Introducing New Teils to fruits and veggies?

[RDH1]

I recently adopted several cockateils who their previous owner had kept on a seed only diet I am trying to improve their diet and give them fruits and vegeatables I have tried mny times of fresh fruits and vegetables which they are reluctant to eat however they will eat Nutri-Berries....How do I get them to eat the fruits and veggies that I offer?

[sunnyvmx]

It's true, tiels don't really like fruit, but when I make birdie mash I may put in apple. In the food processor I chop up several different veggies with hard boiled egg and whole wheat bread. I put in a chili once and licked the spoon. Only did that once. Fresh chopped chili pepper is HOT. Pepe gets a bowl of mash each morning until noon and then he gets pellets until 4 and then I put in his cup of seeds. In this way I know he's eating a balanced diet all day. I tried freezing the mash because I make way to much each time and it defrosted too wet even though he ate it, but not as much as when it's fresh. It will last at least 4 days in the fridge. Now I share it with my neighbors 4 parrots.

[RDH1]

What are the best items to put in this "mash" and can I feed it to my Green Cheek Conure and Parolette as well? Can it be made in a food blender as I don't have a food processor?

[Marrie]

You can try "just veggies" - or any dehydrated veggie that has no additives/preservatives. Also be sure to try different stuff, my tiel responds best to sweet veggies, like peas, corn, sweet potato. A lot of birds have texture issues with fresh foods if they were on seeds, which is wet food is scary! For my baby I have to actually take a paper towel and dry off each leaf of greens etc. There are also mixtures you can buy to get them used to eating other foods which makes introducing new foods easier, such as beak appetit or krazy korn mashes. If all else fails, veggies hidden into birdie bread is a good trick. And remember birds are flock animals, so if you eat it, they are more likely to wanna try! (just keep your germs off their pieces)

[RDH1]

I spent the evening preparing Mash "Balls" coated on the outside with oats and letting them firm up over night in the fridge before I serve them in the morning hopefully this will take care of the wetness issue.
Into the mix I put two diffrent types of peppers , turnip greens, sweet potatoes,Tomatoes,cooked eggs with the shells for calcium and threw in a bannana for fruit. hopefully they'll enjoy it in the morning.

[sunnyvmx]

The last mash had broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, hard boiled egg, red bell pepper and whole wheat bread. Pepe likes it crumbly so I don't use wet items like tomatoes or bananas or press it together. The blender may work, but pulse it into a rough chop, don't make into a paste. Sometimes I add nuts to the mix. My neighbors large amazon parrots gobble it up and my fish like a little too. I know I call it a mash, but really it's just a fine chop crumble mixture. Pepe washes his beak off in his water cup so I change that when I exchange the fresh food for pellets at noon.

[maxollie]

Thanks for all of the great ideas for feeding veggies and fruits to your fids! I'm going to give them a try!!

[RDH1]

Success,.....I went to the store and purchased a small food processor and made a mash out of just sweet potatoes and cucumbers and formed it into a ball and lightly covered with seeds.
Upon placing the mixture into my cockateils food bowl for the first time they ate the mash balls so now they have offically eaten veggies for the first time.

[clawnz]

But my two cents re trying new foods.

First yes tiels are not that keen on fruit or wet foods.
But is saying that the breeder I just got Snowy off said they give their Tiels apple slices which they do eat. And when shipping they put a slice of apple in the box with a bit of millet spray. This gives the birds a bit of moisture if they need it on the trip.
With new foods it can be how to present them, that just may swing them into try something.
Sweetcorn, Fresh sprouted Mung Beans, Peas, Silverbeet, Kale, Broccoli, Carrots, are just a few that may work for you.