Worried

IBleed4Thee · Post by **IBleed4Thee** » Tue May 06, 2008 2:09 pm

Since I got my finches (all zebra's) I've tried to offer the suggested foods other than seeds, and like picky children, the human version, they have turned up their noses at everything.

I've offer eggfood, parsley, carrotts, grapes, banana...not all at the same time but over the course of the weeks I've had them. I can't see that they eaten any of what has been offered.

I'm getting worried about their health and well being, from not having a balanced diet.

I've even tried combination of the above and nothing.

The only thing they will eat other than their seeds is Special K.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

poohbear · Post by **poohbear** » Tue May 06, 2008 2:25 pm

A small amount of eggfood a couple of times a week and some fresh greens is quite sufficient for Zebras. A gourmet diet is uneccessary,they will be more than happy with a quality foreign finch seed diet.I notice from your posts you are concerned about your birds all the time ......relax ,they'll be fine.The diet above and as much room to exercise as possible is all they want.
Paul.

Post by **Sally** » Tue May 06, 2008 4:22 pm

I agree with Paul, don't worry so much about it. Not all birds like all the different veggies, mine don't like carrots. Greens are almost always accepted. My adult Gouldians barely touch anything other than finch seed.

IBleed4Thee · Post by **IBleed4Thee** » Tue May 06, 2008 5:04 pm

Thanks Sally and Paul.

They won't touch anything except the seeds and Special K. Just didn't seem healthly to me but I'll take the word of two very knowledgable people over this newbie any day.

God I don't remember worrying this much over my daughters when they were babies.....

Takes a deep breath and talks herself into not worry so much.

atarasi · Post by **atarasi** » Tue May 06, 2008 11:23 pm

How do your birds look unhealthy?

chinchilla · Post by **chinchilla** » Wed May 07, 2008 2:42 am

have you tried herbs? i offer some to mine and they pick through what they want. i also noticed the zebs only ate eggfood when they were raising a clutch. lol i still can't get them to eat veggies but

IBleed4Thee · Post by **IBleed4Thee** » Wed May 07, 2008 6:58 am

atarasi wrote:How do your birds look unhealthy?

They do look healthy and are very active.

I do have acess to fresh herbs, so I'll give those a try.

As long as the veggies, fruits and eggfood aren't a must...I'll feel better.

I think I've spent too much time reading from too many different sources and you read one thing one place and another thing someplace else. I'm not going to worry about it so much and then maybe in a few weeks/month offer it again, if it's still a no I'll be sure then won't eat it.

I also wonder if the original owner didn't offer those foods, so they've never acquired a "taste" for them.

Thanks everybody, I feel better knowing that they are going to be ok.

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Thu May 08, 2008 6:13 am

fresh herbs and lebanese cucumber are what my zebras will eat the most of. I make it available to them all the time so that they can eat it when/if they want

IBleed4Thee · Post by **IBleed4Thee** » Sun May 18, 2008 2:27 pm

Yeah...progress.

All five finches have decided to something other than seeds.

Today they between the five of them they ate a hardboiled egg that I chop finally with fresh parsley and carrotts. Like a salad and I added about 1/2 teaspoon of their seeds. I thought they would just eat the seeds and leave everything that they refused to eat before...but no they surprised me.

Happy about this as their are three eggs in the breeding nests. Hopefully this time they will survive.

Thanks everybody for all the advice and words of wisdom.

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:21 am

patience & persistence, two words that I think most birds owners and breeders get tired of hearing but all will admit that they are probably the two most apt words to use when it comes to birds.

well done IBleed on not giving up, sometimes it just takes the birds a few days to get used to seeing something new before they will try it

jamezyboo21 · Post by **jamezyboo21** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 7:27 pm

How are your finches doing now?