Shock diet change

[Dan]

Martin, for years now, has been on the ZuPreem Avian Entrees. I have ordered it from Northern Parrots in the past but, just as the last bag is running out, I have learned that the AE have been discontinued and thus I pretty much have no way of getting these in the UK anymore!

I purchased the ZuPreem natural pellets off Northern Parrots, which should be arriving in a few days. Hopefully Martin will like them as sadly this will be a "shock" diet change...as soon as the bag of the Avian Entrees runs out (probably just as these new bags arrive!), he will have these new pellets, and there will simply be no choice really!

[Dan]

Oh yay what timing! The food just arrived...days earlier than I thought it would. This will make it a bit of an easier transition.

[Marrie]

Eeps, hopefully Martin will take to them. My tiel took to new pellets (roudybush) with no issue and he is used to Zupreem Fruit blend (different color, texture, size). I found hand feeding worked really well for getting the new food to be accepted.

[Dan]

Martin is such a fussy eater. But hopefully it will go well! Got some new snacks for him too, which I hope he will like.

[pixibubbles]

Did you try calling Bob and Di at Midland parrots? they might have a back stock to make the change more gradual?

Tho i am enjoying the image of you snuggled down on the couch eating AE to prove to Martin it's food lol

[Cheaps]

Tho i am enjoying the image of you snuggled down on the couch eating AE to prove to Martin it's food lol

The real question is, will Dan be able to make the switch.

[Dan]

Just tried them - but they are closed already for the day. Will give them a try again

[Marrie]

Well Helen, at least zupreem doesn't taste too bad for his couch munching.

I'm sure Martin will switch over just fine, with a little persuasion from his Daddy. Let us know how it goes, always good to hear others experiences with the picky eaters!

[Dan]

Hopefully not

[ark]

I wouldn't worry too much; I have a heavy suspicion that the Avian Entrees are just the Natural pellets mixed with some extra goodies. I've used both (even at the same time) and there doesn't appear to be much difference between them. Pinto eats each just as happily.

[rottncosmo]

Have you tried feeding Martin the new pellets yet? I am eager for a report of how he does with them.

[Dan]

Going to start mixing them tomorrow. Will report!

[Dan]

My Harrisons samples arrived today so I have decided to try to get Martin to eat these, along with some seed and a few other things I have, before doing the full changeover. Hopefully he will like these new little things - but he is SUCH a fussy eater...

[kassidyb]

How's he doing now? I'm also very curious on how Martin does considering he takes food so seriously.

[Dan]

He's been fine! Took to them quickly enough, thankfully.

If only he was like that with vegetables, he never eats any.

[pixibubbles]

He's been fine! Took to them quickly enough, thankfully.

If only he was like that with vegetables, he never eats any.

Except stolen peas!

How is he liking Harrisons? Once Sammy stopped trying to shell them, he quite likes it Quite a pleasent, nutty flavour (birdie see, birdie do lol)

[notredamebird]

I've found that I can switch between Avian Entrees and the natural pellets at will -- they must taste vary similarly. And in one of the AE mixes, they're identical.

Usually I buy just buy the natural pellets because none of the birds eats the extra ingredients mixed in to the AE blends.

[kassidyb]

Sounds great! I know that the best method of getting your bird to eat new foods is; serve them in every way possible, and always have them available. Some birds don't even touch foods when they are whole, but some love to eat it if it is diced, chopped, or mixed in with their pellets even. Think there is actually an article about this somewhere....

[Dan]

Well...he ate it, but only really when he had nothing else!

[Courtney]

Good job, Im glad he ate it. I know what you mean about fruits and veggies. Boomer is fussy, he's never had them before so he's really picky but I keep offering. He eats some.

[Aprilrain]

Skeet wouldn't eat any of his veggies when I first started making them up for him. I make up a bunch of steamed veggies about once every couple weeks which I partician in baggies, freeze and distribute. Half a baggie in the morning and half a baggie at night. I put it in the same bowl with some of his pellets. The first week he basically just threw everything out of the bowl. I just kept giving it to him every morning and every night, discarding the leftovers after a couple hours. By the third week I was running short and then I got sick and didn't make it to the store. So, he had an evening and morning with no veggies (just pellets). He wouldn't touch his pellets, just kept yelling at me to get him his veggies. The next day I got a whole mess of stuff (I put about 8 different veggies in the mix) and steamed it up for him. He basically went face first into the bowl when I set it out for him. The only fruit I put in the mix is a little banana. He likes apple and grapes but I use these mostly as treats. He won't touch any citris. He doesn't eat all the veggies. I had carrot bits in the first batch I made and he didn't eat them at all. Then the final day when I was running out of that batch I saw him eating just the carrot and nothing else. I figure he just gets in different moods so I offer a variety so he can pick what he wants. Now he eats almost all of it.

Skeet won't eat any "treats" though. I've gotten him a couple different kinds, but he doesn't want any of it. I finally found a jar that had some mango bits. He'll eat those, but won't eat any of the other bits in the jar. *sigh* How am I going to use treats for praise and training if he doesn't like any of it? :-)

If I could just somehow adjust the time he wants to wake up in the morning I think we'd be golden. I don't beleive the early bird gets the worm, but Skeet sure does.

[Courtney]

Try raisins, my birds go bananas over them and cranraisins.

[Dan]

There -- all the Avian Entrees is done! So from now on Martin will have to be content with the other foods.