help please

[patti]

Sorry to bother you guys again. I have tried lots of fruits and vegestables. I have mashed them and chopped them into little bits and large bits. All Charlie wants to eat are his seeds. (I have put powdered cuttlefish and mineral block onto his seeds). He just does'nt seem interested. The only thing he really likes are grapes. What should I do to make sure he is getting all his vitamins etc? From what I can gather the people who sold him to me only gave him the mimimum of fruit saying that 'it only gives them the 'runs'. I obviously know better than that!! But I still am concerned about his well being.

[Lisa B]

try manderin oranges by Dole .....they have very samll pits you have to remove, and my guys LOVE them..this might open new paths to getting him to eat other stuff..you can also try gerber baby foods..like sweet potato on a spoon, or the squash..my guys like this, and again, it might help

[smallonion]

What you are experiencing is very very common. Lots of people here have had a hard time getting their birds to eat fruit and veg.

My bird was like that. What I did was, I hung the fruit and veg up. He thought it was a toy, started beaking it and then noticed that it tastes good!

Jungle talk makes a great skewer for fruit and veg to hang in a bird's cage. My Humphrey has his apple and carrot on it every day, as well as something else (depending on what I have for him).
It might work with your bird. But trust me, lots of people have had this problem!
You have to keep trying and outwit him!
Michele and Humph

[patti]

Thanks for the good advice. He picks it up and then shakes his head as if it tastes bad and drops it!! I'll try hanging up some food. Also I had another idea. What if I cut some fruit into very small pieces and mixed it with his seed. If I changed it regularly it would'nt go bad. Another question I have is. I've got Charlie in the living room with us. I normally go to bed around 11pm I cover him up in the evening around 9:30 (he seems to get tired then) and turn the lights down and also the tv. Do they sleep while there is any noise and light? I know they need around 10 hours? Thanks for all your help. This is such a good place for advice. You've all been very kind. X

[Crebain]

My pionus would sleep through a parade if he was tired.

You can mix dissolvable vitamins into your birds water while you train him to eat produce. Until then, I agree, hang it up like a toy. And let him see YOU eating it, THEN he'll want some!

[Tivona]

Have you tried showing him how much you like eating the fruits? I find some picky birds will be more interested in trying whatever you are eating. I have tricked a few birds by just acting very excied while nibbling on whatever fruit. Hope you can get him to expiriment!