Food Shuffle Drama With 2 of My Greys!

[Sashagirl]

As everyone knows I have a flock of birds.Well this has been ongoing with 2 of my Greys Yoyo and Sinbad.No matter what food you put in their bowl they both do what I call the food shuffle drama.Where they take all the food from the bowls and throw it to the bottom of the cage.By the end of the week there is so much uneaten food wasted.They'll eat some but the majority of it wasted.They refuse to eat nuts whether unshelled or shelled,pellets,fresh food etc.It's driving my husband and I crazy.Any suggestions?

[too&me]

I would try putting the bowls down low so they go down to feed anyway. It is natural for a bird to waste a great deal of food, in the wild they help distribute food from the tree tops to the forest floor for the wildlife dwelling there. Maybe it would help to feed less at a time but more often? Or separate the types of food into different containers so they don't have to dig to get what they are looking for.

[Sashagirl]

I would try putting the bowls down low so they go down to feed anyway. It is natural for a bird to waste a great deal of food, in the wild they help distribute food from the tree tops to the forest floor for the wildlife dwelling there. Maybe it would help to feed less at a time but more often? Or separate the types of food into different containers so they don't have to dig to get what they are looking for.

I'm already feeding them less at a time.We give them separate food in different containers.I even tried placing their food in a container down low and they wouldn't touch the food it stayed there all day until I threw it away.When I give them fruits and vegetables they touch them but only to throw them out of the bowls.I even went as far as putting food on a plate and putting it low but nothing.
These two have been with me for about 4-6 months.I'm stumped they are beyond picky eaters.

[FoxersArtist]

Have you tried taking them out of their cages for mealtime? Have them sit at the dinner table with you and watch you eat what you are eating.

I agree that birds love to fling food everywhere and this is natural and unavoidable. As long as we are changing birdy papers daily and putting papers on top of the grate, I don't worry too much when a bird (like benny boy) flings all of his food out of the bowl before going to eat it on the newspaper above his grate. This could be a sanitary issue if the birds cage is always dirty, but my guy is pretty clean. I would certainly offer less food in the bowl at a time and feed them more frequently...also, if they are wasting that much, maybe they are being fed too much. Sometimes picky habits can be cured when suddenly there is no longer an abundance of food. Do make sure that they are continuing to eat though. Good luck.
-Anna

[birdie]

have you tried putting fresh veggies on a bird kabob? Broccoli is a good one for that.
you could put a few seeds in a dish and push the broccoli on it to stick the seeds in there for the birds to pick out. {did that make any sense?} or how about some cauliflower? you could also alternate some red & green pepper slices to see if you get any interest.

[Sashagirl]

have you tried putting fresh veggies on a bird kabob? Broccoli is a good one for that.
you could put a few seeds in a dish and push the broccoli on it to stick the seeds in there for the birds to pick out. {did that make any sense?} or how about some cauliflower? you could also alternate some red & green pepper slices to see if you get any interest.

Thanks I will try the bird kabobs.Maybe that will work with some of my other picky eaters.You just don't know how much food we are wasting on a daily basis.I never met a bird that doesn't like nuts,fruit,veggies.I think their diet was very limited.I guess I have some more shopping to do.:o

[Birdlover]

I really like the kabob idea :) Just about all the greys I have known have been good food tossers... almost as bad as my Toos, LOL. Its hard to see the waste but persistance really does pay off. My little MRHA (Phlare) was on a seed only diet most of his life. Putting veggies and pellets in his dishes went untouched for a long time... until one day he finally tried it and liked it. I think sometimes preparing it in different ways helps (ie, the size of the veggie wether its cut tiny or a big chunk can make a difference. My guys seem to like carrots big so they can hold them. Also if they are able to see the other birds (or you) eating something they wont touch, that can really help too. the food my guys toss gets fed to the wild birds outside. I think they eat better than most of my guys, LOL.

[Chrissy and Flock]

I never met a bird that doesn't like nuts,fruit,veggies.I think their diet was very limited.I guess I have some more shopping to do.:o

I have one Casper, I am happy if she just tastes what I give her. Some days she will and some days she won't. She will eat brocoli sometimes, she used to eat it everytime I gave it to her but now she won't.... go figure.:confused:

[too&me]

Harry & the Tiels help feed the wildlife in my backyard too. The Budgies don't waste as much.

[Sashagirl]

All my Eclectus are birdie vacuum cleaners give it to them and they eat just about everything.That's their daily ritual eating food.:D

[Gen120]

OO...I will have to try the kabob with my fids!:)