My cockatiel struggles to eat fruits and veggies. What can I do?

Thanks for your question. I’m sorry to hear that pellets are not available in your area, as these are the most ideal diet for parrots. I’m not sure if you would have access to them via the internet or not? If this is not an option, I would recommend feeding vitamin A rich produce items, with a focus on vegetables. I’m not sure what is available in your area, but typically the dark leafy greens and brightly colored vegetables are good options. I would also feed calcium rich produce, again focusing on vegetables when possible. The reason for these is that seed mixes are often lacking in these two nutrients and it is common to see malnutrition and deficiencies because of this. For seeds, I would recommend feeding them in moderation - for a cockatiel they don’t need more than a couple of tablespoons offered to them per day. Try to transition the diet slowly, as birds can be challenging to introduce to new things. I would recommend weighing your bird 3-4 times per week during the transition as well to ensure that there is no excessive weight loss. You can get a digital gram scale online, or hopefully from a store in your area. They are typically in the kitchen section. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Without knowing how long you've had your bird, it would be hard to give more tailored recommendations. Birds can be very picky and afraid of new things at first, especially if you've recently purchased it. I would continue to offer a variety of items to let your bird get used to seeing them, etc, and give it a chance to finally sample some. Be sure to pick up anything spoiled and keep trying!

Thanks for all of your questions! You do not need to provide a cockatiel with grit - as a parrot, this material is not necessary for them to digest their food. For produce, I would recommend focusing on vegetables that are high in vitamin A and calcium - this is typically the brightly colored vegetables (such as bell peppers) and dark leafy greens. For fruits, ideally you would focus on tropical fruits, as they have more fiber and less sugar than our temperate fruits. These would include fruits such as mango and papaya. For feeding, I would recommend feeding 60-70% pellets, 20% vegetables, 5% fruit, and 5% seeds. An average cockatiel can be offered about 1/4 of food per day - some birds spill more than others so this would just be a place to start and you can then increase or decrease as needed. We want them to be eating portions of each food item, so don't offer too much food, or they will just pick out what they like (typically the seeds and fruit). You can offer multiple bowls of water - often cockatiels will bathe in one and drink from the other. Tap water is acceptable, as long as it is safe for you to be drinking as well. You don't need to offer insects, as the diet that I outlined above is nutritionally complete. I hope that answers all of your questions, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

All you can do is offer her veggies, if she eats them or not is completely up to her, you can't force her eating something she doesn't' want to eat. birds on seed diet will often prefer seeds only, which is another good reason to switch to bird pellets.

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.

Thanks for reaching out about Akio. You are correct in that sunflower seeds and corn are a terrible diet for birds, the equivalent of drinking cooking oil and eating white bread. No vitamins, minerals, protein and other essential nutrients. Try measuring what you place in the bowl every morning, say 4 tablespoons. The next morning, same time, measure what is left over, say 2 tablespoons. Therefore he is consuming 2 T a day. Offering 1 tablespoon in morning, and one in early evening. In a second bowl, offer human food (vegetables, some fruit, pasta, beans, whatever). Eating your food in front of him, offering by hand or visualize you placing in the food bowl. Give it time. Trust and persistence is the issue. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Sophie. Vegetables are more important than fruit. Try limiting the seed offered so that the food bowl will be empty a few hours after offered. Ensure a second bowl with vegetables and other offerings is within reach at all times. More seed can then be offered later in the day. If a bird is bonded to your and sees you eating something, then offer it to them. Good luck.