Introducing new foods

c_aguilar011 · Post by **c_aguilar011** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:32 pm

Hello! So I recently got a pair of Zebra Finches and I've previously had some before that lived up to 6 years. However, I never knew that you could feed them various foods such as vegetables, fruits & eggs.

I made some hard-boiled egg yesterday and tried introducing it to them and didn't eat at all. They were curiously looking at their food dish and I think one of them managed to get a bite but that's it. I was wondering, do any of you guys have any sort of tips in regards to introducing new foods? I'd like for them to eat various foods instead of just seeds as I know that can lead to health problems.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions!

dunker817 · Post by **dunker817** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 12:10 am

You can try mixing the new food in with their seeds or sprinkling their seeds on the food. Also, try feeding them new stuff in the morning when they are just up and hungry. I try new foods on my flock in the morning. It seems to be working pretty well.

Leo519 · Post by **Leo519** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 1:04 am

Not sure how you cut or chopped the egg, but it makes a big difference if the eggfood, fruits, or veggies are chopped up into tiny bits. I'm pretty new to feeding this kind of food to finches too. Like you I had a pair of Zebras (eons ago when I was about 12 years old) and only fed them seed and a little iceberg lettuce every now and then

I made my first batch of eggfood a few months ago and mashed it into as small of pieces as I could with a fork but they were not small enough. Some of my finches were interested, but all they could do was pick a piece up here and there and drop it. Then I learned from some of the finch wizards

on here about using a small food processor/mini chopper for eggfood and veggies, and it works like a dream! Couple presses of the button and your eggfood is in tiny beak sized morsels perfect for your finches to nibble and actually eat!

debbie276 · Post by **debbie276** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 5:43 am

Some take longer then others to try new foods so keep trying. After about 2 weeks I usually give up if they don't take to it.
If you run hard boiled egg through a garlic press it comes out looking sort of like little worms. Put a bit of that on a plate and sprinkle their favorite seed lightly on top. When feeding egg you should spread it out thinly on a dish so it drys out rather then go off, then you don't have to worry about leaving it in the cage all day.

good luck

Post by **Sally** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:45 am

You've gotten some good advice already, I just wanted to welcome you to the forum! There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on diet and nutrition. We're all learning that a varied diet with lots of veggies and egg food is far superior to an all-seed diet. If you put your general location in your profile, it makes it easier to answer locale-specific questions later on.

c_aguilar011 · Post by **c_aguilar011** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:28 pm

Thank you everyone for those tips, it is greatly appreciated! I'd just like for someone to clarify a few things:

1. As far as eggfood, 1 egg looks like it could serve for 2-3 feedings and I've read that whatever is leftover after processing, it can go into either the freezer or refrigerator? If so, do I just feed it to them cold? Or do I need to warm it up?

2. I'm going to try out the feeding in the morning, so would it be best to remove their food dishes before I go to sleep and just introduce the new foods first thing in the morning? If I see that they don't touch the food, bring their normal food dishes back?

Thanks again for your help!

Post by **Sally** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 11:55 pm

You can either freeze or refrigerate egg food. If you make up just one egg, you can keep the extra in the fridge for several days. I wouldn't bother warming it up when you serve it. Some breeders freeze their egg food and put it in the cage straight from the freezer.

If you decide to withhold food in the morning in an attempt to get them to try new foods, be sure that you don't wait too long before you go ahead and give them their normal food. I would give them an hour with the new food and then put back their regular seed dishes.

wildbird · Post by **wildbird** » Fri Jul 03, 2015 11:03 pm

Remember that birds will starve rather than eat food they don't like or don't recognize as food. They are not like dogs or cats. Birds have to have food they will eat every day or they will die. I would not take their regular food away to try to force them to eat other foods. If you keep offering the new foods, they are likely to start eating them.

Atbird · Post by **Atbird** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 8:31 am

since your birds actually picked at the food, that's a good thing. It does take them a few tries before they eat it, but picking it up (and dropping it) is a usual response to new foods. Eventually they will consume some.

Post by **Babs _Owner** » Sat Aug 08, 2015 10:49 pm

Hello everyone I am new.

My birds (yes I bought all 5 society finches at petsmart), Im a sucker for not wanting to break up a family. I introduced a fawn off craigslist 2 weeks later to make sure I have an even pairing of mates. (a long story for another thread).

I used to raise insect-eating wild birds for years. Well Im new to society finches and introducing new foods just didnt fit the "format" I was taught. I'd place a plate on the floor of the cage and they'd all just stare at it as if I threw a dirty sock on the floor. Then I tried to hang romaine lettuce on the wall of the aviary, and they cowered for hours thinking the leaf-gods had come to bring doom to them. No success. It was obvious these birds had never seen a leafy green or veggie in their poor lives

This worked

First, I gathered swiss chard from my garden and used scissors to cut little strips of the swiss chard over their morning seed. My "adventurer called "Scout" of course grabbed one first, then the rest of the flock followed. My most shy chocolate female, then proceeded to grab all the strips from my other societies as they grabbed them.

I waited two weeks to introduce (in their regular food bowl on top of their seed) minced organic cucumbers and carrots, using the strips of swiss chard on the top to entice them.

In just a few hours I had a flock that wanted the cucumbers MORE than the swiss chard. Now if I even hover the scissors (that I use to cut up the swiss chard) near the bowl, the entire flock comes to investigate and indulge in the new food. From organic squash, to tomato, to blueberries I grow outside. Its like a frantic buffet rush. And each time I introduce something new and they completely grab things out of each others mouths like its Black Friday on a 50% off sale.
Start with one new item, a brave one will try it, the others will then want it and add two more items each week, use the food they are familiar with on the TOP to get them to investigate further.

Hope I helped someone, cause I have LOADS of questions in the next few weeks

Waving to everyone. Soooooo to glad to have found a home. Hope this helps.

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