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| Question about Pets:How do I let my parakeets eat fruits and veggies? |
First of all, budgies (parakeets) are ground feeders in the wild. You can use this to your advantage by introducing new foods to them on the ground. Start by putting clean paper across the bottom of their cage to give them a safe eating surface. Get a few leaves of spinach or a sprig of fresh parsley of mint. Dampen the leaves and then lay them on the floor of the cage, on the paper. Sometimes the birds will rub themselves against the leaves to bathe and will end up eating them. Other times they will just begin eating them. Once they have come to realize that the leaves are not bad for them, they will continue to eat them and you can feed them hung from a clothespin on the side of the cage instead of on the floor. Spinach leaves or carrot greens are very, very good foods for birds, as are kale, chard, or herbs like mint, cilantro, or parsley.
You can try a similar approach with apples, carrots, and peas. Serve them on the floor of the cage first until the birds are eating them, and from then on they can be hung in the cage or served in food dishes. Remember to just leave the food on the floor for a short time so it won't get soiled. Apples, carrots, and peas are all good foods, although the apple and carrot have more sugar than the leafy vegetables do.
Another tool that you have is the fact that all parrots, including budgies (parakeets) are social eaters. This means two things. First, if any one of the birds begins eating a new food, it is likely that the others will join in. Second, if the birds see you eating something, they will be more likely to try it.
Be patient and stick with it. They will convert to a better diet if you are patient. They will grow to love the variety of good foods and will live longer, healthier lives.
Good luck.
http://www.companionparrot.com/healthy%2...
I have 20+ years experience with all sizes of parrots, have fostered and rehabilitated 50+ rescued parrots, taught classes in parrot care, and currently live with 7 parrots.
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