Pionus diet question

[Jessica51703]

My four year pionus has all of sudden switched her taste..?? I have had her since she was born.... Nothing has changed for her in the last four years.. she will be a part of our family forever.. I love her to pieces.. I was changing her food & water like every other normal day with my kids, when we noticed that she was tossing out all of her pellets and dried friuts.. plus any pasta that I buy her or make plus any veggies, she still will pick at fresh fruits but will toss them after awhile?:confused: Basically she will now only eat THE SEEDS!! She loves to watch us eat at the dinner table and practically begs for food !! Do I have a spoiled bird? Or does it sounds like she has something else going on, I just want to make sure that she stays healthy and that she maintains a good diet to keep growing.. So what can I do to get her to eat her pellets, dried fruits and veggies? Or should I just start to add supplements until she realizes that she isn't going to get food from the table..?? Or may there be something else going on... hmm lemme know what ya' ll think thank's....

[Von L]

Jessica,

Why not give her food from the table? Or, more accurately, some of the same food you are having, just without any of the additional salt, etc that you may add at the table. As long as you are eating good foods, they are also good for her (except for avacodo and chocolate). My avian vet told me a story about an elderly woman who was about 85, and who owned a parrot that had been her grandmother's when she was small, so the parrot was elderly as well. My vet complimented her on the health of her bird, and she "sheepishly" admitted that she didn't feed him the way she was supposed to. She told my vet that she always let him share her meals at the table even though she was sure she shouldn't, because he always wanted whatever she was eating, and she just couldn't help spoiling him because she loved him so. My vet told her that without knowing it, she had been doing the very best thing she could have for her bird, and that if she had been feeding him the all seed diet that was believed to be correct when she first got the bird,he would have been dead years ago. My point is, as long as you are eating nutritious foods, one of the best ways to get your bird to eat a wide variety of foods is to let her eat some of the same things you are. After all, you're her flock. She wants to eat the same things you do.

Yvonne

[dlaura]

I agree with Yvonne 100%. Our birds eat dinner with us too. We give them some of whatever we have -- only usually in their individual bowls in their cages. We have 4 and since our son has grown up we usually find ourselves in front of the TV eating. The birds are also in the family room so they all feel like they are eating with us. In the morning before I rush off to work all the birds get fresh seed and water. They eat on that during the day and then dinner/snacks with us. If they didn't like what we had for dinner or are still hungry they will eat on their seed or fruit/nut mix that I give them later at night around 8 o'clock.

[Jessica51703]

she can have everything at our table LOL... she is too funny she sits on the egde and just stares... with these big liquidy eyes I'm saying NO STEP DOWN EMMA... maybe she is just protesting her seat at the table finally, well maybe I will kick over the high chairs tonight, and see if she will eat her share of food... lol GOSH, I LOVE MY FAMILY, thanks for the info.. hopefully this will work if not I let ya know... my bird goes to every room too, I'm a stay at home mom so she interacts with the family all day I wonder if she realizes she has wings (or if my kids realizes they don't have wings?) LOL...

[Magnum]

Our birds eat with us too. Every night while I am cooking they know what's up........lol. Luther is impatient and can't sit still and wait, so he jibber jabbers with anticipation. Boo-Let will talk to me and keep me company. Sometimes she will tell Luther, "It's almost done". He doesn't listen....he will keep jabbering. They love supper time, and it helps us to eat healthier too.;)

[Jessica51703]

ok so emma ate with at us at supper. I dunno who was more happy to have her at the table the kids,her or myself.. lol.. she wouldnt even stand at her own plate and eat lol.. my kids laughed so hard!! she marched around to each on of us stood around the edge eyeballing everything turning her head in all different directions to see if we had something better on our plates.. lol once she realized we all had the SAME thing as her.. she was pretty comfy to plaster me and my 14 month old and four year with the delights of supper the kids where squaking with excitement... she was really happy and cleaning herself when she got into her cage, she really didnt eat the much dinner just threw it, but I think she was proud of her seat more than anything LOL...HEHE..:) thats my girl... YOU GUYS ARE SOOO SMART!!! Hopefully this little thing will work and my little spoiled birdy will be happy now.. I dunno why I didnt think of it like that, gosh I mean she even loves to take a regular shower, why wouldnt she want to sit at our table and eat DUH?? I guess when she goes to bed to eat I assumed she wanted her quiet time, guess not or maybe she growing out of it? Its so hard to tell with birds I have never had a parrot to grow old with if you know what I mean.. ttys

[Von L]

LOL...I can just see her marching around, making sure everything was fair! :D I'm glad she was so happy with the opportunity...and I bet she managed to eat more than it seemed like. Just like a toddler...lots of mess, but still plenty in the tummy...lol. It sounds like Emma is a very lucky bird, and very well loved! :p

Yvonne

[Magnum]

LOL........I got a great chuckle over Emma's supper time story.......Hahahahaha! Pretty soon she is going to sound like my Luther or Boo-Let "is it done yet?" LMBO!!:D

[Jessica51703]

I know seriously!! I feel like ACE VENTURA aka pet detective when I open popcorn, my bird flys in my cat runs on the the couch, and my dog is in my lap not to mention the to little ones on each side of me!!! I swear I have extra animals in there coming out of the woodwork that aren't mine!! LOL... My horse would be REALLY HAPPY is he could get in the house about than hahah... so would my kids... I dunno what the hubby would think about all them swishing into the bed.??? :) lol... could you picture a 1200lb horse (on a white rug hehe)...