K
ibibi's InfoSuperFlyway
Your Avian Info Super Flyway
K
ibibi's InfoSuperFlyway
Your Avian Info Super Flyway
Helpful Hints - Check the Helpful Hints boxes for safety and time saving tips.
This article is for you if you're researching basic feeding requirements for parrots. This article is an introductory article for potential parrot owners and new parrot owners. It was written in broad terms to cover many species of parrots. This article does provide very limited details about specific species when appropriate. See the side boxes titled "Species Specific" for information related to specific species. There are also side boxes titled "Helpful Hints" which have safety tips and time saving tips. This article doesn't cover in depth requirements for the different species of parrots. Nor does this article cover the diet needs of baby birds that are being hand-fed or the diets of softbills such as Lories, toucans, and mynah birds which eat soft foods. Finally, this article does not cover live foods mealworms, fruit flies, maggots, crickets and locusts that are not practical for most parrot owners.
Species Specific - Check the Species Specific boxes for info on specific species.
There's an old Clint Eastwood western movie titled "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". This closely describes the common pet parrot diets but there is an additional category which falls between the good and the bad diets. These four diets are "The Good Diet", "The Not-So-Good Diet", "The Bad Diet", and "The Ugly Diet". "The Good Diet" is a diet of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and some birdseed/nuts. "The Not-So-Good Diet" is the "The Good Diet" diet with pellet food added. "The Bad Diet" is a diet of pellet food only. And finally, "The Ugly Diet" is a birdseed/nut only diet. We'll look at each of these diets in this article but we'll start with basic nutrition. We'll also look at "What's Cookin" which lists some common recipes for your bird. We'll also look at sprouting seeds, human table scraps and supplements such as vitamins and minerals. In the "Persuading Polly" section, we'll look at how to get your parrot to try new foods. We will also touch briefly on the subject of dehydrating foods for storage.Here are some quick links to the sections in this article.
Most parrots are generally omnivorous. They'll eat almost anything. This article focuses on the general diet of most parrots. Poor nutrition can lead to feather plucking, disease due to reduced immune system, and death. A poor diet can be very unhealthy and some experts estimate that the birds life span can be cut in half! You bird needs a well balanced diet. So what is a balanced diet? Let's start with the basics of nutrition.
What are the basic elements of a good diet? A good parrot diet is very similar to a good human diet. Parrots, like people, require protein, carbohydrates, fats, water, vitamins, and minerals.
Protein in food comes in the form of complete protein and incomplete protein. The complete proteins come from foods like meat, dairy, or eggs. Complete proteins have all the essential amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins. Essential amino acids come from food sources and cannot be created by your bird while nonessential amino acids are produced by your bird's body. Incomplete proteins come from foods like beans and corn. Incomplete proteins are missing one or more of the essential amino acids. This all sounds very complicated but the key fact to take from this all is that a balanced diet is required to provide the proteins needed by your bird. Good sources of protein are nonfat plain yogurt, nonfat or lowfat cheese (in moderation), tofu, nonfat cottage cheese, hard boiled eggs, lean chicken (well cooked), lean turkey (well cooked), brown rice, enriched pasta, corn, nuts an various beans. Some estimates suggest that approximately 20% of your bird's diet should be proteins.
Carbohydrates are needed to create energy and heat. They come in three varieties that are Simple Sugars, Complex carbohydrates, and fiber. Simple sugars can be found in fruit. Complex Carbohydrates can be found in cereals/grains (bread, rice, pasta, oats, barley, millet, buckwheat, rye) and starchy vegetables, such as potatoes. Fiber refers to the indigestible part of a carbohydrate food. Fiber can be found in unrefined or whole grain cereals, fruit (fresh and dried) and vegetables. Fiber is touted to be a good thing in human diets but its usefulness in a bird's diet is still questionable.
Fats are also required in limited quantities. Fat is needed for the absorption and movement of some vitamins and provides a quick energy and heat source. Good sources of fat are cheese, nuts, and seeds. Only about between 5% and 10% of your parrot's diet should be Fats. Though not usually considered as part of a diet, water is absolutely essential to a diet. Make sure your bird always has a clean source of water. Water should be changed frequently at least twice a day. The water dish should also be cleaned after each use. Normal tap water is usually sufficient but depending on your water source, you may need to provide bottled water.
