Picky Societies

[Rocco]

I've had my Societies for just about a week now. Each morning I offer them egg food (Quicko brand, usually mixed in a processor with broccoli) and either kale or romaine lettuce. However, they have yet to touch anything but their seed and water. Is this unusual or are most Societies this picky?

[Sally]

Most Societies are not picky eaters, but yours may not have been offered anything besides seed and water in the past. Sometimes it takes a while to get birds to accept anything new. I just keep offering it, they usually break down and try it.

[Corkysgirl]

Have you ever offered them the foods separately at any point? If not, try the Romaine separately, the kale separately. Maybe they would eat a boiled egg mashed up with the shell. If offered separately and they like it, try then to mix them together. I've done this with some very fussy birds. I've also had them not like the egg food before. Good luck.

[Rocco]

All great advice, interesting insight. Thank you, Sally and Corkysgirl.

I did notice late this evening that my Societies finally tried the egg food mix. I ground it up with kale this time. Don't know why that did the trick as opposed to when I offered them separately. They still haven't touched the romaine, though I'm hopeful now. I'll have to keep at it until they give it try.

[Sheather]

My societies were just as picky for the first month or so too. Keep offering food, and they'll come around. My flock now eats absolutely ANYTHING I give them.

[finchmix22]

My Societies won't eat dry eggfood. They love the dried eggfood mixed with hardboiled eggs, shell and all. I put six hard boiled eggs in a food processor with a scoop of dry eggfood for each egg, then pulse about 3-4 times and Tada! Fresh eggfood. My societies eat it all up! The also love Romaine lettuce, which I tear by hand into about 1-2 inch pieces. Keep offering the different foods. It shouldn't take them too long to fingure out what goodies you are offering.

[Corkysgirl]

Mine love Romaine lettuce leaves whole...for a treat and they will play tug of war with them...then eat all around the edges. I will chop them also but do this too. It's funny to watch! They also do love fresh eggs much better than the egg food. It's true that foods they don't like one day, if you keep trying, they may start to like them. I've had that happen with various birds.

[KarenB]

I don't think I have anything to add to what's already been suggested. My societies would not eat anything but seed at first, either. I just kept offering it, and eventually they started trying everything I put in. Give it time, and don't give up. This philosophy works with parrots, as well, only with them it helps to eat, or pretend to eat it in front of them and make yum yum noises.

[delray]

My societies are pigs lol, but I have to admit they were pretty picky at first. They only ate millet, but now they eat EVERYTHING. Don't worry, they will start eating more.

[Rocco]

They still haven't made a dent in the romaine. Looks like they did eat some of their egg food with kale again though. I'm going to try the mashed boiled egg with shells and all in with their egg food tomorrow. Hopefully that goes well.

Thanks again for all the wonderful advice. I feel much better knowing they will come around and try new things eventually. It's just hard to believe they were likely never offered anything other than seed before. That blows my mind, myself being just a novice yet even I know they need a varied diet to thrive. I'm a little surprised these guys have made it this far on seed alone because they really do look great.

[Corkysgirl]

Some birds just don't like Romaine, but I'd keep trying. I have a parakeet I got at 7 months old. He won't eat any fresh vegetables or fruit. It really upsets me too. I've tried everything! Most parakeets love watermelon. I've tried pushing millet pieces into it because he loves millet, hoping that would encourage him to try it. Nothing works. I got him from a Vet tech too. I would think she would have known to give him these things in his young life. I'm so grateful I finally convinced him to eat dried greens. If I put dried parsley in his dish, he is at his dish at the count of 2 seconds. It's so funny to watch. He loves it!

[sgolds]

Mine seem to try anything that they find on the bottom of the cage... maybe try setting some in a small bowl, or a lid on the bottom and see if they won't take a peck or two....

They also seem to prefer pecking at larger pieces of greens, maybe it's just more natural for them.

[PaulBarrett]

No finches love eggfood. However canaries love egg food.

[Sam007]

My gouldians love both fresh grated boiled eggs as well as dried egg food available at pet stores.