I want him to eat fresh food, I’ve been trying to feed him apples, lettuce, and (cooked) rice, he only occasionally eats bits of apple if I clip them to the side of the cage, but nothing from the bowl.
I am currently trying to switch him to pellets because its healthier, but he doesn’t really go for them much right now. Its a work in progress..
I’ve had him for a little over 2 weeks, and the breeder told me he is about 3 months, he still has some visible black bars, but they are fading, and he has a lot of new head feathers coming in right now.

When all my bird seeds have gone I return to my apartment and start to get things organised for work tomorrow. I take a bath, blow dry my hair and look out some clothes. I decide on my black Dolce and Gabana trouser suit and my zebra print heels. With tomorrow sorted I go into the kitchen and try to figure out how to work the microwave. It looks like an alien spaceship to me. After twenty minutes; eight to cook my macaroni cheese and twelve to find the start button I slump down on my sofa and switch the TV on. Friends are playing and I start to feel American.

My door bell rings and I open it to find Gaz looking at me.

“Well, come on?” he says.
“Come where?” I ask, “I’ve got my pyjama’s on.”
“For coffee. Don’t tell me you forgot?”
“You didn’t tell me a time, Gaz,”
“Look, Sophie, I have been up and down these stairs all day knocking on your door. Where ya been?”

He walks past me and snoops around my apartment. Looking in the bathroom, the bedroom and finally the family room.

“I was at Central Park,” I answer, “feeding the birds.”
“Oh god, please don’t tell me you bought bird seed,”
“Yes, why? I liked the look of the lady. She reminds me of the bird woman-
“From Mary Poppins, I know, I know,” Gaz interrupts.

Looking confused I ask, “What’s wrong with buying bird seed?”
“Well, she just knows how to scam tourists. How much did you pay?”
“$20”
“Get dressed. I am going to show you how to survive in New York,” Gaz takes me to Dorris and Jeff’s café and I notice it is so much busier than this morning.
“I was here today, did I do that right?” I ask.
“Yes, Dorris and Jeff are lovely. They’ve just opened and make a brilliant cup of coffee,”

Dorris is thrilled to see me again and sits us down at the booth with the photo of Elvis hanging on the wall. I look around and the place and looks different to this morning. The lighting has changed and is now a dark red with a log fire burning up at the very back of the café, which I didn’t spot earlier. Couples are seated opposite each other hand in hand and giggling away. Doris is doing her rounds and reaches us.

“Hi, Gaz, what ya want for eating?” she asks.
“Nothing, just a coffee, Doris,”
“Sure and I never caught your name this morning, dear?”
“I’m, Sophie, and I’ll have a coffee too,” I say picking up the menu, “and the homemade toffee cheese cake, please.”

She takes out her pen and pad and takes a note, “won’t be long,”

“So,” I ask Gaz, “what’s the key to surviving then,”
“Well, first off don’t be being bird seed again. Your “Oh I love New York” phase will pass,”
“God, Gaz I only arrived yesterday, give me a break. Let me enjoy it,”
“Ok, but if your still dancing about feeding those flying rats in a months time, I swear I will have you sectioned, deal?”
“Deal?” I say laughing.

Dorris arrives with our coffee and my cake and I look at Gaz wondering why he’s looking at me in the strange way he is.

“ What now?”
“Nothing, Love, just don’t be eating that every day too. Don’t want you gaining a few extra pounds now, do we?”
“This coming from the guy who was exercising yesterday plus stuffing your face with chips and cream cakes?”
“Ok, you win but don’t tell Neil. He thinks I’m doing really well,”
I take a sip of my coffee and ask, “who’s Neil?”
“My boyfriend, don’t know if you will get to meet him though; he works a lot,” he says in an unhappy tone.
“He tells me it’s for us to have a good life and a nice home,”
“Well, he’s right. Your apartment is stunning, Gaz,”
“Yeah, I suppose,”
OMG mep zorp, thumbs up for you, I have just pissed myself laughing. The tears are pouring out my eyes, lol

With seeds, even fortified ones, the additive is on the seed hull, which most birds end up taking off and chucking out of their cage, so they end up with very little of the additive and a big mess.

Fresh foods, (veggies, fruits, pastas, rice, all sorts of things) should also be a big part of a birds diet. Seeds should be a small (under 20%) part of just be used as treats ideally. Millet is like a candy bar to a bird, and should only be a treat once in awhile.