The Specialists
in Bird Nutrition |
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One of the most common
questions we receive is simply: "How do I get my
pet bird to switch from it's current food, to a
more healthy diet of Roudybush?" There are
several answers to this
question:
INTRODUCING BIRDS TO PELLETS OR
CRUMBLES: Most birds are creatures of habit and
will choose foods that look most familiar to
them. Converting your bird to Roudybush is
mainly a matter of convincing your bird that it
is food. There are several methods that can
be used; choose the one that is most appropriate
for your bird. The most important factor in
switching your bird to Roudybush is your
determination that it will eat a nutritious,
balanced diet. Your bird may initially act as if
it does not like the Roudybush, but imagine a
child that you are trying to convert from a diet
of snack foods, candy and ice cream to a lower
fat, healthy diet; it is a similar situation.
Once your bird makes the transition you will
find that it enthusiastically eats Roudybush.
1)
Instinctual. The
instinctual method can be used with a healthy
bird that you can only monitor irregularly. It
takes advantage of your parrot's instinct to eat
at the highest location possible. It allows your
bird access to its normal food while providing
you the opportunity to know exactly what food it
is eating. Place the bird's familiar dish in a
low part of its cage. Put your bird's old food
in this dish. Fill a similar dish with Roudybush
pellets and place it in a higher part of the
cage and be sure to place all water sources near
this dish. Since the bird prefers eating from
the higher dish, it will try the new food and
start eating it. Eventually, Roudybush pellets
will be the main food eaten by your bird. When
the amount of food disappearing from the bottom
dish is reduced to less than 10% of the food
disappearing from the higher dish, try removing
the lower dish from the cage. After removal of
the lower dish, monitor your bird to be sure it
is eating as described in 2
below.
2)
Controlled. This method may be
used with a very finicky, difficult to
switch bird that is starting out at a
good weight. It is generally the quickest,
easiest method for switching most birds. Do not
use this method on a thin bird, sick bird, or a
bird you cannot monitor. Remove the old food
and replace it with Roudybush. Clean the
cage at the time of the switch and line it with
paper. Do not use corncob or other litter
because you won't be able to monitor the
droppings well. Watch your bird's droppings or
weigh your bird daily. When a bird isn't eating,
the droppings will be very small and the green
part will be very dark green, almost black. Or
you may see a lot of urine (liquid) but almost
no green part, which means your bird is filling
up on water and not eating much. Give nothing
but Roudybush for two full days for small
species or three days for larger species. If at
the end of this period your bird's droppings
indicate it isn't eating, put your bird back on
its old diet for 7 days, and then repeat the
switching process. Most birds will convert the
first time, and those that won't switch the
first time usually switch the second time. If
you can weigh your bird, keep your bird on
Roudybush unless it loses more than 3% of its
body weight. At that point, put your bird back
on its old diet for one week then repeat the
switch process, weighing your bird at the start
of the switch. Disappearance of food from the
dish is not a reliable way of determining if
your bird is eating. Most birds will spill the
new food out of the dish, looking for familiar
foods.
3)
Gradual Introduction.
This method is best for a bird
that is likely to try new foods or a
bird that cannot be monitored carefully.
Mix the Roudybush into your bird's normal diet,
3/4 of the original diet with 1/4 of the
Roudybush pellets or crumbles. Gradually
increase the proportion of Roudybush over a 3-4
week period. When you have reached the point
where 3/4 of the diet is Roudybush, clean your
bird's cage and line it with paper. Watch
the droppings to make sure your bird is
eating. Small, very dark droppings indicate that
your bird is not eating. If that is the
case, add back more of your bird's old diet
until the droppings return to normal.
Continue increasing the proportion of Roudybush
more slowly, watching the
droppings.
4)
Handfeed as a treat. Some birds
will eat almost anything they think you are
eating. Act as if you are eating the Roudybush
then offer some to your bird. This can be
sufficient to teach your bird that Roudybush is
food. Then the old food can be
replaced with Roudybush. Again, watch
the droppings when you make the
complete switch.
5) Soak
the Roudybush in juice. Some birds like
moist foods and like certain fruits or fruit
juices. Putting a bowl of pellets soaked in
orange juice, apple juice, or fruit nectars may
entice such a bird to eat the pellets. If this
method is used make sure you only leave the
soaked pellets in the cage for an hour or so to
prevent spoilage. Once the bird is eating the
soaked pellets, gradually decrease the amount of
juice. | | | | | |
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