FINCHforum

I know that my parrots will only eat specific fruits and veggies if they're cut up and offered in a specific way, so I want to know what's the average preference for finches. How do most finches like to have their leafy greens served? What about harder foods like apples?

Thanks!

It really depends on the individual birds.

I tend to cut everything up into tiny beak-sized portions -- about a centimetre cubed.

Though once they become accustomed to a food in small form, I've found that sometimes I can introduce it in large chunk form (e.g. a slice of cucumber rather than tiny cubes.)

As for greens, it's tricky.
They seem to enjoy them most in intact, leaf form.
But my guys can't resist trying to use the leaves as nesting!
I've tried everything like wiring kale leaves to the cage side, but they just view it as a delightful challenge to overcome!

So I chop them up into tiny bits, but they don't seem quite as enthusiastic when the greens are in that form.

41Gryphon
I chop some things into pieces and next time hang them up, just as a challenge. For example, I will serve baby spring greens freshly washed as is. I will take huge romaine leaves and hang them up. I will grate carrot and apple, and next time hang them up. Cucumber is served either as sticks poked through the bars, or grated in a small dish. Carrot greens are at times cut up, other times hung up from top of cage, so that they can do their Tarzan swing. Kale is chopped. Fresh corn is cut off the cob, simply because they like it better that way. Broccoli is served as is to be picked off, or shaved over egg or other veg. Grapes are cut into halves. Bananas are served In round slices.
So you see, there is really no right or wrong way. It depends what works for you, and what works for your birds.
I simply like to change things around, so that it doesn't get too boring. This way, they actually have to use their brains.

Alright, thanks guys! Guess I'll just experiment until I figure out how my finches prefer theirs.

41Gryphon
Goodluck!

I chop it up and hang it up. To be honest it doesn't really matter.

PaulBarrett wrote: I chop it up and hang it up. To be honest it doesn't really matter.

That's what I do too

I clip fresh kale, spinach, romaine and broccoli tops around the flights. I chop peas, carrots, broccoli tops and hard boiled eggs, which I serve warm in dishes on cage bottoms. My birds do not eat fruits . Sometimes I add cooked quinoa to chopped veggies. I also sprinkle millet on soft foods to tempt cautious birds.

I also put kale romaine and spinach in my cage. They like kale and romaine the best. And we usually do vegi mixes well. They really like broccoli

Man, these birds eat like birds!! Lol. Don't usually make a dent in their mix bowls. ;)