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In general budgies can be picky eaters. For some reason these parrots are stubborn and it takes time to incorporate new foods into their diet. It is even more difficult as they get older. The best time to incorporate and expose them to new foods is when they are young preferably when they are being weaned.
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Many owners make the mistake of feeding their budgies only seeds. Not only is this bad for a pet budgie, but the budgie may never reach its full optimal health because of the lack of exposure to more healthy foods. This lack of a varied diet for the bird will cause serious problems in the future and the budgie can potentially develop all sorts of ailments because of a poor diet.
For example, generally many parrots have a deficiency of vitamin A and suffer a great deal because of this lack. Feeding a bird pellets is a great way to supplement for this deficiency and even more important that a bird not just be fed seeds.
Pellets should never be given to a budgie if it has not had time to adjust to them. Many owners will make the mistake of placing just pellets into the cage and expect their budgies to eat them. Though an owner’s intentions are good, this can be a fatal mistake as many budgies will refuse to eat them at first and many will die as a result of starvation.
So how can the budgie learn to eat pellets? It is being consistent with the bird’s healthy diet and being patient as new foods are introduced. Many budgies will at first disregard the pellets placed into the cage. The pellets can be placed by the food bowls or the water dish. At first the budgie may decide to occasionally pick at them out of curiosity. Once the budgie shows the slightest interest with the pellets, the owner can then begin mixing a teaspoon of pellets into its seeds on a daily basis. If the budgie is already eating fruits and vegetables, a few pellets can be sprinkled on top. This constant exposure with other food items helps the budgie to identify the pellets as something that is edible.
As the weeks pass, the ratio of pellets and seeds should gradually change. More pellets should be added and the seeds slowly phased out. This gradual shift will help the budgie adjust to its pellets. The owner must remain consistent with this approach.
If the budgie is still not that keen on trying the pellets the owner can try a new blend of pellets. Some are shaped differently, come in different colors, and have different tastes that a pet budgie may prefer. It is important the owner find one that sparks the bird’s curiosity as this will make the transition from seeds to pellets easier. It also important to know that some pellets may die the droppings of the parakeet. This is totally normal and the owner should not worry.
Owners who have tame budgies may have an easier time in getting their bird to eat the pellets and new foods because this birds are usually very interested in what their owners eat. Many owners can pretend to eat the pellets and the budgie will take notice. The owner can then offer their budgie some pellets to see if they will eat them. If the budgie does not like the consistency the owner may wish to moisten them up a bit as this makes the pellets more alluring and may be more edible to the bird.
Owners need to realize that all birds are different and some may take longer than others to accept the new foods. Pellets are a foreign food item and are not natural to a budgie. For this reason alone, budgies need time to adjust and get used to the shapes and colors of pellets. The owners who are consistent with providing their pet budgie with healthy and new foods will eventually reap the rewards of having a not-so-picky bird and also a more healthy and long-living bird.
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