Vary the Form

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How the new food items are presented can make a big difference to

your bird.  Carrots are a particularly good dietary source of

vitamin A and are, therefore, high on the list of recommended

foods for caged birds.  We will use this food item to illustrate

a point.  Your bird may be frightened, or at least suspicious,

of a whole carrot or carrot stick because of that food's size and

shape, but the bird might be more willing to sample grated

carrot or carrot peelings.  Your bird may actually prefer eating

cooked to raw carrots because of the change in texture produced

by the cooking.  Sometimes, presenting a given food item in an

entirely different form hastens its consumption.  For example,

your bird might willingly accept carrot cake even though it has

steadfastly refused carrot in all of the other variations.  Be

prepared to take many weeks, months or even a year or more for your

bird to totally accept food items other than seeds and nuts.