HOW AND WHAT TO FEED YOUR BIRDS

Feeding your parrot, a proper diet is essential to him leading a long and happy life. In fact, a parrot who eats a healthy, balanced diet is also more active and tends to have a better plumage than a parrot whose diet may be lacking in some areas. You probably already know that your parrot loves seeds, but bird seeds are only one component of a good parrot diet. Having a good understanding of what types of foods your parrot should eat will help you make good decisions to keep your birds in good health.

LEARNING WHAT TO FEED

Feed your parrot a commercial pellet. Pellet complete diets for birds are an important component of your parrot’s diet. They come in a variety of colours, sizes, and even flavours. Because pellets are made up of a combination of fruits, vegetables, grains, and seeds, they have a very high nutritional value. •

When selecting pellets from us be sure to read the ingredients label. Do not select pellets that have a lot of preservatives. • Since there are so many varieties of pellets, consider talking to us to determine which pellet formulation would work best for your parrot. Include seeds in your parrot’s diet. Even though birdseed should not be a mainstay of your parrot’s diet, it still provides some nutritional value that is good for your parrot. Just like with pellets, there are many seed formulations to choose from. It is ideal to purchase a package of seed mixture, but you could also purchase individual seed types and mix them on your own. • Sunflower seeds were once thought to be addictive to parrots, but this is actually not true. • It should not smell mouldy or rancid, and should be free of insects and fungus. Good bird seed should also be shiny. Please store it correctly to avoid bugs hatching as these don’t have pesticides sprayed on them. • Your parrot may prefer seeds that are sprouted or germinated. To germinate seeds, soak a daily a portion of the seeds in clean, fresh water overnight, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. After 12 to 24 hours, you will start to see the root tips of the seeds, which means that the seeds have germinated. At this stage, you can feed them to your parrot.

Incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into your parrot’s diet.
There are many types of fruits and vegetables that you can feed your parrot,
including apples, broccoli, collard greens, and peaches. Whichever type of fruit or
vegetable you choose to feed your parrot, make sure that you wash it thoroughly
with fresh water before feeding it to him. Keep in mind that fruits have a relatively
high sugar content, so they should not be a large part of your parrot’s diet. Remember that pellets are partially made up of fruit, so your parrot will
likely get the same types of nutrients from the pellet mixture as he would
from the fresh fruit.

Chop the fruit and vegetables into smaller portions to make it easier for
your parrot to eat.
Some fruits may stain your bird’s droppings, but this is not a cause for
concern.
Feed your parrot nuts.
Nuts are another component of your parrot’s healthy diet. They are high in protein and other vitamins and minerals but are also high in fat. Because of the high fat
content, you should feed them to your parrot in moderation. For example, you could feed your parrot nuts as a training reward or occasional treat.
• Examples of nuts that you can feed your parrot include macadamia nuts, walnuts, pistachios, and cashews.
• The nuts that you feed your parrot should be unsalted.
• If possible, leave the shell on the nuts. Wild parrots often use their beak to break open the nutshell. Leaving the shell on will make your parrot
put a little extra effort into eating his food, which is good physical and mental stimulation for him. Keep in mind that breaking the shell is a learned behaviour.
• Macaws tend to need more nuts and fat in their diet than other parrot species
Learn what foods you should not feed your parrot.
• Although your parrot can eat wide a variety of human foods, there are certain human foods that you should not feed him. For example, avocados and chocolate can be toxic to your parrot and should be
avoided. Alcohol can also be toxic to him. Caffeine should be avoided as well. Peanuts that are improperly stored (warm, dark, damp conditions) can release aflatoxin; a toxin produced by a type of fungus.
Aflatoxin can be deadly to parrots, so it would be best to avoid feeding peanuts to your parrot. Encourage your parrot to forage.
• Wild parrots spend a large amount of their time foraging for food .You don’t want your parrot to become complacent or lazy when it comes to eating his food, so encourage him to put a little extra effort into eating. For example, sprinkle some pellets and gravel in his food tray. This will make your parrot sift through the gravel before he gets to the pellets. You can also put his
food in foraging toys.
• Working to eat his food will keep your parrot busy and mentally stimulated, which can help reduce the likelihood of behavioural problems.
• Snacks in the form of bird treats are important for your parrot! They have a very high-energy metabolism, which can cause their blood sugar to drop quickly.