Debris from the bottom of a cheap sack of poorly cleaned seed mix<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Batches of seeds are cleaned by the producers, using sieves, magnets, air-blowers and the like. These techniques cost money, especially if repeated, so more expensive mixes will be of better quality. Large macaws will need larger nuts added to the mix \u2013 these should be unsalted. Other commercial mixes are available that have additional dried fruits and small bread sticks added to the seeds and nuts to provide a more \u2018balanced\u2019 mix. In theory, it would then be possible to balance your bird\u2019s diet by adding fresh fruits and vegetables to that mix. However, most birds \u2013 like young children \u2013 are selective eaters, and will shovel through the bowl to pick out their favourite items, dumping the rest on the floor. If you present most children with a table laid with a burger, broccoli, chips, banana, apple, cheese, chocolate, carrots, pizza, fresh tomatoes, crisps, ice cream and celery, you can imagine which items they will choose!<\/p>\n\n\n\n FRUITS AND VEGETABLES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One way round this problem is to feed the \u2018healthy\u2019 items like fruits and vegetables separately in the morning, when the bird is hungry, and add the bowl of seed only at the end of the day, when the bird has then had no choice but to eat the fresh food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Vegetable products of all groups have high nutritive value for parrots. Items such as cucumber and lettuce may be enjoyed, but have high water content, so droppings will be very liquid after this sort of food. Harder, darker greens are preferable \u2013 kale, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, peas and beans are all palatable and enjoyed by most parrots. It is often stated that oxalate in Brassica<\/em> species (cabbages etc) will compete for digestive uptake with calcium. My clinical experience suggests that this is rarely a problem in practice, and that birds do obtain calcium as well as valuable vitamin A from such foods. Orange or yellow coloured vegetables such as carrots, maize (sweetcorn), yams, butternut squash and peppers are excellent sources of vitamin A and its carotenoid precursors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of the fruits, in general tropical fruits such as mango, papaya, bananas, and passion fruit have higher levels of \u2018good\u2019 nutrients (especially vitamins) than do temperate varieties like apples and pears. That is not to say that the latter are not good \u2013 parrots will enjoy them, and any fruit is better than none \u2013 but tropical fruits are even better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The only fruit that must not be fed to parrots is Avocado (Persea<\/em> species). This is actively toxic to parrots, although many other bird species may consume it with impunity. So far as I am aware at the time of writing, the toxic principle still has not been identified, but both flesh and stone will harm parrots. Guatamalan and Nabal varieties appear to be more dangerous than Mexican strains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Avocado pear toxic to parrots<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Avocado poisoning in parrots is not an old wives\u2019 tale \u2013 I have seen it happen on several occasions. A client of mine went away for a weekend leaving her collection of assorted parrots in the care of her daughter. The daughter dutifully came to the house and cleaned, fed and watered the birds. Whilst there, she spotted a large, ripe avocado in the fruit bowl on the kitchen table. Thinking to give the parrots a special treat to cheer them up while Mum was away, she sliced the fruit and gave each bird a piece. Within hours several of the birds were looking very miserable, showing signs of abdominal pain, hunched up and fluffed, with vomiting and diarrhoea. I received a panicky \u2018phone call, and fortunately the history made the diagnosis easy, and supportive treatment was given to the birds. There is no specific antidote, since the toxic principle is unknown. Sadly, in spite of this, four birds died within 24 hours, and the remaining two that had consumed less of the fruit were extremely ill for several days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The fruits and vegetables may be fed, as suggested, as a separate meal in the morning, with more chance that the parrot will be hungry and will take it if there is no seed on offer. Other parrots will quite happily have two adjacent bowls \u2013 one with fruits and vegetables, the other with seeds and nuts \u2013 and will eat successfully from both. Adding the fruits and vegetables to the top of the seed mix is likely to result in these items being tossed to the floor by your bird as it searches through for the favoured peanuts and sunflower seeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beware of fruits in outdoor flights in a hot summer. They will ferment, grow mould and deteriorate quickly, and will be a magnet for wasps. They should be fed in the cool of the morning and removed after a couple of hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wasps on fruit in an aviary<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n You will need to experiment with your bird. Some will prefer fruits and vegetables in large chunks that they can hold in their feet while biting pieces off. Others will eat from a portion that is fastened to the cage or aviary wire by means of a clip or wire holder. Yet others prefer the food to be chopped or diced into small fragments that they can pick up and swallow in one go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When fruits are plentiful, free-living parrots naturally bite out a choice portion of fruit flesh and discard the rest of the fruit; or will bite through the flesh to get to the seeds at the core. Thus they can be wasteful in their \u2018table manners\u2019, but they are capable of opening fruits for themselves! Many of my clients spend hours preparing fruits and vegetables in specific ways for their birds \u2013 more through their own preferences than the birds\u2019 – but with the result that the parrot gets used to eating the fruit in a certain way, and will not accept it if presented differently. One of my African grey patients will eat orange only if it is simply cut in half. She will then pick out the juice and flesh from the peel. Another bird \u2013 an umbrella cockatoo \u2013 will take the same fruit only if it is peeled, divided into segments, and the white pith painstakingly removed by his owner!