Peachie vs Apples

[Wheeliegirl]

I've been trying to get Peachie to eat apples. Previously she just leaves them alone. Maybe one or two pieces are out of her dish when I come home. But today, they were all over her cage! I can just see her flinging the apple all over the place like she does with broccoli and radishes. This is so like her! I just thought it was amuzing to think of her screeching and carrying on while flinging those little apple wedges out of the dish.

Do you think she will EVER eat anything that is good for her? The only veggie I can get her to eat is sugar snap peas. She used to nibble on broccoli, but now she just beats it up.

I do put little bits of millet in there to encourage her to at least dig for that, hoping that she'll accidentally eat the fruit.

I didn't know if I should put this post on "Diet", or "Behavior"........

[linda040899]

Holly,
Have you tried offering figs to Peachie? I cut them in half when I give them out so that my lovies know there's more to them than skin! They are a "must" with my Abyssinians but I have other birds that love them, too!

[dani]

When I first got Haku, I used to literally grate up the fruit and veggies into miniscule pieces that could mix in with the seed and could "accidentally" get eaten. It worked somewhat at first, but then he fell in love with string beans and everything became fair game :lol... I am currently going through the same process with my p'let, he is reluctant to eat anything but seed, and will fling it out of the cage passionately. :x

[LauraO]

:rofl: :rofl: . I have to admit I love when you share Peachie stories. She sounds like such a character8) .....You know, I always like to think they get a taste or two of things they beat up and play with. In fact, I used to get my grey Mijo really ticked, in a playful way, at kale so he would rip it out of my hands. I'm convinced some of that kale juice got in his crop:roll: .

If Peachie likes eating with you you can always prepare her some boiled veggies or whatever veggies you're eating. My avian vet recently pointed out that birds are pretty small so even a bite or two of veggies is substantial.

[BarbieH]

Beating up veggies can be a good thing. 8) I can't help but think that some of the food is getting inside her.

[Kirby]

:In fact, I used to get my grey Mijo really ticked, in a playful way, at kale so he would rip it out of my hands. I'm convinced some of that kale juice got in his crop:roll: .



That's EXACTLY what I do with Kirby. He usually get SO ANGRY that he bites it and then :x realises that it actually tastes good.
I've done that with scrambled eggs, boiled potatoes, rice, and fruit.

It's quite amusing to watch, they get angry and then all of a sudden it's turned off like it never happened. :rofl: :rofl: :lol :lol
They then demand more and more.. no complaints if Kirby wants to gorge himself on something super healthy for him :whistle:

[linda040899]

Beating up veggies can be a good thing.
aka Gracie and the cherry tomatoes.............. :rolleyes:

[Kirby]

"Vegetables: The Healthy Punching Bags"

[michael]

Goof won't take to apples at all either. Its as though he's not sure their edible as he just sits and stares at them. Tried all kinds too, and also offered them in different forms. Apple sauce to apple ala millet, no deal. I've had the greatest success getting him to eat anything healthy by mixing it with over cooked brown rice. Of course apples didn't work in that either, but the veggies did. Those have to be cooked or blanched pretty good or else he'll fling them all over. He loves birdie bread. The bread part that is, and whatever else you put in, whether he likes it or not, takes a quick flying lesson. Its been almost two years since he first tried anything but his seed mix. Its been a slow process, but when I look back he's really came a long way from wanting seeds and nothing else. You know, he's the one that would benefit the most by eating his veggies and a little fruit. He's just like a two year old when it comes to eating what he should. Stubborn little booger. Oh wait! He IS two years old........Maybe he doesn't like the feel of it in his beak. Or it could be that his taste buds just haven't "matured" yet. ......He does like garden veggie nutriberries.....Maybe I'll try making him an "apple veggie mix". :p ...............Michael and Goofy

[Eliza]

Holly -- I know it's frustrating. Beetle goes on a hunger strike if I give him fresh veggies or fruit! Not even a lick... But we'll keep plugging away at it ;)

It's well worth the persistance in the long run, though. It's not unusual for a parrot to be afraid of a new food item. Keep offering the apples (or carrots or kale or whatever it is you are trying). Try different ways, though: a slice for a few weeks, diced pieces the next few, grated later still... You never know WHAT it will take to get your beeb to eat his or her veggies!

There is a regular columnist in Bird Talk magazine who has a few Amazon parrots. One of them would NEVER eat carrots. For YEARS this woman tried to get this parrot to eat carrots with NO success. One day, however, the 'zon shocked her by going into ANOTHER parrots cage and eating his carrots with gusto! Maybe try offering veggies on a playstand as opposed to in the cage.

Best of luck,

-e-

[Wheeliegirl]

Yes, Peachie is quite a character. My kids, my husband, my friends all find her difficult to be around, but I love her, and I know her best so I know her quirky likes and dislikes, and how to avoid being at the wrong end of her beak. Actually, she kind of intimidates people she doesn't know because she'll just sit in front of them and stare at them menacingly, like she's thinking about where the softest and most sensitive spot on them would be for a good bite!

She used to enjoy eating with me, and lately I've been having her with me when I eat. It's because of my own bad habits that we don't sit together at the table and eat together. When we do, though, she's not really interested in what I'm doing or eating. Sometimes she will come over and grab something, especially if I'm eating corn. That's one of the two veggies I can get her to eat regularly.

In the past I tried shredding the apples, but they didn't look very appealing. They turned brown and runny. Maybe it's my choice of apple. I buy Fuji apples, they're my favorite. I've tried shredded carrots, split (I think they call it "French cut" green beans) and steamed frozen mixed veggies in the microwave for her. She used to eat the beans, but she stopped. I think maybe I gave her some beans that turned bad, as they had a weird waxy coating. I threw them out when I discovered this.

Is it just a matter of giving it to her again and again until she decides to eat it? I can do that, I think I have been giving up before she has a chance to try it. Plus, we all know how stubborn she is.

Okay, where do I find figs? I have never seen them in my grocery store. Are they fresh or dried? Oh...I've tried raisins and prunes and other dried fruit too. She REALLY doesn't like anything that is wet and sticks to her beak.

Here's a cute story for you all. This morning while putting on my makeup I stopped to observe her root through and throw things out of one of my compartments (it's "her" special compartment). She stopped and hopped over onto my lap and I began stroking her with my blush brush. Boy, does she love this! It was so cute as she put her little head down on my lap and kind of rubs her face into my lap and stopped when she got to my belly and stayed there. Sometimes she would say her name (I think she says this when she's happy about something) or coo a little. Whenever I stopped she would pick her head up and make whistle loudly. It was so cute, but I think it made her horny because she'd put her wings out and her little blue butt up in the air. I even managed to get in a couple of strokes with my finger, but she didn't know it or she would have bitten me!

I so wish that I could stroke her and give her scritches. It makes me sad to know what she is missing.