungle Talk Carousel Treat Holder. For your Goffin's, possibly one of the metal treat holders would be better.
I hope this idea may be of help to increasing your bird's diet.

[nikiwildman]

The only way i got my cockatiel interested in eat fruit/veg was by eating it myself and feeding it too him from my mouth like, just having a bit sticking out that he can get to, now he loves anything i offer him, if he's not sure of something thats hes not tried before he will be a bit cautious and most likely not eat it until he see's me or my boyfriend eating it first, then he deems it safe to eat and loves most things he tries.

[EngTeach]

Over the last month I've tried everything that has been suggested, and still no luck in getting Chacer to eat his veggies. I keep puting them in there, and he keeps ignoring them. I will continue to try and persuade him to eat them, but what will be the results if he never gets a veggie again? I can get him to eat apple, real eggs, chicken, and other non-veggie foods, but that's it. I've even tried grinding them up and hiding them in other foods......and the darn thing is so smart he won't touch it. I guess he smells the veggies. So, what are the consequences of no veggies in his diet?

[jjones1719]

Engteach, Per haps you can make cornbread, mix in the veg very tiny, make enough for the week and freeze them, Make sure that the cornbread mix does not contain salt or sugars. There are some recipes on line for cornbread for birds. Good luck. JJones1719