2) - Feeding

remains, so we would always advise switching your birds to a pellet-based diet where appropriate Many birds raised on seeds can be fussy, as previously mentioned, these are the fast foods of the bird world, so it can take time and perseverance to change the habits of a lifetime with these fast food addicts

There are many online resources that can help with this process, but recommendations vary from 50-70% pellets that contain a homogenous mix of everything a bird needs to stay healthy and reduces selective feeding Birds should also be offered plenty of fresh veg and where appropriate fruit with the seed making up only a small portion of their diet as treats, or given during training as a reward

Did you know you can make some of your seeds even healthier by allowing them to sprout? Sprouting them leads to a change in their nutritional contents and can be a great intermediate step for our fussy eaters

Suitable fruits and vegetables include dark leafy greens (broccoli, spinach, kale, dandelion leaves), carrot, green beans, sugar snap peas, peppers, papaya, mango, melon, pomegranate

Visit a reputable website online for a full bird safe list.

Foods to avoid include dairy products, tea, coffee, chocolate, avocado and salty or sugary foods Some of these foods are quite toxic to birds and what seems like a treat at the time can lead to serious health implications, so always check before you feed

Also remember to make it fun! Birds need to be kept busy with interesting things to do or they can engage in self destructive behaviours such as chewing or feather plucking Start with setting your bird a challenge that is easy such as putting a piece of paper over the top of the food bowl Once they have mastered this you can make it a bit more difficult – wrap favourite food items partially in paper then move them to different places for more of a challenge. Place items inside cardboard toilet paper inserts or boxes Once your bird has mastered this, you can increase the degree of difficulty by buying toys that you can hide things in It is important not to make things too difficult to begin with or your bird will become discouraged and give up