Helpful Hints - Too much of a good thing like vitamins and minerals can be hazardous.
Vitamins are essential for good health. Vitamins are nutrients that your bird cannot synthesize on its own or can only create in very small quantities. Vitamins are either water-soluble or fat-soluble. B vitamins, niacin, panthothenic acid, folic acid, biotin, choline, and vitamin C are examples of water-soluble vitamins. Vitamin A, D, E, and K are examples of fat-soluble vitamins.
Minerals such as potassium, magnesium, zinc, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, chloride are also essential for good health.
So how do you provide a healthy mix of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals? To do this, you provide a variety of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, seeds, and nuts. Fruits & Veggies are not only essential from a nutritional perspective, they also peak your bird's interest. You should wash veggies and greens thoroughly before feeding. You should also wash fruit skin thoroughly. Some experts even suggest that the skin be removed from fruits.
Helpful Hints - Canned vegetables have too much salt but frozen mixed vegetables can be used if fresh vegetables aren't available.
Fresh vegetables provide a low calorie source of essential vitamins and minerals. Vegetables high in Vitamin A are very important for your bird. It is essential for their skin, feathers, and eyesight. Excellent sources of Vitamin A are green vegetables and yellow-orange vegetables. Some fruits are also good sources of Vitamin A. A list of suitable vegetables is shown below.
Species Specific - Cabbage isn't recommended for budgeries because it may make them susceptible to thyroid disorders.
Suitable Veggies - Corn on the Cob (can be frozen), carrots, cauliflower, Celery (cut), Cilantro, collard greens, Spinach, beets, beet greens, eggplant, endive cucumbers, kohlrabi, fresh sweet corn, Swiss chard, green peppers (remove seeds), asparagus, tomatoes, zucchini, sweet potatoes, broccoli, Jalapeno peppers, squash, mustard greens, okra, parsley, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, radishes, sprouts, turnips, turnip greens, winter squash, yams.
Fresh fruits are also essential to a well balanced diet. Some suitable fruits are listed below.
Helpful Hints - Fruits and vegetables can spoil very quickly. It is important to remove the uneaten remains from the cage before it spoils.
Suitable Fruits - sweet apples(cored), grapes, honeydew, most berries, bananas, mangoes, pineapple, apricots(pitted), cantaloupe, cherries(pitted), figs, kiwi pumpkins, melons, papayas, peaches(pitted), plums, pears(cored), persimmons, raisins, watermelon, oranges (small amounts) and tangerines (small amounts).
Time can be saved if you prepare meals ahead of time and freeze small usable portions. This will enable you to prepare a few days worth of meals in advance. You can also freeze fruit such as grapes. You should first freeze them on a tray then place in storage bags to prevent sticking.
In addition to fresh fruits and fresh vegetables, fresh seeds are also part of the "Good Diet". Seeds used to be the main staple of pet birds. In those "good old days" the wood "seeds" was synonymous with "bird food". We've come a long way along the discovery path of avian diets and luckily for our birds this is no longer the case. However, seeds still play a minor role in your pet bird's diet. In the wild some birds are predominantly seedeaters such as Budgies and cockatiels. But the rain forest species such as amazon parrots and macaws eat few seeds in the wild. So in most cases, your parrot should only get a small amount of seeds in its diet. Seeds are high in fat but are a good source of carbohydrates. They should be given in moderation and are an excellent reward for training sessions if you train your parrot.
There are custom birdseed mixes for different species. An example of a birdseed mix might be 15% striped sunflower, 10% buckwheat, 10% canary grass, 10% whole rice, 5% hulled oats, 5% barley, 5% wheat, 5% peanuts, 5% corn flakes, 5% mynah pellets, 5% white millet, 5 kibbled corn, 3% crushed red peppers, 2% whole corn. The birdseed mix should be fresh. You can test it for freshness. Yes, you can taste it. It should not smell rancid, should not be mildewed, it should not have insect pests, and it should taste fresh. You can also sprout some of the birdseed mix (see sprouting section later in this article). At least 30% of the seed should sprout. You can keep the birdseed fresh by buying it in one month or less quantities, by keeping it refrigerated, and by buying fast moving brands (high turnover brands). Some experts suggest refrigeration while others suggest that you simply store the seed in a dry container. Most experts agree that storing seeds in a plastic bag should be avoided due to condensation-fungus. I've also heard of people freezing their seed mixes for 24 hours before using it to kill any insects.
