Lisa Shea Forums Parakeets Health and Medical Issues Switching to better food - Parakeet not eating

Hi everyone,
I came home from a week with my daughter and found my 6 year old parakeet not eating his food. He was sitting around puffed up and trying to eat often. Just seemed like he couldn't eat the food (Kmart Hartz Parakeet seed). I gave him some millet, which he ate and some broccoli flowers, which he also ate. He would sit at his food dish and try to eat the Hartz seed, but couldn't seem to. He seemed starved. I weighed him and he had gone from 1.4 oz to 1.1 oz. Since this is a big weight loss, I contacted the only vet near here who sees birds. He's the vet for a raptor rehabilitation center here. I took my bird to see him today and he examined him, found no lumps, trimmed his beak a little, looked in his mouth, checked his crop, made sure he can drink water by putting some in his mouth, and said there's nothing obviously wrong. He told me to put him on Harrison's organic bird food. I bought some and am wondering how to get him to eat it. Any suggestions? It is "super fine food for Budgies" and is about the size of millet seed. He picks at it and doesn't really like it that much. I'm really worried about the weight loss. The vet said that he would contact an avian vet who is a friend of his and see if he has any other ideas. The avian vet is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from me. I'll take him if I have to but am hoping to get Cheerio to eat the new food and gain some weight. Any suggestions to get him to eat it will be appreciated!

i know your concerned but i have to laugh at KMART HARTZ SEED ...that maybe very old and stale seed and your bird is smart enough to know SOMETHING JUST SMELLS FUNNY ...wont hurt to try a GOOD quality seed diet but stay away where possible any seed with food coloring added (fortified claims) and simply purchase seeds without that and THEY ARE OUT THERE...also organic grains AND AGAIN they are out there...also at KMART in the pet section its my understanding they have a BOBS RED MILL GRAINS LINE which i feed to my bird...with no issues...such as steel cut oats/groats/barley/flax so on and so forth...pick up a bag of those and try mixing it in with some regular basic budgie seed mix..which you can also find all this stuff online thru ebay.

also disenfect all your food cups often with some ACV especially now where the bird is acting like this...and there is plenty of pros and cons on seed diets vs pellets and its been beaten to death in here enough recently and i dont personally approve of pellets AT ALL...just as there are those who dont approve of a ..as they say...all seed diet..well here is a shocker ..neither do i...however, i wont feed all pellets or ANY pellet and do feed a healthy mix of orgranic grains herbs/spices and some fresh veggies...so the seed mix I DEVELOPED isnt STRAIGHT SEED as so many like to keep pointing a finger at AT ALL...but they dont realize this either as they dont have my seed mix info....giggle...

and ive recently given that seed mix recipe out to at least a dozen in here who are now on it with GREAT REVIEWS and no negatives at all...so there ya go...its all what you choose. Its all about balance and ratios of what you feed too its a nutritional science to say the least.

so its all in it being your INFORMED CHOICE...and by that i mean ...make sure you do YOUR OWN RESEARCH...as there are as many opinions as they say as YOU KNOW WHAT...TO EACH THEIR OWN is my saying in here...

EDITED

P.S. oh IF you do decided to take the hours and hours to do a extensive research about all this yourself..MAKE SURE ITS NOT OLD INFO OUT THERE FROM YEARS AGO...

When it comes to switching to better food for your parakeet, it's essential to address any concerns if your feathered friend is not eating. In such cases, it's crucial to consider factors like taste preferences, nutritional requirements, and potential health issues. Additionally, consulting a veterinarian for a thorough examination can help identify any underlying problems. Once any health issues are ruled out, adjusting the diet gradually with high-quality seeds, pellets, fruits, and vegetables can encourage your parakeet to embrace a healthier meal plan. Furthermore, ensuring a pest-free environment by implementing effective measures such as inoculand pest control can contribute to your parakeet's overall well-being.

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