Tag Archives: lovebird

One of the fun things about having a bird is feeding it other foods, right? But you’ve got a bird that wasn’t put on fresh foods as a baby and now it’s just plain afraid of it, right? That’s the thing (or one of them!) about lovebirds, they have phobias, food phobias, toy phobias, lots of phobias. You try and introduce new foods but they’re afraid so over time you feel defeated and just stop because it seems pointless.

I’ve heard people say they won’t even move the things in their bird’s cage around or get new toys because their lovie is afraid of them. It doesn’t work like that, all that does is encourage the phobia. The only way you can help your lovebird to become better adjusted is to make those changes, the more often you do, the better off they are. And the same goes of food.

When you boil it down, lovebirds know what’s good for them, but you just have to get past that phobia. But you’ve tried and it hasn’t worked? I know, believe me, I know. But here’s something new to try and it’s been 100% with my birds.

Years ago I started feeding my lovebirds sprouts, I knew seeds were not great for them but that once seeds started to sprout they turn into this superfood that is awesome for them, so I started sprouting their own seed. Then I tried wild bird seed, but I was so not satisfied with any of that, they didn’t eat it like I thought they would. I started sprouting whole grains and seeds from the bulk section at Whole Foods. Some they liked, some they didn’t, some that they really liked were very expensive, like a rice mix that $4 pound (ouch!). After much trial and error, now I just feed wheat sprouts, I don’t mean just that, they get other stuff of course, but that’s the only sprout, it’s just easier for me and I know they love it.

The magical thing about this is what I learned later. I had birds that I knew already loved fresh foods and others I knew did not. After getting properly hooked on the wheat sprouts, all my birds love their fresh foods. I could take just chopped baby spring greens down to them everyday and and they would be happy. They really don’t seem to be able to resist the wheatberry sprouts. Even folks who I’ve recommended them to say their highly phobic lovebirds take straight to them after a day or two. The key is to get them good and hooked and then start adding fresh foods with their sprouts, I recommend starting them out with chopped baby spring greens, everything in there is really good for them and it’s really a natural thing for them to eat. Keep it up and you’ll have lovebirds that demand their fresh foods instead of throw fits over it.

Here’s How to sprout for your lovebirds!