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some birds will prefer cooked vegetables, others eat them raw. From a nutritional point of view, raw is obviously preferable, but a little gentle steaming, blanching, or microwaving will not seriously affect the nutritional content, and may make the item more palatable and enhance its flavour. I once had two African grey parrots \u2013 Eric and Cosworth. Eric would eat his carrots raw, while Cosworth would take them only if cooked. Again, see which your bird prefers. A little cooked vegetable is better than none at all!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Parrots are social feeders. They will fly out in family groups or large flocks in early morning and late afternoon to forage and feed together. In captivity, especially for indoor pet parrots, the human family is your bird\u2019s \u2018flock\u2019. It will therefore be stimulated to eat when you do, and may want to join you! Many owners comment that their parrots eat most when the humans are having their evening meal. Those birds that have been allowed to do so may well make nuisances of themselves by coming to the table and taking food from their owners\u2019 plates. This can be a good way of persuading the bird to try new food items, provided they are suitable (vegetables and salads), as he will want to taste what you are eating. All too often, however, it becomes a route to introduce pet parrots to human \u2018junk food\u2019 \u2013 pastry, chips and the like! Sugary fruit drinks are not advisable, neither is alcohol! <\/p>\n\n\n\n PULSES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These are the fruiting bodies of leguminous vegetables \u2013 peas and beans in their many varieties. Many bird-keepers feed these to their parrots, especially during the breeding season. They are high in protein and several vitamins, and intake of dietary protein has to increase to breed, lay eggs and rear chicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dried pulses – a selection of peas and beans. Soaked pulses that are starting to sprout<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Pulses are purchased in a dried form, and need to be soaked or cooked before feeding to make them more palatable. A small batch should be thoroughly rinsed, then left to soak for 24 hours, with several changes of clean water during this period. After a final rinse, the softened soaked legumes may be fed to your birds. Many people take this a stage further and \u2018sprout\u2019 the pulses, by laying the soaked beans on moist absorbent paper on a tray. After 24 \u2013 48 hours, the seeds will split and begin to form shoots. After rinsing once again, these sprouted pulses will form an even better protein and vitamin-rich food source for your birds. Other aviculturists advocate boiling their pulses first to remove toxins potentially present in some varieties of bean. The cooking process will also further soften the product, but will inevitably reduce some of its vitamin content. Again, the cooked pulses should be rinsed thoroughly before feeding to your parrots. Inadequate rinsing of both cooked and uncooked beans can lead to rapid contamination of the food with bacteria and fungi, with possible serious harm to your birds as a result. A pulse diet is rich in both protein and some vitamins, but is low in calcium, so should not be fed as a sole food source. The diet will need the addition of calcium rich foods, or an avian-specific calcium supplement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n FORMULATED DIETS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n From a nutritional standpoint, by far the better option is to feed your parrots on a properly balanced commercially formulated diet. The principle behind these diets is that quality ingredients are combined in appropriate proportions to provide a balance of essential nutrients, and then prepared by either extrusion or pelleting into conveniently-sized nuggets that the bird will consume. In theory your parrot will receive all its dietary requirements in the correct quantities; and there will be no waste as there are no seed husks or peel, and the bird cannot sort through to pick out its favourite items. In practice, this objective will depend on the quality of the raw materials used; the efficiency of the manufacturing process; the storage and transport of the finished product; and its palatability to and acceptance by your parrot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The quality of the basic ingredients is paramount. One at least of the current manufacturers of formulated diets uses only certified organic products, with no colourings or preservatives. Other companies form the nuggets into a variety of strange shapes, and colour them with various pigments. The colouring is really to attract the human purchaser \u2013 the birds really do not seem to mind what colour it is as long as it tastes good! Colourants used should be simple vegetable dyes, and not the variety of artificial E-numbers used in so many human food products. These are known to cause hyperactivity problems in human children, and should be avoided in birds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Multi-coloured and shaped pellets, mixed with some seed<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If no preservatives are used in the finished product, then storage, packaging, transport, and the manufacturing process are all important in order to avoid deterioration and rancidity. The extrusion