IRN not eating fruits or nuts

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Davo84
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 12:15 am

IRN not eating fruits or nuts

Post by Davo84 »

Hi all,

My IRN has been with us for a week already and yet can't figure out what treats to give him when I am around or for training as he does not eat anything oter than seeds.

He grew up till now (9-10 monts) with seeds and I would like to provide him wih a healthier diet, but even today where I removed seeds for the whole day and left him with apple,banana,peanuts,hazelnuts, pecan nuts and almonds and he did not touch anything..of course jumped to the seeds straight away when given to him.
I am removing manually sunflower seeds but I am not sure what else should I do to figure out its favourite treats and provide him wi a better diet...
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: IRN not eating fruits or nuts

Post by MissK »

Eat the thing you want him to eat in front of him. Give it to others to eat in front of him. Offer him some from time to time as you are eating. Also, stick seeds on/in the softer food you want him to eat, such as banana, apple. Make it so he has to pick the seeds out. He will get some of the fruit in his mouth and have a chance to at least consider it.

For Rocky to learn to eat strawberries, I lined up my dogs in front of his cage. I had a bowl of little strawberry pieces. I ate them and shared them with the dogs - one for me, one for you, one for you, one for me - and when Rocky started to get really bothered over being left out, I gave him a little bit. He only just tasted a couple of bits, threw most of them, but the very next morning he was a bird who eats strawberries. You can use people or other birds for your behaviour models. I used dogs because that's what I had.

Try as I might, and the dogs and I ate more that I care to say, Rocky would not try pellets or greens until he saw other birds eating them. But, once other birds modeled eating pellets and greens, Rocky just began as if he had done it all his life.

Try it. You'll like it.
-MissK
-MissK
Skyes_crew
Posts: 1946
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Hawaii

Re: IRN not eating fruits or nuts

Post by Skyes_crew »

I completely agree with MissK. Ever here the saying curiosity killed the cat??? Well it should be curiosity killed the IRN. They will try anything they see someone or another animal eating. I'm ashamed to say I wasn't quite paying attention at supper one night and my boy took off with a piece of pork. Ate the whole darn thing. And all because he saw me eating it. Simply model what you want Charlie to eat. In no time you'll have a bird that will eat anything. Although...I still can't get Skye to eat kale lol.
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: IRN not eating fruits or nuts

Post by MissK »

Rocky loves kale. All it took was watching one Budgie take one bite of kale one time. Actually, all my birds eat kale, and it's sooo good for them.  Since I've kept birds, I eat more kale, too....... :lol:

-MissK
-MissK
Skyes_crew
Posts: 1946
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Hawaii

Re: IRN not eating fruits or nuts

Post by Skyes_crew »

My sun looooves kale. Well she loves everything actually lol. But Skye...sometimes he'll nibble it and sometimes he'll throw it around. I keep trying though. I mix it in with his broccoli hoping he'll get confused and eat it ;)

Oh BTW...Skye loves clover sprouts, but are radish sprouts ok for IRN's?
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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