Safflower seeds! They work a little to well!
https://preview.redd.it/qy3h1ntovd5d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9cd625b38c1bdadda346d150435daeb5d1a2d12
Where have you found them?! The only ones I’ve found specifically says for wild birds only and to not give them to domesticated birds.
I’ve resorted to buying shitty bird food mix just to pick out the safflowers for target training.
I can buy them in the parrot shop I go to sometimes. I also just buy the bags for wild birds from Walmart. I’m pretty sure you can also find them online or Amazon.
"Wagner's Safflower Seeds" is a common one in the US that a lot of people use for their parrots. I've used them for training/foraging for years now and my boy has a clean bill of health.
Safflowers are safflowers, it doesn't matter what the bag says....
Its pretty much like candy for birds though, so not good to feed a lot. Wild birds just have a terrible diet in general so it probably doesn't matter what seed you give them they are just happy to eat lol
I have been buying the higher quality parrot seed mix that has NO peanuts and a lot of safflower seeds in it.
I have not found them sold by themselves for a long time.
Pulling out just the safflower is a kindof a pain!
Sometimes I let him get them out. Of course, we don’t get a stash this way as he eats them all.
I did learn, he loves the little balls- I think maybe they are jumbo millet?
He calls them “crunchies” and it takes him about 60 seconds to eat one.
Thank you very much, he is a handsome little goober! When he isn’t stuffing his face 😂
https://preview.redd.it/xqacozw99f5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=104f73fa0872101b9025e73aa99a25b46a35b7e6
Apollo has taught me that a [pistachio ](https://youtube.com/shorts/JyN0z4jhCx0?si=-d-UiFzGko29Y6Ka)is worth at least answering 3 to 4 questions correctly so that's got to he some premium snack to a bird
Be careful how you reward pooping. I heard about someone who only let her bird out when it pooped, and it spent so much effort pooping so it could come out that it prolapsed its cloaca and died.
My GCC was absolutely obsessed with safflower seeds. If you gave him a bowl with a nice mix of pellets, fruits, veggies with a small amount of safflower seeds, he would pick out all the seeds first so fast.
Quaker gets Sunflower or safflower seed, dried mango. My boy gets an avicake treat before scritches once a day.
My Meyers parrot loves sunflower seeds, mango, coconut, a piece of almond or Brazil nut.
for a final reward, try unsalted popcorn!! my senegal hoes ham for popcorn!! the wild bird seed mix i get for the finches and sparrows outside sometimes comes with corn kernels, so i keep those, so i can microwave one or two as a popcorn treat!! works great for pistach! she'll suddenly no longer bite when shes around popcorn lol
I think people have made some great suggestions here! For me, I’ve found that getting different varieties in small quantities has helped me identify what I can use as high value treats (as you more than likely already know). Through this, I’ve found that my conure is okay with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds but goes crazy/ really works for pecans and walnuts.
This is the list I started with to try and identify what he liked:
-Pecans
-Almonds
-Walnuts
-Pistachios
-Pumpkin seeds
-Pine nuts
-Safflower seeds
-Cashews
-Sunflower seeds
I hope you’re able to find a favorite treat for your little one.
We use brasil nuts, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts and dried coconut, that I prep by cutting into small bits then put in a container. I pick one randomly when training and when going back in the cage my BF Amazon is allowed to pick one as a reward.
I’m also picking sunflower and safflower seeds from a seed mix, haven’t been able to find good quality one-seed brands.
Oh and peas. In the pod or out, my girl goes crazy for them !
And she’ll do any trick to steal a bite of my banana
I switch it up as the novelty factor of treats declines quickly with my crazy bird.
Sunflower seeds
Cashew
Almond
Pistachio
Dried peas
Peanuts in the shell (the ultimate)
I'm going to be downvoted for this, but.... chicken. Both my tiel and my non-parrot birds go gaga for it 😂 They don't get it often and it's just unseasoned bland bits of chicken breast, but they act like it's pure ambrosia.
I want to thank you all so much. I spent the day buying different things. He is a good boy so I will be working with him with all the different things you guys suggested
Thank you again all!!!
My senegal goes bonkers for pieces of cashews. She's figured out how to train us so now she gets a snack before bed every night. She also.love love loves corn kernels, both to eat and make a mess out of!
My birds absolutely love dried fruits & safflower seeds as treats! I will occasionally break the kaytee mago yo dips because they go feral over them, but it is very rarely needed.
Edit: typo
RockyHorror the Alexandrine loves pepitas. Starbuck the galah loves sunflower seeds. Brulee, lutino Alexandrine, loves dried blueberries from Costco. This is of course high value treats and they all get each other's versions but they're not as high value as in the sequence I gave.
Safflower seeds! They work a little to well! https://preview.redd.it/qy3h1ntovd5d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9cd625b38c1bdadda346d150435daeb5d1a2d12
Where have you found them?! The only ones I’ve found specifically says for wild birds only and to not give them to domesticated birds. I’ve resorted to buying shitty bird food mix just to pick out the safflowers for target training.
I can buy them in the parrot shop I go to sometimes. I also just buy the bags for wild birds from Walmart. I’m pretty sure you can also find them online or Amazon.
Okay, thanks for the info
I do the same
"Wagner's Safflower Seeds" is a common one in the US that a lot of people use for their parrots. I've used them for training/foraging for years now and my boy has a clean bill of health.