process is performed at a high temperature, binding the ingredients and pasteurising them to reduce bacterial contamination. The process also increases palatability and digestibility of the components. Pelleting is carried out at lower temperatures, with greater risk of bacterial contamination, more dust, and less palatability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As understanding of birds\u2019 nutritional requirements increases, so the variety of formulated diets available also increases. They are now available in high-potency (higher fat content) for macaws and greys and breeding birds; lifetime formulae for maintenance; and with different granule size to suit different sizes of bird. This includes a mash for very small species or convalescing patients, and hand-rearing formulae for baby parrots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Different grades of organic formulated food, from large pellets, through fine pellets to mash<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n It can be difficult to persuade a \u2018sunflower seed junkie\u2019 to take on a nutritionally superior formulated diet. There are many techniques suggested to aid the transition, and as each bird is different in its reaction, what will work for one may not be successful for another. Sometimes the \u2018cold turkey\u2019 method works. All other food is removed, and only the chosen formulated diet is offered. This may require hospitalisation at a veterinary clinic, for close monitoring of the bird and its bodyweight. Owners often will not persist with this technique for long enough, because parrots will hold out for many days until they get what they want. This can work for some individuals, and usually once converted they never look back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other cases a gradual introduction is successful. Nuggets can be mixed with the parrot\u2019s existing foods, or given in a separate bowl \u2013 some birds will select the food in this way. Alternatively, use the technique suggested for fruits and vegetables, giving the formulated food on its own in the morning, topping up with seed and nuts only in the evening. The bird will have had a good chance to sample the new food during the day. Warming the formula slightly will release oils and may improve its flavour. Adding a few drops of fruit juice may have the same effect. As mentioned earlier, parrots enjoy eating with the family, so passing the bird formulated diet from a human plate may encourage it to take the new product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An argument raised against formulated diets is that they are \u2018boring\u2019 for the bird. However, food should not be used to provide stimulation. Parrots, in common with all animals, \u2018eat to live\u2019, they do not have the human feelings of anticipation, preparation, presentation, and socialisation associated with eating. Agreed, they are intelligent and inquisitive, and in that respect food may be presented in different ways. Favoured items may be placed into hollow toys, small bags, or cardboard boxes for the parrot to explore and work out how to obtain them. But \u2013 giving food should not be used as the bird\u2019s sole source of amusement and occupation. Environmental enrichment has been discussed elsewhere. (Housing Your Pet Parrot) (<\/a>Husbandry and Management of Parrot Species) <\/a>Parrots should have toys to play with, items to chew and destroy, and space and light to enrich their lives, not just endless food. Variety and interest can be added to a pelleted diet in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables \u2013 up to 20% of the total intake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no doubt that parrots that take to a formulated diet with some fruit and vegetable do in the long term appear healthier and fitter, with better feather quality and colour than those on a seed-based diet. Breeding results are generally better as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n SEASONAL VARIATION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It is natural for parrots to consume different foods as they come into season throughout the year, and captive parrots should be no exception. Whilst it is possible these days to obtain most foods throughout the year in supermarkets, locally-grown and harvested products are strictly seasonal, usually cheaper, and obviously environmentally friendly owing to minimal transportation. Why pay over the odds for specialist foods out of season? Use what comes in when it is available \u2013 freeze some if it is suitable for this process \u2013 then move on to the next product. Parrots will happily consume fresh spring vegetables early in the year, moving on through the summer fruits and berries, to the autumn harvest of wild foods like rose hips. (Autumn’s Harvest)<\/a> These are a valuable source of vitamin C, and may be frozen. Pomegranates are a particular favourite with many parrots, but naturally have a short season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These birds\u2019 requirements are also very seasonal. When moulting out old feathers and growing new ones, their demand for calcium and protein will be high. The same requirements apply to young growing birds. Adults that are preparing to mate, lay eggs, and raise young will also need a higher nutritional plane, with extra protein, vitamins, and minerals \u2013 especially calcium. Birds recovering from stress, injury or illness may require extra carbohydrates and protein to replace weight loss and repair damaged tissues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Outside of these times, normal maintenance requirements of parrots will be much reduced. This is particularly true of the less active, indoor pet parrot, which is kept warm and comfortable, with a ready supply of food. So much so that in many cases these birds will become obese, especially if they are allowed to eat too much in the way of junk food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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