# Favorite foods?



## Zaltys (Dec 16, 2015)

I've been taking care of a feral for a while now, and although he eats a healthy amount of seeds (with unhulled sunflower seeds being his favorite), I've had no success with other foods.

He's shown no interest at all in defrosted corn, dried apple, or banana. So what veggies and fruits should I try next? What do your ferals prefer?

(Based on what I've read, carrots tend to be popular. But would raw or defrosted work better?)


----------



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Thank you for helping the feral pigeon. Ferals are my favorite. Does he seem healthy, energetic, with good appearing droppings? What kind of seed mixture are you giving? Is it pigeon mix? Again thank you for helping him.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Go easy on the sunflower, as it is very high in oil, so he shouldn't get a lot of that. That should be used more like a treat. He needs a good mix of seeds. As far as veggies, chopped to bite size kale is good for him. And finely chopped raw carrots that are chopped finely enough for him to swallow. Some like the tips of broccoli cut finely, or sprouts.


----------



## Zaltys (Dec 16, 2015)

cwebster said:


> Thank you for helping the feral pigeon. Ferals are my favorite. Does he seem healthy, energetic, with good appearing droppings? What kind of seed mixture are you giving? Is it pigeon mix? Again thank you for helping him.


Sufficient to say, he's doing fine. Hyperactive even, constantly pecking at new things, which is getting to be a problem now that he can fly again in short spurts. And extremely territorial while in the cage. Could definitely use some ideas for tempting treats for luring him out when needed, to make cleaning etc easier. Sunflower works decently, but I'd rather find something healthier to use.

No pigeon mixes, the best I can provide is wild bird mix. Doves are not normally kept as pets here, most of this country is too dark and cold for them. During the winter, sun doesn't even rise for a couple of weeks. ...I'm not sure how the ferals and wood pigeons cope with that in the wild, especially combined with snow, freezing temperature (sometimes -30°C and lower) and sparce food.



Jay3 said:


> Go easy on the sunflower, as it is very high in oil, so he shouldn't get a lot of that. That should be used more like a treat. He needs a good mix of seeds. As far as veggies, chopped to bite size kale is good for him. And finely chopped raw carrots that are chopped finely enough for him to swallow. Some like the tips of broccoli cut finely, or sprouts.


Thanks. I've already cut down the amount of sunflower, after noticing that he always eats those first. But the problem with carrots and other vegetables is that he doesn't seem to even consider those edible. They just sit in the bowl untouched, until I have to remove them before they go bad.

Should I try only offering vegetables, so he doesn't have alternatives?


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

No, I wouldn't offer only veggies. Some like them and some don't. If there were more birds there and he saw others eating them, then he would try them. He doesn't recognize them as food. He may eventually try them. You can add more to the mix though. They must have split peas and dry lentils in your super markets. That would be a very good addition.


----------