Nuts are high in protein that is good but also high in fat and that is bad. Nuts should be given in moderation. Suitable nuts include Beechnuts, peanuts in the shell, hazelnuts, pine nuts, walnuts, and cedar nuts. Nuts also provide entertainment and exercise if given in the shell. Some nuts may need to be broken open for some birds if their size or beak strength isn't sufficient. Nuts are the perfect "Treat" if given in moderation and most parrots will work for hours on a toy just to get a nut out of it.
This is probably the most common version of a diet provided to pet parrots. This diet is "The Good Diet" with pellet foods added into the mix. Some recommend 60%-80% pellet, 10-20% grains, seeds, breads, cereals, rice and pasta. The remaining should be fruits and vegetables. I don't know if there is a perfect mix but it is important to give a variety of foods.There are a lot of benefits to using pellets. They come in a variety of prices, shapes, colors, and ingredients for specific species. They're also convenient to feed, easy to buy, usually inexpensive, can be easily stored, are easy to clean up and are resistant to spoilage. Another advantage to pellet food is that your bird can't pick out it's favorite and ignore the rest. However they're not natural, boring, may contain artificial colors and flavors, and are not the only food required by your bird. Pellet food has come a long way in the last 10 years but it still isn't perfect. Don't believe the manufacturers that tell you that their pellet food provides everything your bird needs. This may be close to true but in general different species have different requirements so pellets can't be "one size fits all".
It is important to read the ingredients of your pellet food. In my opinion, the later unnatural words appear in the ingredient list then the better off the pellet food. A mixture of natural ingredients is preferred to a mixture of artificial ingredients. Some brands are certified organic such as Harrison's Adult Lifetime Coarse while others are not certified organic such as ZuPreem Avian Maintenance FruitBlend. Pellet foods are usually a blend of grains, seeds, vegetables, fruits, and various proteins. Here are the published ingredients of two common pellet foods.
Helpful Hints - Colored pellets such as the ZuPreem Avian Maintenance FruitBlend are visually appealing but may lead to waste if your bird doesn't like a particular color or shape.
ZuPreem Avian Maintenance FruitBlend - Ground Corn, Soybean Meal, Cracked Wheat, Wheat Germ Meal, Vegetable Oil, Sucrose, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Iodized Salt, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Citric Acid, Natural and Artificial colors, Artificial Flavors, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin K Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Biotin. Guaranteed Analysis - Crude Protein 14.0% (min), Crude Fat 4.0% (min), Crude Fiber 2.5% (max), Moisture 10.0% (max).
Helpful Hints - Non-Colored pellets such as the Harrison's Adult Lifetime Coarse are less visually appealing but may reduce waste because the pellets are the same color and shape.
Harrison's Adult Lifetime Coarse and Lifetime Coarse Pepper - *Ground Yellow Corn, *Ground Hulless Barley, *Ground Soybeans, *Ground Shelled Peanuts, *Ground Shelled Sunflower Seeds, *Ground Lentils, *Ground Green Peas, *Ground Rice, *Ground Toasted Oat Groats, *Sun Dried Alfalfa, Calcium Carbonate, Psyllium, Montmorillonite Clay, *Spirulina, Ground Dried Sea Kelp, Vitamin E Supplement, Sea Salt, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, d-Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Sodium Selenite. (*CERTIFIED ORGANIC INGREDIENT). Guaranteed Analysis: Crude protein 15% (min), crude fat 5.5% (min), crude fiber 6.5%(max), moisture 10% (max).
The "Bad Diet" is a pellet only diet. Several pellet brands claim to be the "Total Diet" or "All Your Bird Needs" but be very cautions. A pellet only diet is not a sufficient diet. Fresh fruit and vegetables are essential for your bird's diet.
The "Ugly Diet" is a birdseed only diet. This used to be common but the breadth and span of avian diet knowledge has rendered this diet obsolete. Some estimate that a seed only diet may cut the life span of your bird in half. Other go as far as claiming that a seed only diet is "abuse". This is a very bad diet and can be compared to a junk food only diet in humans. While some birds are predominantly seedeaters in the wild such as Budgies and cockatiels, they can still benefit from a well balanced diet. And the rain forest species such as amazon parrots and macaws eat very few seeds in the wild so they require a well balanced, "Good Diet".
