Cockatiels Like Mashed Potatoes

We were  in Centinela Food and Grain and while Richie got cat food, I was in the bird section thoughtfully eyeing the various kinds and brands of cockatiel food.  A clerk came up behind me and he asked, "Are you finding what you need?"

I said that I was and that I was mulling over which seed to give Lady Bird.  I remarked that she is a picky eater.  She loves millet, but refuses to eat the colored, pre-formed nuggets and so forth and he snorted and succinctly said, "Junk food!"  I added, "She won't touch bits of apple or banana ..." 

He said, "Try her on mashed potatoes.  My cockatiels love mashed potatoes -- let them cool a bit before you give them any.  They seem to like the texture as well as the taste..."

I told him that my mashed potatoes are:  peeled potatoes, cut in chunks, boiled, drained and mashed.  No butter, no cream, no salt and he beamed.  'Perfect!  What time is dinner?" and we both laughed. 

As an afterthought, as he handed me the change, he added, "Never give a cockatiel any citrus fruit - it can kill them."