Veggies and fruit

[Lucille]

I have had birds in the past, primarily hook bills (although my first bird 'Fluffy' was a canary, a gift from my father when I was 6; that's been a lot of years ago). I frequently provided them with fresh fruits and veggies, it kept them (and me) healthier.
Over the years I increased my buying of freshly frozen fruits and veggies because they are easier to keep (I have a giant chest freezer). I currently have mango chunks, blueberries, and strawberries as frozen fruit because I make fruit smoothies for lunch sometimes.
In your experience, what do zebra finches like best in terms of fruit and veggies?

[lovezebs]

Lucille

Hi Lucille.

My list for all of my guys, Canaries, Finches, Waxbills, and Budgies, is:

Spinach
Kale
Romaine
Broccoli
Baby Spring Mix
Parsley
Cucumber
Corn on the cob
Carrot greens
Grated carrots
Red Swiss chard
Chickweed
Dandilions

Chopped apple
Half mandarine Oranges
Red grapes
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Blueberry
Raspberry

Keep in mind, that Avocado, has been known to be toxic to birds.

Hard boiled eggs, pealed and put through a garlic press, is an important source of protein for caged birds. I toss mine with crumbled spray millet, and everybody loves it.

The shell from the eggs, can be crushed, and mixed in with their bird grit ( important source of Calcium). You can also grate mineral block, and iodine block and add it to the mix, along with some birdie charcoal.

Hope this helps give you some ideas and choices.

Elana

[Rox]

Lucille

Elana has given a good list of fruit and veg but a lot will be trial and error to find out what your birds like. The key is to keep offering it, even if they don't seem interested at first. To tempt them, you can try sprinkling some millet spray over the fruit/veg to get their attention.

Good luck!

[Koko]

And don't give up when they will be picking the millet spray for some time.

[slwatson]

I have gouldians, societies, and owl finches, and they seem to like vegetables more than fruits. I give them most of the veggies Elena mentioned, and kale seems to be their favorite. I mix boiled egg, egg shell, and a commercial egg food to dry it out and make it crumbly, and I have my own mineral mix. I used the recipe on the cando's mineral mix stickie at the top of the diet and nutrition page, and I offer herb salad as well. I try fruits occasionally, but haven't found much that they really like at this time.

[Lucille]

Do any of you ever often unsweetened applesauce? During the summer I often eat some as a dessert, and I'm wondering if the finches would like it?

[jebediah]

My zebs LOVE kale. They are also fond of green beans, and peas.

Has anyone tried to give their birds green pepper or zucchini?

[slwatson]

Lucille

I've never tried applesauce, so I'm interested to see if anyone has tried it.

Jebediah

I've given mine sweet bell peppers, the orange, red, and yellow ones, and they seem to like them ok.

[lovezebs]

Have never tried apple sauce, but most of my guys enjoy fresh apples, chopped Into small bits, especially the Canaries, Parrot Finches, and Stars. The others eat it too, when they see the former bunch eating it.

Elana

[cindy]

Applesauce unsweetened is mostly water, fiber so if you serve use it sparingly it can cause loose droppings.

[Sheather]

As an aside, fruits and vegetables in general can cause watery droppings initially but once a bird is used to them, they no longer will, so don't let that concern stop your offering them. My birds eat lettuce as a daily treat, for example (I put some out every evening as a treat after the healthier greens and veggies have been eaten up) and they have no problems in that regard.

[lovezebs]

Lucille

My guys eat veggies and fruits daily. And yes, they have softer poopies rather than hard little gravel poops, but I don't see that it has any adverse effect on them.
I guess you could compare it to people who eat fruits and vegetables, and those who don't, and how it affects their bowel movements

Elana

[lnlovesorange]

My Zebs don't like fruits, and I've tried, and tried and tried. But they love cucumber, Kale, Spinach, broccoli, Romaine lettuce, parsley, mustard greens, carrot greens... and I think that's it, cucumber being their favorite..... but like humans they go through phases, I've barely had my hand out of the cage, and they are DOGGING on the cucumber, but the last few times i put it in their cage, it wilted and they didn't touch it... btw, cuke's they usually eat out the center, it's pretty cute!! Good luck and like everyone said, it's takes time, just keep offering it, eventually one of them will get daring and try it, and once one does it, the rest follow!!!

[2hounddogs]

Any tips to get them to try new foods? My guys are fed a mix of seed that has dried greens and shredded carrot in it. Mostly they eat the seeds and leave the rest. I've tried a cooked food that has fruits and grains in it and they don't seem too interested in that. I just picked a huge cucumber from my garden, so maybe I'll give them some of that to see if they'll try it. Do you just put a slice on the floor of the cage...or what's the best way to offer the cucumber?

[lovezebs]

2hounddogs

You can slice it and place it in a playe. You can cut into fours or eights lengthwise and stick between cage bars. You can cut a piece and stick it into a veggie Clip at side of cage. Ypu can chop into bits and offer on top of your other greens.

This is what I do....

Elana