Here is one word of caution before running to the kitchen. Make sure any cooked food is sufficiently cooled before giving it to your bird. The following recipes can be used in cases where you want to give your bird a special treat. Even though these recipes are not all perfectly healthy, they are perfectly "bird-elicious". This is Kibibi's Top Ten list of "Yummy Fixin's".
Sprouting seeds is an easy way to provide vitamins, minerals, and trace elements to your bird and your bird will love them. Don't be intimidated by all the different directions for sprouting. There are thousands of different recommendations out there. The good news is that they all work so feel free to experiment. The key thing is to "Just do it!" Vitamins, Minerals, and trace elements are released during sprouting. Basically, sprouting is the beginning process of the seed turning into a plant. However, sprouting isn't limited to seeds. Seeds, grains and legumes can be used as sprouting sources. They will begin to swell when soaked in water. The germination process will begin and the nutritional value of the seed will change. One particular change is the protein level increases.
Sprouting seeds and seed-sprouter equipment (though not necessary) can be purchased at most health food stores. Seed-sprouters are basically jars with a lid that allows airflow (wire mesh). Simple dinner plates can be used instead of seed-sprouters as described in the directions below. Some good sprouting sources for beginners are sunflower seeds, mung beans, lentils and wheat berries. Other sprouting sources are amaranth, azuki, alfalfa, barley, buckwheat, canary grass, corn, popcorn, millet, oats, rice, rye, triticale, kamut, spelt, almonds, broccoli seeds, cabbage seeds, kale seeds, fenugreek seeds, teff, pumpkin seeds, radish seeds, quinoa, clover, garbanzo (Chickpeas) beans. As mentioned previously, there are several methods for sprouting. The key elements of the simple process are described below.
Helpful Hints - Sprouts have a very short shelf life and can be dangerous if they mold.
The process is very forgiving and that is why there are several descriptions of the process that all work. If you use small sprouting seeds then step 2 can be a few minutes. For example Buckwheat only needs to be soaked for 15-30 minutes while Barley needs to be soaked for 8-14 hours. Step 5 also depends on the sprouting seed and may not take as long as 24 hours. For example sunflowers usually sprout in about 18 hours while Alfalfa can take 6-8 days. As soon as the seeds starts to grow a little tail then it can be fed to your bird. If you wait too long, it will grow a big root and lose its nutrients. The small tail or "short sprout" is a sign that it is ready to be fed to your bird. A "long sprout" is typical of a sprout for human consumption. Also some sprouters prefer to rinse with an antibacterial solution such as Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) or a very diluted bleach solution instead of regular tap water. In my opinion this isn't necessary but it doesn't affect the process. You can refrigerate sprouted seeds for a couple days. However, it is recommended that you rinse them daily until they're used to remove the harmful byproducts of the sprouting process.
"Tables Scraps" is probably a bad phrase to use here because you shouldn't give your bird anything that you wouldn't be willing to eat yourself. A more accurate phrase may be "People Food". In either case, this section is about sharing your dinner with your bird. Sharing your food helps to build the bond between you and your bird and can be healthy for your bird at the same time. This assumes that you eat healthy or at least only share the healthy parts of your meal with your parrot. Basically if it's bad for you then it's probably also bad for your bird. Listed below are some Acceptable and Non Acceptable "Table Scraps" for your bird.
Acceptable - cooked rice (very little salt), pasta (cooked or raw), potatoes, vegetables, toasted bread, bread crust, very hard boiled eggs, cooked eggs (low cholesterol egg substitutes are good too), well cooked lean poultry. Not Acceptable - salty or fatty foods, sausage, meat, cheese, milk, alcohol, coffee, black tea. Dairy products contain lactose sugar which is not easily digestible by parrots. Small amounts of milk such as a moist piece of breakfast cereal is acceptable occasionally. Hard cheeses and yogurt contain less lactose sugar and are safer for your bird if given in moderation.
Some foods are dangerous and should be avoided. See Kibibi's top ten list "Top Ten List of Dangerous Human Foods".
