Parrot Nutrition

Needs and Nutrition

The majority of your bird’s diet should be a pelleted complete diet supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh water should also be freely available at all times.

Seeds and nuts are excellent treats but should be used sparingly. A high-seed diet can lead to health issues such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, goiter, and numerous vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Food For Fun

Wild parrots spend the majority of their time searching for food, and this behavior is often hard to mimic in captivity.

Offer food in several meals throughout the day to break up your pet’s routine.

Puzzle toys engage your pet’s brain and encourage more natural behaviors Hanging greens from the cage or hiding food in objects can encourage natural foraging behaviors.

Train your bird to step on a gram scale to monitor body weight changes at home.

Picky Parrots

Parrots are incredibly intelligent, but can be childish about their diet. If offered their whole diet at once, they are prone to eating around the healthier things and go straight for their favorites, much like a toddler just eating the cookies of their dinner.

Watch your bird’s eating habits and ensure they are eating their pellets before offering them “desserts” like seeds and high sugar fruits.

Parrots can also resist trying new things or stop eating if their diet is changed suddenly. Introduce new pellets or foods gradually in small amounts over a few weeks and watch to see what they are actually eating. Grinding up the pellets and mixing them with your bird’s favorite food might help.

Remember: a balanced, healthy diet only matters if they are actually eating it!

Toxic Tastes! Peanuts: Moldy peanuts can contain aflatoxin, which is toxic to humans as well, but birds are much more sensitive to small amounts.
Avocado: While delicious to people, all parts of the avocado, including the skin, flesh and especially the pit, contain persins which can cause edema and death.
Eggplant: Birds can eat the fruit, but the plants (stems, leaves) are toxic as they contain elevated levels of solanine.

Looking for more information? go.ncsu.edu/vhnutrition
Learn more here: https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/