Changing diet in older birds?

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Litost
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Hello,

I was hoping someone could give me some information and or advice about switching diets for older gouldian finches. I inherited two Gouldian Finches a while ago and they are and have always been on finch seed from what I know. I tried giving them vegetables as I read they should have access to them but they had no interest each and every time I gave them. I also have them on Vetafarms 12 Essential Vitamin's + Boosted Vitamin D during moult season and they have millet seeds too which they will eat. They are also inside birds.

I was hoping for some advice as to if I should switch them over from a seed mix to Vetafarm's Finch Crumbles, and if I should, how would I go about introducing this new food.

Apologies that I don't know too much about their care, I have read that they live off seed mix but I know that Vetafarm is a very good brand and something I use for my other animals.
This food is significantly more expensive than their current food so I want to make sure that they would benefit from the switch and if they would even take to it. I am willing to try and switch the food if it would benefit them even if it is a low chance, I don't know their exact age unfortunately but I know that the male is over 2 years and the female over 5 years (note: they are not breeding so that does not need to be considered within their diet).

I appreciate any and all advice/informtaion that may be given about my question and please feel free to correct or suggest other methods of care or adjustments to my current care for them based upon the information provided above. Thanks again. :)
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Craig52
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They are too old to consider changing their diet imo. The general idea would be to put a bowl of each in the cage and they can choose but i think they would always choose seed as that's all they know.
Finch crumbles should be an additive not staple food.
Natural seeding grasses are preferred by all finches so if you have seeding grasses on your property or surrounds pick the heads off and feed to them. I know a lot talk about feeding fruits and vegetables on Fb but to be honest it's a waste of time and energy trying to get them to eat it compared to seeding grasses.
The old saying and naming as grass finches is true as they are not named vegetable finches. The only vegie i've ever fed finches is cucumber of which they seem to relish seeds and all.
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Rod_L
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I would add the vitamin supplement every day or every second day throughout the entire year. Indoor birds often suffer from vitamin D deficiency so a daily vitamin supplement is required all year round.

I would have a bowl of seed and mix some of the finch crumbles with it. The birds can try it when they want. But as Craig said, they probably won't take to it that readily. If you had a mixed collection of birds in an aviary, then some of the other birds might eat the new food and then the older birds might try it. But a pair of older Gouldians on their own are unlikely to try new foods.

Keep offering green leafy veges every day and when green grass seeds are available in winter and spring, add them to the cage. You can also grow your own grass seeds at home in pots or in the garden.
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Litost
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Craig52 wrote: 15 Sep 2020, 21:38 They are too old to consider changing their diet imo. The general idea would be to put a bowl of each in the cage and they can choose but i think they would always choose seed as that's all they know.
Finch crumbles should be an additive not staple food.
Natural seeding grasses are preferred by all finches so if you have seeding grasses on your property or surrounds pick the heads off and feed to them. I know a lot talk about feeding fruits and vegetables on Fb but to be honest it's a waste of time and energy trying to get them to eat it compared to seeding grasses.
The old saying and naming as grass finches is true as they are not named vegetable finches. The only vegie i've ever fed finches is cucumber of which they seem to relish seeds and all.
Thank you for your reply.
Yeah I was thinking they may have been too old, I will look into getting them some seeding grasses too. :)
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Litost
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Rod_L wrote: 15 Sep 2020, 21:46 I would add the vitamin supplement every day or every second day throughout the entire year. Indoor birds often suffer from vitamin D deficiency so a daily vitamin supplement is required all year round.

I would have a bowl of seed and mix some of the finch crumbles with it. The birds can try it when they want. But as Craig said, they probably won't take to it that readily. If you had a mixed collection of birds in an aviary, then some of the other birds might eat the new food and then the older birds might try it. But a pair of older Gouldians on their own are unlikely to try new foods.

Keep offering green leafy veges every day and when green grass seeds are available in winter and spring, add them to the cage. You can also grow your own grass seeds at home in pots or in the garden.
Thank you for your reply.
I will keep them on their seeds then and look into getting them some grass seeds!
Also thank you for suggesting I provide the supplements all year round, I'll be sure to put that in place.
Thank you again. :)
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finchbreeder
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Growing a pot or 2 of finch seed as Rod suggested is sometimes the easiest and healthiest way to provide seeding grasses for a small number of birds.
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Rod_L
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The following link has information on growing your own grass seeds for birds.
viewtopic.php?f=84&t=21732&p=188305#p188305
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