My new cockatiel is a picky eater. How do I get it to try new foods?

If at first you don't succeed, try try again! Patience and retrying are your best bets. Birds can be picky eaters, and sometimes it takes several introductions of the same thing over and over before they decide to try (and like) it! You may want to try introducing those treats again at different intervals or times of day to see if they eventually start to check it out. In some cases, a bird may never be interested in it, especially if they weren't exposed to it when they were younger, and as long as they have a balanced diet otherwise, that is OK- toys or attention can work great for enrichment as well!

It is possible your bird is eating and drinking while you aren't watching. He may be nervous in his new environment and feel uncomfortable eating while you are around. Be sure he is in a quiet environment where he can be left alone for periods to adjust to his new life. I would also try to find out what food he was eating before he came and get that exact food as some birds are very particular and don't like change/will refuse to eat new foods.

Thanks for reaching out about your birds. Since they are new arrivals to your home, it is probably stress. Try offering some treats, as in bread or pasta, in a try to stimulate appetite. If continues to be anorexic, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

Ten days is a bit soon to expect your new bird to trust you fully. It takes time and patience to get him used to you, and he is likely still settling into his new place. I would give him some more time to settle in and just spend time talking to him, or placing a treat in his cage every time you come by. Once Zucchini is more comfortable with you just being around, you can then start to offer food from your hands, and work up from there. If at any time he becomes too nervous or scared, giving him a break and trying again later can help.

Thanks for reaching out again .If not used to hand feeding, they will rarely take it at this age. If different from the food offered at the pet store, contact the store for the same food. Provide heat support in the 80-85 f range can give some comfort. Good luck.

Birds are very messy eaters. If Tam is trying good other than seeds it's likely she is ingesting some of it. Seed is not a great diet for pet birds bc they will pick and chose what they like most and not get a balanced diet. It's like letting kids pick between candy or vegetables. I recommend trying to switch her more to a pellet based diet and continue to offer veggies and fruit and small amounts of other foods. Here are some articles that may help introduce new foods. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cockatiels-feeding http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/education/ https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/bird-food-guide/

First of all don't do it right away, wait at least a couple months and let her settle in her new place. then you can start to gradually switch her to pellets. you should do it within about 10 days. first day start with 10% pellets and 90% seeds, second day 20% pellets and so on until it's only pellets.