My keet will turn 5 years old pretty soon. Still seems to be in fine health. Took me over a year to find something other than seeds or millet that he will eat - it's a Kaytee product called Nature's Benefits Bird Greens. The ingredient list is short: Dehydrated Alfalfa Leaves, Dehydrated Parsley, Dehydrated Carrot, Dehydrated Spinach, Dehydrated Pepper, Dehydrated Apple. They recommend less than 20 percent of the bird's diet to be this product which we are easily doing. I read somewhere on the internet (so it must be true) that keets who don't eat veggies only have half the lifespan (5-6 years) as keets who do eat vegetables (10-12 years). So now I'm worried because he has become such a great little part of the family. I had been hiding ground broccoli in his seeds but that isn't fooling him anymore - the broccoli goes bad before he eats it. Think the Kaytee product is enough veggies? If not, is it time to dish out some tough love and not give him anything else to eat at all until he starts eating fresh veggies (I hate to starve him)? Perhaps it is already too late for the tough love approach? Please let me know what you think, thank you.

Welcome Romeo and I would say not to worry so much. Definately do not starve your bird to get it to eat veggies. The product you are feeding is veggies and sounds okay to me. It is better than no veggies.

I think any creature who eats properly will live longer, including us. The way I taught Bob is to eat veggies with him. I would eat a piece of spinach, romaine or kale and then offer him a bite. It works quite well. Just nibble on it in front of him and make mmmmm noises and then offer him a chance to bite some. It takes time and eventually most keets will eat some veggies.

It is also a good idea to add a pinch of herbs to his food regularly. You can get very creative with the herbs, they love most of them. Bob's favorite is crushed red pepper added to his seed. Do not worry about the heat it does not hurt them at all. Herbs also contain vitamins and nutrients.

Good luck

you never have to go thru a starve out diet...just plenty of repetition on a daily basis trying fresh veggies in many ways ...and i do mean many ways ...sometimes mixing several up in a bowl for color ...my stubborn cappy took 8 solid months of me doing everything with everything you can name and think of including standing on my head immitating eating the stuff myself you name it...then one day ...man he went after a whole brocolli florette like he was a lawn mower...sometimes grinding stuff to small like you did is not the answer...sometimes they like them raw sometimes cooked sometimes semi cooked sometimes small sometimes big ...thing is you NEVER give up...making it colorful too helps...like a mixed bowl of stuff...red/green peppers cut small with some cooked or raw carrot ..some cooked brown rice..and corn and peas with bean sprouts all tossed together...the extra will keep for a few days in the fridge...toss in some brocolli sometime and torn up kale or spinach..etc...

what else does that feed say on the bag ...anything like additives??? ...the ingredients are great but again some wont touch dehydrated...like mine...i think mostly bigger birds will go for dehydrated not to often our little keets...try some plain cooked pasta to or orzo..sweet tater steamed and skin removed a few croutons...something that looks like this..



just not the corn or peas too often they have lots of sugar but you can change up with some of the other things mentioned...next time make it more something with the veggie greens...and brown rice..and bean sprouts..with some carrot and sprinkle some seed on top...not much seed just some an be sure its all in its own bowl at the bottom of the cage as they like to ground forage...at first ya might find it strewn around but this is a good sign...just before putting it in show him your eating some ..then set it in there and dont stare lol...act invisable...after all sneaking up on one thing strange is hard enough without worrying about being stared at

oh yeah EDITED

forgot to say ...do this first thing in the morning and i would till the bird gets to know what its all about remove his regular seed for half the day...let him investigate this new stuff before he fills up on his reg. seed...and keep doing that...but you dont have to starve a bird...just need to teach them...nicelyyy...with patience...and trying to leave some of your hair on your head...

If there are no other additives that sounds like very good stuff! All the better if he is eating it. Good for you!!
Do keep trying with the fresh veggies tho. Like illusive said, try different ways and be persistent.
Eating or pretending to eat the veggies in front of them is a good way too. They are usually sooo curious about what WE are eating they just have to give it a try themselves eventually.
Mine love crushed red pepper too and it's good for them. try adding a pinch to his seed cup.
You can also get carrot or beet powder here
http://www.myspicesage.com/beet-powder-p-481.html?cPath=1
along with lots of other excellent fresh herbs n spices. Just put what you are looking for in the search bar.
Powders are a good, albeit sneaky lol, way of getting some veggies in to those picky eaters.

Good job Romeo eating your Bird Greens!!! Way to go!

Never give up on the fresh tho

those powders ARE a good way to get two of the most important nutrients out there into them just dont add but a small amt...just barely enough to see it or they will also be sneezing a lot and then ya think they maybe sick and its only the powders..so use them very sparingly and on the beet powder when ordering..i swear that stuff grows in the bag so you dont need to purchase much of IT...the carrot powder now a bit more of that can be ordered...i have no clue on **why powders differ in content so much from each other when ordering but they do...some most be denser incontent then the others like the beet...

tried other types of powders as well and YUKKKK dont recommend anything but the beet and carrot.