Nutrition for a Healthy Bird

As with all other animals, birds need a proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. Different species of birds often require different foods.

Should I be concerned about what my bird eats?
Nutrition is the most commonly neglected element of owning a pet bird. Too often owners assume they are feeding a proper diet to their bird when in fact they are not. It is a common source of many health problems. It is important to continually strive to improve your bird's diet. This will involve reading, carefully interpreting and integrating the information along with a certain degree of common sense. Above all, discuss nutrition with your veterinarian.

It is not good enough to feed a bird just to keep it alive; instead your goal should be to help it thrive and flourish. Your bird's entire health will depend on how well it is fed.

What does my parrot naturally eat?
Parrots eat a variety of seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, blossoms, and possibly leaf buds gathered in the tree tops. Some parrots are known to raid farmers' fields and cause considerable damage to crops. But parrots are vulnerable to calcium and vitamin A deficiencies as well as obesity. A well balanced diet must be maintained at all times.

What should I feed my parrot?

Seeds
Seeds are available everywhere, store well and are very convenient to feed. Although parrots do eat seeds, they would naturally consume a far greater variety of seed types in the wild as different plants come into season. An all seed diet tends to be high in fat and provides an imbalance source of nutrients that will lead to ill health and potentially shorten the life expectancy of your parrot. Peanuts and sunflower seeds are often chosen preferentially and are particularly high in fat as well as exceptionally deficient in calcium and vitamin A. This, of course, is what leads to further malnutrition. It is preferable to feed your bird a more nutritious and balanced diet. Seeds, if used at all, should never make up more than 10 to 15% of your bird's diet.

Formulated or Pelleted Diets
Pellets, crumble and hand-feeding mashes have been developed to meet all your bird's nutritional needs. Different formulations are available for different life stages and for the management of certain diseases. Hand raised babies are the easiest to start on a pelleted diet. Pellets are the ideal diet therefore you are encouraged to slowly train seed eating birds to a pelleted diet.

If there is more than one parrot in the cage, separate dishes should be used for each bird to ensure those birds at the bottom of the pecking order have a chance to eat. This may not be appropriate in a flock situation. Any food left over in the dish at the end of the day could suggest that too much were offered originally. In any case, add fresh food daily.

How do I convert my bird to a pelleted diet?
Converting seed eating birds (seed-aholics) onto a formulated diet is not always easy. Being a new item in the cage, pellets are not likely identified immediately as food. Slowly wean the bird off seeds over a period of weeks while having pellets constantly available in a separate dish. Some people mix the pellets in a reduced amount of seed, which may aid its acceptance in the cage, but rest assured, the bird will not accidentally eat a pellet. It may take days, weeks or months to modify a bird's diet. NEVER withdraw seeds entirely without first being certain the bird is eating the formulated foods plus some fruits and vegetables. Birds are stubborn, but can be trained. Consult your veterinarian if encountering any problems with this transformation or the health of the bird. This can be a stressful time for you and your parrot.

Fruits and Vegetables
As a general rule regarding food offered to a bird, any wholesome, nutritious food that you and your family eat, your bird can eat. Fruits, vegetables and greens should account for approximately 20 - 25% of the diet. Pale vegetables, with a high water composition (i.e. Iceberg or Head lettuce, celery) offer very little nutritional value. Avocado is reported to be potentially toxic.

All fruits and vegetables must be washed thoroughly to remove all chemicals and be cut into manageable pieces depending on the size of the bird. It is not necessary to take the skin off. They should be offered in a separate dish.

Here is a tip to help get your bird to eat fruits and vegetables. Offer a large variety of food items daily and never stop trying.

Water
Fresh clean water must be available at all times. Dishes must be cleaned thoroughly every day.

What about people food?
Follow the general rule discussed above and your common sense. Some birds even enjoy a small amount of lean meat, cheese or egg occasionally. Dairy products should be consumed in strict moderation. It would only be common sense that junk food and alcoholic beverages be avoided.

Will my bird have any different needs throughout its life?
Birds that are extremely young, stressed, injured, laying eggs or raising young may have certain special requirements. Consult your veterinarian in these situations.

Do I need to use a vitamin-mineral mixture?
If your bird is on a great diet, does it need extra vitamins, minerals or amino acids? There is much written about supplementation. You can apply powdered supplements, such as Nekton-S® (by Nekton-Produkte) or Prime® (by Hagen) directly onto moist food. Do not place in drinking water, as the vitamins will quickly degrade, and bacterial growth will be encouraged. Placing these powders on seeds or dried foods is of little value since it will ultimately end up on the bottom of the food dish. One opinion suggests that a bird eating 75 - 80% of its diet in the form of pelleted or formulated food may not need supplements. Specific vitamins or minerals may be more important at various times during a bird's life (e.g. egg laying - requires calcium supplementation). Your veterinarian can help you assess your bird's diet and its particular needs.

Feeding Tips

• Always monitor the amount of food eaten every day by each bird.
• Offer fresh water every day.
• Offer fresh food every day.
• Offer fresh fruits and vegetables every day
• Clean all food and water dishes daily.
  

Some suggested food items include:

• apple;
• apricots;
• asparagus;
• banana;
• beans (cooked) such as:
  • chick peas;
  • kidney;
  • lentils;
  • lima;
  • mung;
  • navy;
  • soy;
  • beet;
• blueberry;
• broccoli;
• brussel sprouts;
• cabbage;
• cantaloupe;
• carrot;
• carrot tops;
• cantaloupe;
• cherries (not the pit);
• Chinese vegetables, i.e. bok choy;
• coconut;
• corn;
• dandelion leaves;
• endive;
• fig;
• grapes;
• grapefruit;
• kale;
• kiwi;
• melons;
• mango;
• nectarines;
• orange;
• papaya;
• parsnip;
• peaches;
• pear;
• peas;
• peppers (red, green & hot);
• pineapple;
• plum;
• pomegranate;
• potato;
• pumpkin;
• rappini;
• raspberry;
• rice (brown);
• romaine lettuce;
• spinach;
• sprouted seeds;
• squash;
• strawberry;
• sweet potato;
• tomato;
• zucchini

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