Getting Your Bird To Eat Veggies!

By Pamela A. Thompson, Pet Advisor

Dear Pet Advisor: I have two pet cockatiels, and both refuse to eat vegetables. The only food they will eat besides seed is steamed rice. Could you tell me what vegetables cockatiels like the most? And, do you know of any techniques to get them eating these? 

This is a common question raised by many pet cockatiel owners. Your concern is genuine, as vegetables are an important part of a cockatiel's diet. Seed alone will not maintain long-term health.

If you have more than one cockatiel, they will learn from each other. It only takes one brave cockatiel to start nibbling on vegetables and the others will follow. Some of my bird's favorite vegetables include: corn, peas, carrots, spinach, collard greens, mustard greens, kale, endives, broccoli, cauliflower and sweet potatoes, with their favorite fruit being apples.

It is easiest to start offering vegetables to young cockatiels, as they are more eager and willing to try new foods. However, for the cockatiel that doesn't want anything to do with eating vegetables, here are a few suggestions:

Be Consistent - It is key to be consistent by offering vegetables EVERYDAY even if it is not eaten, and preferably at the same time of day. Equally important, offer the same type of vegetable until your bird has vigorously consumed it. Being consistent in this way helps to reinforce a routine that your bird will come to expect and look forward too.

Be Patience - Don't get discouraged and give up on your efforts. Keep in mind that some cockatiels are more stubborn or have particular food preferences, so it may take more time to convert them.

I would first suggest you try offering corn kernels (frozen, fresh or canned) as corn is a favorite of most cockatiels. Just mix the corn in with your bird's seed or in a separate dish. If the corn doesn't work over a period of time, simply try a different vegetable. Perhaps a fresh leafy green may be more appealing to your cockatiel.

 Some pet bird owners make mealtime a family affair, meaning they share their meals with their pet bird. Quite often the overzealous cockatiel will try to eat right off your plate. You can take advantage of this situation by making up a plate of vegetables and start eating or pretending to eat it yourself. More than likely, your cockatiel will try to get in on the goodies. Don't forget to over exaggerate with a lot of lip smacking noises.

If you've exhausted the above suggestions without success, you can try this approach which I stumbled on accidentally when sharing my recipe for corn bread muffins on the Internet. Pet cockatiel owners responded back to me saying that for the first time ever their cockatiels ate vegetables. The approach is simple -- we are hiding vegetables in corn bread the same as we would hide a dog's pill in the middle of a hotdog.

Here is my recipe which will take a half hour of your time and yields about three dozen:

• 6 boxes Jiffy Corn Bread mix. Follow the directions on the box with this change: include the entire egg (chop fine in a blender).
• Add to the corn bread mixture the following: 2 cups chopped spinach (or leafy green of your choice), one 16oz bag frozen corn, one 16oz bag frozen peas & carrots, and one can kidney beans (or beans of your choice - low in sodium preferred). Bake and Freeze.

Everyday you simply microwave one corn bread muffin for about one minute. Hot corn bread could burn your bird's mouth or crop so please make sure it is thoroughly cooled.

Let's not forget that the American Cockatiel Society also has a wonderful corn bread recipe that is often printed in the ACS magazine and can be found on the ACS website (acstiels.com).