Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 2/2/2008

Question
I just purchased a peachfaced lovebird from a breeder about a week ago.  I give him fruit and veggies in the morning but he doesn't seem to be bothering with them.  I put them in different places in the cage.  I've tried grapes, bananas, apples, leaf lettuce, sweet potatoes, carrots, and more.  Does this just take time for him to get used to the new surroundings and should I just keep trying as I am?  Also, this sounds like a silly question, but I would like to change his name but I don't want to confuse him.  He is 7 months old.  Will he respond to a new name or is it better to stick with the one he came with.

Answer
Hi, Karen,

A bird will not eat food it does not recognize as food.  Therefore, you just have to keep offering your bird food until it eventually tries the new foods.  You should keep your new bird on the diet it was on previously until your bird gets used to its new surroundings in your home and gets used to you first.  This could take a week or could take a month...it just depends on the individual bird.  A diet change needs to be gradual in order to prevent digestional upset.

Fruits are mainly water, so they aren't the best foods for a bird.  I call them "fun foods."  The melons and berries have more nutrients than grapes.  Leaf lettuce has no nutritional value at all.  Try spinach, collard or mustard greens, kale.  Fresh, clean veggies are the most nutritional foods.  Also, try offering the foods in different shapes and sizes.  Each bird has different desires in food...some like their foods shredded, some diced, some sliced, etc.  Some of my birds won't eat fresh bananas, but they love dried bananas, so keep this in mind when it comes to food.  It might be beneficial for you to study healthy human nutrition.  All my birds like cooked brown rice, so you may want to try this.  Foods have to be a size that your lovie can handle with his feet (or can eat from a dish), so if you provide slices that are too large, your lovie may not touch them, and likewise, if too small, the bird may not eat.  You just have to try different things with your bird.  

You should be able to change his name with no problem.  Birds are very adaptable and can get used to changes.  Even my parrots with names are often simply called "honey" and they still react positively to me!  

Chrys