# They wont eat Vegies



## KathyP (Dec 25, 2015)

I am having a hard time getting my budgies to get vegies. I have tried head lettuce, cukes, romaine lettuce, brussel sprouts.

Am I trying the wrong vegies?


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## CyrilsMom (Dec 24, 2015)

My boy Cyril has been being tricky too, however, after a week, I'm having some luck using this method.. 
Pick _one_ veggy and focus on that. Before the first feed of the day take the other food out. Then take a little piece of your chosen veg, and hold it up to the bird, even rub it on the underside of their beak to encourage them to take a bite. Be very patient. Eventually, they may taste it, but probably won't bite. After some time tasting it, they will realize it isn't harmful and take a bite. Once they're used to one Veg, you can introduce others. 
So far, a week in, doing an up to 15minute session before breakfast every day, I've got Cyril to taste, but not bite yet. So it takes a long time.
Also, I do believe lettuce is bad for them, but I may be wrong. I use a piece of grated Carrot as my choice of veg, but spinach is another good one I believe.
This is the thread I base my veggy training on: http://talkbudgies.com/diet-nutrition/94607-how-i-got-my-budgies-eat-their-veggies.html


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## Teddscau (Jun 27, 2012)

Lettuce is fine. I mean, if all you feed the little guys is lettuce, and nothing else, then you'll obviously run into trouble. I think the main concern is when people feed species such as eclectus and macaws mainly lettuce. I consider romaine to be a good "gateway" veggie. It has an attractive, yet not too bold of a colour. It's mild in taste and has a texture that budgies just love.

Also, the main "veggies" that budgies eat in the wild are eucalyptus leaves, bottlebrush, and some other Australian natives. Obviously, most of those are leaves. As such, even with budgies who have never eaten greens before, I think there's a bit of an instinctual recognition when you offer them some lettuce.

Anyways, enough about lettuce. Try giving your budgies a piece of lettuce that isn't an intimidating size, and clip it to the side of the cage by a perch. It also helps if the lettuce is wet. In the wild, budgies often bathe in and lick the dew off of eucalyptus leaves.

Anyways, it also helps if you get some pieces of lettuce for yourself and eat them in front of the kiddies. Budgies often learn by example, and often imitate other flock members to adapt to the culture of the flock.


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## KathyP (Dec 25, 2015)

thank you both. I will keep trying...


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

Budgies like to be awkward, so sadly there's no one answer that will work for you (or anyone), it's all trial and error. 

Maybe get some sprouting seeds and try those. If they have sprouting seeds and try them, they might then try other new foods they are given. 
I've had success with romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, green beans and sugar snap peas. 

I also give them their veggies differently. Sometimes I give it to them when they have out of cage time, on top of the cage, sometimes in a special little dish, sometimes on the floor of their cage (after they've been cleaned out in the morning). I also sometimes poke bits of lettuce through the bars or hook it over the top of the bars on the top. 

Maybe try it near their food bowl so they might take a little nibble while they go for their normal seed. 

You can try giving them a bigger piece of lettuce leaf or a small piece. Keep trying, and keep doing various things to tempt them. Good luck.


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## Riovedo (Oct 22, 2015)

I seem to recall reading "no head lettuce"....it has no nutritional value. I've had most luck with romaine lettuce, red pepper and carrots. I dice the carrot and red pepper into tiny easy to eat pieces.....if I don't dice them, they won't eat them! My budgies spend most of the day outside the cage so thats when they get veggies, at their favorite hang out spot.


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

^I've had no luck with pepper or carrot! And we always have carrots as my dog has them for a daily treat!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*It can take several weeks for budgies to decide to try a new food.

Vegetables are healthiest for your budgies with fruits given occasionally as they have a higher sugar content.

The first vegetable my guys tried (and loved) was sweet corn kernels sprinkled with a teeny bit of garlic powder (NOT salt). 
Budgies seem to love "spicy" tastes. 
My guys adore fresh basil, cilantro and chickweed.
They also like zucchini and red pepper.

You can use frozen corn kernels. Simply put about a Tablespoon full in a cup, pour boiling water over them and let it stand for a minute or so. Drain, put into the serving dish, sprinkle on a bit of garlic powder (not salt) and serve!

Iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value. You can try romaine lettuce, kale, spinach, etc instead. *


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## KathyP (Dec 25, 2015)

awesome on the fresh herbs...I also have an herb garden with many different varieties

do you think they would eat any of the herbs I dried this summer?


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*It's quite possible they will. One of the pet suppliers actually sells a blend of dried herbs they call "herb salad".

Some budgies like them dried whereas others prefer them fresh.  Try it and see if they'll eat them.

If not, you can always mix some into egg food (same with fresh vegetables) to encourage them to try them. *


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## KathyP (Dec 25, 2015)

This morning I covered half of their seed with crushed dried sage.....it is almost all gone!! they loved it!!


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## KathyP (Dec 25, 2015)

they are loving the dried sage from my garden!!!! they ate almost all of what I put in their cage


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## Jonah (Feb 3, 2013)

That is great Kathy. Maybe chopping up some kale leaf or spinach leaf real fine will be received by them now in the same manner, or 
mixed in with the sage....


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

That's great, Kathy! I'm glad they're enjoying their new greens


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## Nadley (Dec 2, 2011)

I'm glad you found a veggie they will eat!


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