Won't eat from feeders?

[WhiteMagicWoman]

When I started feeding my Zebbies greens and shredded fruits and veggies, I put them in a small colored bowl on the floor of the cage. Wouldn't touch it. Didn't know what it was.

I got the brainstorm to use a clear glass bowl so that it looks like the other feeder cups. Still no takers.

Millet spray pieces in the bowl did the trick. I threw in a few of the clusters and they took the bait.

Now they know that anything in the clear bowl is edible and they go right to it to check it out, whether it's a new food or not.

[L in Ontario]

How are they doing today? Any takers? They have to eat sometime.

[Ursula]

nope..here's a pic

Seems pretty deep they have to stick their heads in...

Cup feeders also have the disadvantage that the hulls stay on top and the seeds on the bottom. So even if it looks as if the cup is full it might be just full of hulls.

When I had cages I really like this type of feeder, which you can use as both waterer and feeder:

http://www.petco.com/product/6391/PETCO ... aterDishes

[Pudding]

They are looking at the feeders but still nothing..They pulled out couple pieces of millet,and threw them on the floor...But I can see some hulls in one feeder,so maybe one of them tried to eat....
I decided to remove the feeders and give them steel cups
Zebbies - Pudding 1:0

[L in Ontario]

Another trick that has helped get finches used to these feeders is hanging a D-cup right in front of them. So the birds will get to eat but get used to being near these as well.

Seeing hulls in the bottom is a great sign! It can take a few days as I mentioned above - don't get discouraged.

Take a read through this post from last fall that I found with responses from all over...

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6569&