Consult your vet before giving your bird any supplements! An overdose of vitamins can lead to a wide variety of problems ranging from skeletal changes to diarrhea, weakness, and even death. If your bird needs supplements then you should first look at changing its diet to fix the deficiency. Your bird should be getting everything it needs from its well-balanced "Good Diet".
There are cases where your veterinarian may suggest adding supplements. Some common cases are listed below.
In cases such as these, when recommended by your veterinarian, it is difficult to administer the supplement in specific quantities. It is important to provide the supplements in a way that they are actually consumed by your bird. For example, sprinkling a supplement powder on pellet foods won't be consumed in any significant quantities. Supplements may be in a powder or liquid form. Powder supplements can be sprinkled on fruit and liquid supplements can be placed in water. Be sure to clean the food bowl and water bowl after feeding the supplements. You can also mist other foods such as seeds or pellets with a spray bottle and then sprinkle the powder supplement. Some of the supplement won't be consumed as the seed hulls are discarded along with the supplement powder on the hull. However, some of the supplement will be consumed. Another item that may or may not belong in this category is Grit. Grit may be needed by some species such as finches and canaries but isn't needed by most medium and large parrots.
Finally, as mentioned previously, only provide supplements if prescribed by your veterinarian. Supplements are not natural, can be dangerous if given too much, and it is difficult to give exact dosages.
So you have this wonderful "Good Diet" planned for your bird but all your bird wants to eat is birdseed? Sometimes you have to be creative to persuade your bird to try other foods. The first bit of advice is Patience, Patience and more Patience! Some birds are just cautious by nature. Changing a diet can take a lot of time and effort. It may take weeks or even months! The first step is to have your bird examined by a veterinarian. A sudden change in a diet can be dangerous especially to a bird on a poor diet. You should try to avoid a quick weight loss when introducing new foods. Make sure your bird is eating something as you switch foods to ensure that there isn't a large weight loss. Here are the Top Ten tips for introducing new foods into your bird's diet.
Dehydrated foods have several benefits. These benefits are ease of storage, you can prepare meals in advance, and you can use dehydrated foods to introduce new foods to your parrot. You can dehydrate a variety of foods. Some of the more common dehydrated foods for a bird are thinly sliced apples, slices of banana, carrot slices or strips, peas, corn nibblets, lima beans, mixed veggies, and thinly sliced sweet potatoes. Dehydrating is easy. You can purchase an inexpensive dehydrator for under $25 (US) dollars (a good quality one will be $50-$60). I've heard and read of people using their oven as a dehydrator. I've never attempted it but I suppose it would work. Dehydrated foods can easily be stored in air tight glass jars. Not only is this convenient but it also helps prevent mold. You can save time on meal preparation by dehydrating several fruits and vegetables at a time. Then when it is time for dinner, you can mix and match to create a quick and easy smorgasbord for your bird. Another benefit of dehydrated food is that it can be used to introduce a new food or flavor to your bird. There are a few suggestions in the previous section "Persuading Polly" about using dehydrated foods for this purpose.
Providing a healthy diet for your bird is your responsibility and your opportunity to make your bird's life much more enjoyable and healthy. For your bird's benefit, you should provide a variety of shapes, colors, textures, and sizes of vegetables, fruits, pellet foods, seeds, and nuts. Use organic products when/if possible. Wash all fruit and vegetables thoroughly before feeding and cook all meat and eggs thoroughly before feeding. It may take a lot of patience on your part to change your bird's diet but it will be well worth it to your bird. Most importantly, be creative and have fun. Your bird will appreciate you and the food that you provide.
This article may be republished to any media source including webpages, news papers or any other print medium in its unaltered entirety as long as the byline below is included.
This article was originally published on www.InfoSuperFlyway.com. The InfoSuperFlyway website is dedicated to Kibibi the talking African Grey Parrot (Congo African Grey) with sights, sounds, audio, videos, articles, top ten lists, parrot jokes, parrot humor, and Clicker training info! Original Article Source: Clicker Training I (Introduction To Clicker Training)
If you found this post useful, don't forget to subscribe to Kibibi's Feed or Share this post using the links below.
STOP! DON’T LEAVE YET!
There are still a lot more links and articles.
Don’t miss out! Take a look ;)