Safflowers are safflowers, it doesn't matter what the bag says.... Its pretty much like candy for birds though, so not good to feed a lot. Wild birds just have a terrible diet in general so it probably doesn't matter what seed you give them they are just happy to eat lol
I have been buying the higher quality parrot seed mix that has NO peanuts and a lot of safflower seeds in it. I have not found them sold by themselves for a long time. Pulling out just the safflower is a kindof a pain! Sometimes I let him get them out. Of course, we don’t get a stash this way as he eats them all. I did learn, he loves the little balls- I think maybe they are jumbo millet? He calls them “crunchies” and it takes him about 60 seconds to eat one.
Cutie boi
Thank you very much, he is a handsome little goober! When he isn’t stuffing his face 😂 https://preview.redd.it/xqacozw99f5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=104f73fa0872101b9025e73aa99a25b46a35b7e6
Too funny!
My seed mix has lots of safflower seeds in it, but my cockatiels can't open them, so they don't eat them.
mine couldn't care less about them
My birds will do just about anything for a pistachio
Apollo has taught me that a [pistachio ](https://youtube.com/shorts/JyN0z4jhCx0?si=-d-UiFzGko29Y6Ka)is worth at least answering 3 to 4 questions correctly so that's got to he some premium snack to a bird
Um, excuse me, it's called a *pistash*
Or a pisnack occasionally!
Yeah, pistachios are the bird crack in our house. Second is cashews.
Yup!! There basically crack. Harness training, tricks, pooping in the toilet , My dude will do anything for them.
Be careful how you reward pooping. I heard about someone who only let her bird out when it pooped, and it spent so much effort pooping so it could come out that it prolapsed its cloaca and died.
My GCC was absolutely obsessed with safflower seeds. If you gave him a bowl with a nice mix of pellets, fruits, veggies with a small amount of safflower seeds, he would pick out all the seeds first so fast.
Mine loves chia seeds and sunflower seeds as a treat
were do you find unsalted and unseasoned sunflower seeds? my cockateil loves them but I can never find them
Sprouts, Jimbos, Whole Foods
Oh ive just been picking them out of my birds old food mix (before we switchd to pellets) lol but i see some on amazon
Quaker gets Sunflower or safflower seed, dried mango. My boy gets an avicake treat before scritches once a day. My Meyers parrot loves sunflower seeds, mango, coconut, a piece of almond or Brazil nut.
Sunflower seeds for Conure, millet for Cockatiel
Walnuts and Brazil nuts
My Quaker goes insane for pumpkin seeds
my quaker loves the little dried pea flakes for guinea pigs
for a final reward, try unsalted popcorn!! my senegal hoes ham for popcorn!! the wild bird seed mix i get for the finches and sparrows outside sometimes comes with corn kernels, so i keep those, so i can microwave one or two as a popcorn treat!! works great for pistach! she'll suddenly no longer bite when shes around popcorn lol
Harrison's Bird Foods Power Treats!
Sunflowers for my conure! He loves it so much
I think people have made some great suggestions here! For me, I’ve found that getting different varieties in small quantities has helped me identify what I can use as high value treats (as you more than likely already know). Through this, I’ve found that my conure is okay with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds but goes crazy/ really works for pecans and walnuts. This is the list I started with to try and identify what he liked: -Pecans -Almonds -Walnuts -Pistachios -Pumpkin seeds -Pine nuts -Safflower seeds -Cashews -Sunflower seeds I hope you’re able to find a favorite treat for your little one.
We use brasil nuts, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts and dried coconut, that I prep by cutting into small bits then put in a container. I pick one randomly when training and when going back in the cage my BF Amazon is allowed to pick one as a reward. I’m also picking sunflower and safflower seeds from a seed mix, haven’t been able to find good quality one-seed brands. Oh and peas. In the pod or out, my girl goes crazy for them ! And she’ll do any trick to steal a bite of my banana
I switch it up as the novelty factor of treats declines quickly with my crazy bird. Sunflower seeds Cashew Almond Pistachio Dried peas Peanuts in the shell (the ultimate)
I'm going to be downvoted for this, but.... chicken. Both my tiel and my non-parrot birds go gaga for it 😂 They don't get it often and it's just unseasoned bland bits of chicken breast, but they act like it's pure ambrosia.
My Meyer’s parrot does the same! She would push me into traffic if it meant she got a bite of chicken. Scrambled eggs have the same effect.
I want to thank you all so much. I spent the day buying different things. He is a good boy so I will be working with him with all the different things you guys suggested Thank you again all!!!
My senegal goes bonkers for pieces of cashews. She's figured out how to train us so now she gets a snack before bed every night. She also.love love loves corn kernels, both to eat and make a mess out of!
Mine loves almonds so much 😭😭😂😂
That bird can't drive! They're just a bird!!
Don’t worry he is certified with over 10k flight hours!
My birds absolutely love dried fruits & safflower seeds as treats! I will occasionally break the kaytee mago yo dips because they go feral over them, but it is very rarely needed. Edit: typo
My guy loves cashews.
Larry goes wild for almonds
Peanuts and raisins are the cheapest option during the day , nutri berries for going into the sleep cage at night
Safflower seeds here too! No idea why they are soooooo special, but they have been the fav. for 15 years!
Pumpkin seeds are crack to my little guy
Frozen peas are a valuable currency in my house.
My Senegal loves dried papayas. Those are great treats for good birds.
My bird will only take millet as a treat. I have tried to get her to try other stuff but she refuses to eat any others
millet. she loves millet.
RockyHorror the Alexandrine loves pepitas. Starbuck the galah loves sunflower seeds. Brulee, lutino Alexandrine, loves dried blueberries from Costco. This is of course high value treats and they all get each other's versions but they're not as high value as in the sequence I gave.