Female parakeet won't eat pellet food

[Lovemybirdies]

I have a male and female parakeet and switched them gradually over to a mix of pellets and seeds, the female will not eat the pellets only the seed, I would like to give her healthy foods and the only way I can get her to eat any of them is by adding them to my version of birdie bread that she loves. Any other suggestions?

[huntress]

Its OK Parakeets are seed eaters in the wild. Dont worry about the pellets - just offer her allot of dark leafy greens as well. Keets often like them if you weave them into the bars up highr like branches. from the top and sides. Kale, Cilantro, carrot tops, romain and red cabbage (no iceburg lettuce - its worthless).

[catschair]

Some budgies will switch over and some will not. I offer seed and pellets to my budgies (along with fresh food, rice, beans, etc) and there are a few who just never take to the pellets.

[shosh]

I tried several times to switch my budgies over to pellets...and tried every approach suggested. None worked...so I figured that a slightly less healthy but happy budgie is better than a stressed out, hungry or dead one.

So, they eat seeds and get leafy greens because that is about all they'll eat. Mind you, the stray budgie I found about 7 years ago is probably in his early teens by now so the all seed diet can't be THAT horrible for budgies.

All you can do is your best....

[sugarbeth]

I offer a cup of seeds, a cup of pellets and then some greens or other veggies and fruit.

They definitely prefer the seeds, but I do see them eating pellets occasionally. I don't sweat it...I don't really like pellets anyway, they've got to be boring to eat and they smell gross. My budgie growing up never had pellets, and he lived to 11.

[Lovemybirdies]

Thanks for all the great tips. My budgies growing up never had pellets either. I will try weaving the greens through the cage bars, my budgies are very curious so I am sure that might pique their interest a bit as well as keep them busy. Otherwise, I agree, a seed eating budgie is better than an unhappy or dead budgie.