Parrot Diets

Parrots come from many different parts of the world and some of the food they would naturally come across may differ slightly between species. You should therefore take into consideration the area your bird is native to when choosing a diet. For example, budgerigars and cockatiels are native to Australia and so their natural diet would consist more of grasses- whereas an Amazon parrot is more likely to encounter tropical fruit in the wild. Here in the UK, we might not be able to replicate their diet entirely, but we should aim to offer a diet that is as close as possible to their natural one.

As general rule for parrots we recommend following the same guidelines of feeding 33% fruit, 33% veg and 33% carbohydrates.

Selective feeding

It is not unusual to come across parrots who refuse to try new food and who insist on living solely on sunflower seeds, peanuts or similar. These are high in fat, low in nutrients and unfortunately very detrimental to the parrot if fed exclusively. A diet of sunflower seeds can lead to a number of health problems such as: heart disease, obesity, fatty liver disease and calcium deficiency (leading to seizures and bone diseases). We recommend reserving sunflower seeds and nuts to use only as treats.

Seeds vs Pelleted Diets

Seeds are fine for many birds, but for birds who feed selectively we recommend moving them onto a pelleted diet. Pelleted diets are essentially ground up and re-formed seeds and are often enhanced with an appropriate amount of vitamins and minerals. By feeding pellets, the bird is unable to selectively feed and therefore will be receiving a more balanced diet (when combined with fruit and vegetables). Another option for birds are ‘Nutri-Berries’. Nutri-berries are whole and semi-whole seeds which are adhered together and coated with vitamins and minerals. This helps reduce selective feeding, as well as provide the added enrichment of having something to break apart. These can be a good option for birds who won’t accept pelleted diets.

Fruit, Vegetables and Plants

These should form a large part of your parrot’s diet and a wide variety should be offered- the more colourful the better!

Safe Fruit, Vegetables and Plants

• Berries – including blueberries, raspberries and cranberries
• Strawberries
• Apples and pears
• Grapes
• Peaches
• Apricots
• Satsumas
• Mango
• Melon
• Papaya
• Pomegranate
• Bell Peppers
• Squashes and courgettes
• Carrots
• Peas, sweetcorn and pulses
• Sweet potato
• Dandelion
• Kale
• Spinach
• Watercress
• Marigolds
• Nasturtiums

Foods to Avoid

Toxic Foods:

The below list is of food that is toxic to many species of animal, including parrots. These should be avoided at all times.

• Avocados
• Stones and seeds from fruit such as cherries, peaches and apples (the flesh of the fruit itself is fine)
• Anything from the allium family, such as: onions, garlic, leeks and chives.
• Caffeine
• Chocolate
• Alcohol
• Dried beans (cooked beans are fine)

Dairy products:

Parrots are lactose intolerant and dairy products will likely lead to digestive upsets such as diarrhoea and should be avoided.

Treats (in excess!)

Many owners confess to us that they sometimes give their birds a treat such as toast. Generally we advise keeping treats to a minimum, however having something ‘naughty’ that your parrot likes to eat can be very useful in the event of them needing medication. Therefore the occasional (small!) treat is absolutely fine, as long as it is not toxic (such as: chocolate, tea etc).

Ultraviolet lighting and Calcium

Broad spectrum UV lighting is highly beneficial to birds. Birds are capable of seeing UVA light, and without it are essentially colour-blind, which can impair their mental well-being – leading to behavioural problems. Birds also use UVB by converting Vitamin D into Vitamin D3, which then aids the absorption of calcium. Calcium plays a vital role in nerve and muscle function, so we recommend that you also provide a source of calcium such as cuttlefish bones. There are also a number of powder supplements on the market which can be added to food. We recommend Nutrobal as a good all-round supplement for birds.

The easiest way to provide ultra-violet lighting is to move your bird enclosure outside for a few hours on sunny days (be careful to avoid extreme temperatures, so that your birds do not over-heat or get too cold). UVB rays can’t penetrate glass, so a sunny window will unfortunately not suffice. A bird-specific UV lamp should be provided for indoor birds – do not use a lamp that is designed for reptiles or fish, as these can cause seizures in birds.

Water

All birds should have 24 hour access to clean drinking water. Some birds like to use their water bowls as a bath, so ensure the water is changed regularly.

Transitioning a Parrot onto a Healthier Diet

Many parrots are fed seed-based diets and will often refuse to eat anything else. A seed diet alone will not provide your bird with the nutrients required for a balanced diet. This can then lead to malnutrition and disease.

Seeds in themselves are not bad for your parrot- they provide useful energy in the form of carbohydrates, as well as enrichment activities. (Such as when your parrot uses their beak to break down the different kind of seeds and husks.) It is the potential for your parrot to feed selectively when offered a seed mix, as well as the absence of nutrition provided by fruit and vegetables which can later lead to serious health problems. We therefore recommend converting your parrot onto a more varied diet to include different types of fruit and vegetables. We would also advise you to consider slowly moving your parrot onto a pelleted diet in place of seeds.(Particularly if you have a bird that feeds selectively.)

As general rule for parrots we recommend that their diet is made up of 33% fruit, 33% veg and 33% carbohydrates.

Parrots are a lot like small children in that they can be incredibly fussy and like to get their own way where dinner is concerned. This can make converting them onto a healthy diet challenging! You should be prepared for this transition to take a long time. You may also potentially waste quite a lot of food, but all of this will eventually pay off.

Introducing fruits and vegetables:

Examples of safe fruit and vegetables for parrots can be found above. Below are some tips for introducing them:

• Introduce new food items slowly- do not overwhelm them with lots of options all at once.
• Parrots are naturally curious animals. It can help if they witness you enthusiastically enjoying the food yourself before you offer it to them.
• Make meal times fun – parrots love to play! Any food that can be incorporated into toys, wrapped around bars or hidden around their enclosure may spike interest.
• Offer new fruits and vegetables during the time of day when your bird is usually hungriest.
• Eat your meals in the same room as your parrot.
• Some species of parrot (such as cockatiels and budgerigars) may prefer to eat from the ground.
• Larger parrot species can be fed at set meal times, rather than having free access to food. They can be offered their usual food during meal times (at least twice a day), but only have access to fruit and vegetables the rest of the time. This can keep them hungry enough to accept new food. You should never withhold food from small or medium species of parrot.
• Fruit and vegetables that are rejected in one form may be accepted in another. Try chopping or slicing the food in different ways, grating food such as carrots or cooking food such as squash.

Moving onto pellets

As mentioned above, if your parrot eats selectively, you may wish to consider moving them onto pellets in place of seeds. Many of the tips above for introducing fruit and vegetables can also be applied to introducing pellets.

You can also try mixing the pellets with the seed – although many parrots will still only pick out the seeds that they like! You can also offer the pellets in place of seed for short periods. This is usually more successful during the time of day when your parrot is hungriest.

Some parrots will prefer to eat pellets that have been soaked- you may need to play around with how you offer them.

There are a few different types of pellet on the market, so it may be worth trying a different brand if you aren’t making any progress.

Nutri-berries and similar products are also useful for parrots which refuse to accept a pelleted diet. These are whole and semi-whole seeds which are adhered together and coated with vitamins and minerals. This helps reduce selective feeding, as well as provide the added enrichment of having something to break apart.

If you are still struggling to get your parrot to accept new food, please don’t hesitate to contact us for advice.