Post by suzannewright on Jun 25, 2015 17:48:29 GMT -5
Is your parrot visible underweight -- to the point where you fear for its health and well-being? Skipping a meal here and there probably isn't going to have an adverse reaction on its health, but not eating for several days is a troubling sign that could result in malnutrition among other health problems if not corrected immediately. But how exactly are you supposed to force a parrot to eat?
Common Reasons Why Parrots Stop Eating:
Introduced to a new type of food
Disease
Digestive problems
Environmental stress
Suffering from a parasite
There are times when parrots stop eating for no apparent reason at all. Pay close attention to your parrot's behavior and mood to see if its exhibiting any other signs of illness. If you believe disease, illness or a parasite is to blame for your parrot's sudden weight loss, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian immediately. Allowing this problem to persist could result in death.
Sweeten Up Your Parrot's Food
One helpful trick that often encourages parrots to eat their food is to sweeten it with fruit juice. Whether you feed them seeds, pellets or a combination of the two, pour some all-natural fruit juice over the top to sweeten it. Orange juice, grape juice, apple juice and pineapple juice are just a few fruit juices that most parrots love.
With the sweet, fruity flavor added to their food, your parrot will be more likely to start eating. Granted, this doesn't always work, but it only takes a couple minutes to try. If you're struggling with a parrot that doesn't want to eat, use the fruit juice trick to sweeten up their lunch and dinner.
Try a New Food
Of course, another idea is to try feeding your parrot a new type of food. Perhaps the formula/ingredients of your parrot's "regular" food was changed without your knowledge (not uncommon for pet food companies to change formulas), and this new formula doesn't sit well with your parrot. Offering your parrot a new type of food may encourage them to start eating once again.
Mix In Some Treats
It's no secret that parrots love treats. You can use this to your advantage by mixing some treats into their normal food. If your parrot enjoys crackers, crumble up a handful of crackers and mix it in their normal food. Hopefully, your parrot will start eating the normal food simply because it contains their favorite type of treat.
Common Reasons Why Parrots Stop Eating:
Introduced to a new type of food
Disease
Digestive problems
Environmental stress
Suffering from a parasite
There are times when parrots stop eating for no apparent reason at all. Pay close attention to your parrot's behavior and mood to see if its exhibiting any other signs of illness. If you believe disease, illness or a parasite is to blame for your parrot's sudden weight loss, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian immediately. Allowing this problem to persist could result in death.
Sweeten Up Your Parrot's Food
One helpful trick that often encourages parrots to eat their food is to sweeten it with fruit juice. Whether you feed them seeds, pellets or a combination of the two, pour some all-natural fruit juice over the top to sweeten it. Orange juice, grape juice, apple juice and pineapple juice are just a few fruit juices that most parrots love.
With the sweet, fruity flavor added to their food, your parrot will be more likely to start eating. Granted, this doesn't always work, but it only takes a couple minutes to try. If you're struggling with a parrot that doesn't want to eat, use the fruit juice trick to sweeten up their lunch and dinner.
Try a New Food
Of course, another idea is to try feeding your parrot a new type of food. Perhaps the formula/ingredients of your parrot's "regular" food was changed without your knowledge (not uncommon for pet food companies to change formulas), and this new formula doesn't sit well with your parrot. Offering your parrot a new type of food may encourage them to start eating once again.
Mix In Some Treats
It's no secret that parrots love treats. You can use this to your advantage by mixing some treats into their normal food. If your parrot enjoys crackers, crumble up a handful of crackers and mix it in their normal food. Hopefully, your parrot will start eating the normal food simply because it contains their favorite type of treat.