The new tiel and questions

[Angeldove]

Okay, the 4 month old tiel has come home and is settling in over the last couple of days.

I kept the parakeet outside the cage looking in for awhile until they got used to each other and then let them on their own get together while I watched.

They did the usual first encounter with some tail pulling and quick pecks and then immediately settled in and was soon sleeping side by side on the perch.

I found out that the pet store had only had the tiel 2 weeks, so I'm not sure what the bird had previously been eating. But, I do have what the pet store has been feeding it the last 2 weeks.

The thing is, the tiel doesn't seem much interested in anything that is in her feeder cup, except the sunflower seeds - but, she adores the parakeet's seed in his cup.

Would this mean that maybe the pet store had just fed her what they wanted and maybe it is not what she has been fed previously?

As we speak, the tiel is eating the parakeet's food and the parakeet is trying his best to eat the tiel's food!

[Marrie]

If you have a good quality keet mix, it's nearly the same as a tiel mix, sunflowers aren't that great anyway (very fatty) so I prefer the no-su0n fl0ower mixes with sunflowers as a treat anyway so I can control it - so the keet mix is fine. My tiel is on a seed/pellet mix and he prefers the keet pellets because they are smaller. Be sure to introduce fresh foods to the tiel when you can though, they need more than just seeds in their diet. It may be reluctant to try anything new for a bit, but just keep at it and try different ways of presenting the veggies.

[Angeldove]

What are some good things to try and introduce to her and how would you introduce them?

Thanks in advance!

BTW, I tried to click the thanks button, but it wouldn't let me.

[Marrie]

I am not sure why the thanks button doesn't work sometimes, I get an error occasionally too.

Broccoli, sweet potato and sweet corn are my tiels favorites. You can try kale, romaine, snow peas, etc though as well. How to introduce best is to do it early in the morning, before he's had breakfast and take the seeds out for about an hour (don't keep it away too long, as they do need to eat often) and supply the veggies - you can do a birdy kabob and hang it as a toy, or put it in his bowl chopped, or a plate and pretend to eat it yourself (if you take a piece or two they usually get curious). Different ways work with different birds.

For example: my tiel likes carrots (baby) whole, not chopped - broccoli should be floret and held so he can pick all the little green bulbs off - sweet potato in tiny cubes - sweet corn works any way - leafy greens should be washed, then dried with a paper towel since he hates to get his beak wet - peas have to be taken out of the shell in front of him and handed to him one by one. How you present is as important as what you present.

Another thing you can try is a bird mash - beak appetit or crazy corn make pre-made mixes or you could try making your own. Cinnamon is pretty popular with tiels.

[Angeldove]

Thank you so much!

Should all these things be raw and not cooked?

Also, do you try and offer vegetables every day?

[Marrie]

Raw or cooked, whichever the bird prefers Raw will give more nutrients, but some birds prefer them cooked so better they eat them than not.

You should offer veggies daily, yes. You want to do a variety though, since too much of certain ones can cause issues - IE: too much sweet potato or corn can cause yeast from sugar content, too much spinach or parsley can cause the calcium to bind inside them (kidney stones), too much romaine can cause runny droppings due to water content, etc. Moderation is key in all foods, from seed to a specific veggie. So like one day it will be sweet potato and broccoli, the next it's parsley and romaine, the next maybe some bok choy and cilantro. Things you should NOT feed them are avocado, rhubarb, anything chocolate, salty foods, onion, anything with caffeine in it and any toxic plants / seeds.

[Angeldove]

Thank you again!