Food treats and food in general

[usamma]

I just adopted a tiel of unknown age, and we are at least his fourth home in a short amt. of time. He seems sweet but scared. However I was able to cup him in my hands and put him against my stomach and he calmed down with that gentle pressure and warmth. He even fluffed up his head when I rubbed it. I would love to make friends with him and have had good luck with clicker training with my conures to help gain trust. I'm looking for a food that a tiel would die for that I can reward with.

And speaking of food-- he came with cheap food that is mostly millet with a few sunflower seeds. I would like to eventually put him onto pellets but I'm going to take that very slowly. In the meantime, what is a good seed mix for a tiel that would be more nutritious than the cheap food. (I'm going to put the cheap food in our wild bird feeder so it at least won't go to waste!)

[clawnz]

'I would love to make friends with him' I think you are already on the way to that!
Millet, Sunflower seeds, are good ones to try to start with. Kaytee's Fruit and Veg Stick was another of Tweetys Fav.
You just have to try diff things, and watch to see if he likes.
Food
Variety is best, a good mix of seeds, Pellets, and fresh Greens / Fruit.
Cuttlebone and Mineral Block.
I am sure more advice will forthcoming.
Enjoy your new friend.

[usamma]

Thanks!

I'm a little worried-- he had not eaten at all since I brought him home yesterday afternoon. I know it's normal for birds to get a bit stressed when going into a new situation. His poop was normal for the first couple of hours, but now he's just pooping out the solid white stuff (urine) and no green/black stuff (food). I put some millet spray in there because the people said he eats it like candy. If I can get him to eat millet today that would ease my mind. We can work on improving the diet as he settles in.

By the way, he flew to my shoulder and cuddled a few times! He's learning to trust me and I feel he must have been someone's pet before his adventures started with rehoming. He doesn't step up but he does go right to my shoulder and nibble on my shirt.

[tielfan]

Hanging up food for him to eat (like millet spray and greens) is the right thing to do. Birds feel safer nibbling on hanging food since they can keep on looking out for danger while they do it. They have to let their guard down for a moment to stick their head in a food cup, and sometimes birds in a new home take three days to work up the nerve to do it. Cover the cage on three sides too, that way he only has one direction to watch for danger.

Once he's comfortable enough to eat from a cup, you can take that millet spray out of the cage and use it as a training treat. Most cockatiels adore millet spray - it's much more special than ordinary loose millet in a cup.

[usamma]

Thanks for the advice! He loves the lettuce I put in a couple of hours ago. He also likes the millet. His poop is looking normal again so he must be getting some food in his system.

And-- he has already learned to imitate the conure's scream. Clever bird! He also does the standard whoo-hoo whistle.

[Jannabellsmom]

I'm so glad this little sweetheart has found a real home complete with cuddles! Sounds like he is ready for the attention you are sure to shower him with. Altho nuts are high in fat one of my tiels simply adores almonds. (He also likes other fatty foods like the butter on my waffles and chinese fried rice, but that's a whole other story). I limit him to one almond every few days or so. My other tiel prefers anything thats hot, hot toast, hot rice or beak appatiet..

[ashxo]

When a bird is moved to a new home, the last thing they want to do at the time is stick their head down into a food bowl, where they can't see what's going on around them. It's quite normal for new additions not to eat anything for the first day or so after they've moved in.

As others suggested, hanging up millet and greens is a great idea.. They can eat, while still being able to see everything that's going on around them. It's fantastic that he is eating lettuce!! My babies won't touch it :( They devour millet, though, which isn't surprising xP

Picturessssssssss?!