Last Updated on February 16, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

I recently was very excited to purchase TOPS birdseed.

 

Well, no matter what I do, will my 40-year-old Yellow-headed Panamanian Parrot eat any of this seed.

 

A lot of money wasted again.

(By the way; the wild birds won’t eat it either)!!!!

 

He will not eat pellets either (I have purchased several different kinds usually top quality and very expensive.

 

Since we got him in Panama at 10 days old he has always eaten human food.

 

I believe him to be healthy, shiny and has a balanced diet of (Potpie chicken with the peas and carrots) fed by hand; fresh spinach, broccoli, carrots, apples, kale and occasional orange or other fruit that he will eat.

 

 

 

Once in a while he will eat some of my breakfast egg.

 

He has fresh water, only 1/4 c. of sunflower seed a day, mixed crackers with low sodium, along with that bowl of pellets with a few cashews and very few Reece’s Pieces, which he may like once in a while.

 

Please can you tell me to quit wasting all my money trying to get him to eat all this stuff that people say he should eat? Thanks.

 

UIla

 

Dear UIla

 

First off, don’t fix what is working for you.

 

You say your bird has been eating the foods you mention all its life and is healthy.

 

Why did you decide to change it?

 

There will always be products available to consider, all touting good nutrition, etc.

 

But you don’t have to buy them unless you feel your bird needs more than you are doing.

 

There are no pellet trees in the wild. They are not natural to birds.

 

They chose to eat them usually because they have no choice.

 

The best pellet is the one your bird will eat.

Period.

But if you can’t get anywhere with them, don’t make your life any more difficult.

 

I would stop feeding Reeses Pieces.

 

Chocolate is toxic to birds.

 

If you must give him candy, consider a half a Skittle.

 

Also, not the best but so much better than chocolate.

 

Regards,

Catherine