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| Nutrition Articles |
a number of trials before your bird may even sample such items. The trick is not to give up after a few days,
or a few weeks. Be creative when offering fresh produce. Some cockatiels enjoy their greens served dripping
wet in bunches, so they can waddle through them before eating, just as do their wild counterparts of
Australia enjoying the wet grasses after a rainfall. Others relish their greens when hung creatively over
branches and perches so they may work at nibbling the tasty offering.
One method to entice companion cockatiels to sample fresh produce is to fasten the greens into, or next to,
the main feed cup. By placing produce near their favorite food source, the birds are more likely to sample, or
at worst, move them out of the way with their beaks, thus end up tasting them. However, never make it
difficult for your birds to reach their normal food source since starvation could have fatal consequences.
Usually, the younger the bird, the easier it is to train to accept new foods. If you have another bird already
trained to eat fresh produce, then use this bird as your "teacher bird." Once the untrained bird watches the
experienced bird enjoy his fruits and vegetables, it usually doesn't take long before he samples the same
items. It may take several trials, but the work is worth the wait, knowing you are providing the best your bird
deserves.
Provide fresh produce on a daily basis, until all your birds are regularly sampling these healthy items. It may
take some time to train your birds to eat fresh produce, but once you do, you'll experience the bird owner's
joy of watching your birds at their best.
or a few weeks. Be creative when offering fresh produce. Some cockatiels enjoy their greens served dripping
wet in bunches, so they can waddle through them before eating, just as do their wild counterparts of
Australia enjoying the wet grasses after a rainfall. Others relish their greens when hung creatively over
branches and perches so they may work at nibbling the tasty offering.
One method to entice companion cockatiels to sample fresh produce is to fasten the greens into, or next to,
the main feed cup. By placing produce near their favorite food source, the birds are more likely to sample, or
at worst, move them out of the way with their beaks, thus end up tasting them. However, never make it
difficult for your birds to reach their normal food source since starvation could have fatal consequences.
Usually, the younger the bird, the easier it is to train to accept new foods. If you have another bird already
trained to eat fresh produce, then use this bird as your "teacher bird." Once the untrained bird watches the
experienced bird enjoy his fruits and vegetables, it usually doesn't take long before he samples the same
items. It may take several trials, but the work is worth the wait, knowing you are providing the best your bird
deserves.
Provide fresh produce on a daily basis, until all your birds are regularly sampling these healthy items. It may
take some time to train your birds to eat fresh produce, but once you do, you'll experience the bird owner's
joy of watching your birds at their best.
endive
| Check list for vegetables high in Vitamin A carrots with tops yams hot & chili peppers dandelion greens collard greens sprouts kale spinach pumpkin squash sweet potato turnip greens Swiss chard mustard greens broccoli escarole/chicory beet greens bok choy |
| DANGER! Never feed birds avocado or fruit pits such as cherry pits, nectarine pits, etc., which are TOXIC! ~ THOROUGHLY WASH all fruits & vegetables before serving to remove any possibility of pesticides! |
| Check list for fruits high in Vitamin A mangos cantaloupe persimmons apricots nectarines papayas tomatoes peaches |
| Parsley contains essential amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. ~ Comfrey is the only plant with Vitamin B12 ~ Corn is relished by all birds |
Swiss chard
sliced peppers
beet root and tops
carrot and tops
corn on the cob
broccoli
| Feeding Fresh Fruits and Vegetables ~ continued ©1999Linda S. Rubin SPBE & CF Panel Judge All Photos and Articles “All Rights Reserved” by Author. Written permission from author required for reprints. First published in the August 1999 issue of BIRD TIMES magazine. |
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