Daily Parrot Feeding Chart
| Size | Seeds | Pellets | Fruits/Veggies |
| Small (ex: budgies, canaries, lovebirds, ... | 40% to 60% of the total daily diet OR 75 ... | 40% to 60% of the total daily diet OR 75 ... | A few slices or pieces equivalent to 1-2 ... |
| Medium (ex: conures, cockatiels, caiques ... | 1 to 3 tbsp. seeds OR 1 to 3 tbsp. pelle ... | 1 to 3 tbsp. seeds OR 1 to 3 tbsp. pelle ... | 20% to 25% of the daily diet from choppe ... |
| Large (ex: Amazon, cockatoo, eclectus, A ... | 2 to 6 tbsp. seeds OR 3 to 6 tbsp. pelle ... | 3 to 6 tbsp. seeds OR 3 to 6 tbsp. pelle ... | 20% to 25% of the daily diet from choppe ... |
What are the healthiest things you can feed a parrot?
What Are the Healthiest Things You Can Feed a Parrot?
- Pellets: The Foundation of Parrot Diets. The most important part of any parrot's diet is the food that he gets every day. ...
- Fresh Vegetables. Fresh veggies are an important part of your parrot's healthy diet. ...
- Fresh Fruits. Most parrots love fresh fruit, and it's as good for them as it is for you. ...
- Healthy Home Cooking. ...
- Foods to Avoid. ...
What and when do I need to feed my parrots?
- Spring feeding: offer fruit, baked and crushed eggshells, and nesting materials, such as human hair, pet fur, bits of string or yarn, and small strips of cloth to help nesting ...
- Summer feeding: limit to nectar for hummingbirds and nyjer seed for goldfinches
- Autumn feeding: offer millet, peanuts, peanut butter, and suet cakes
What fruits and vegetables are best for parrots?
- Apples (no seeds)
- Apricots (no stones)
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Cherries (stoned, and not too sweet)
- Cranberries
- Figs
- Grapes (dark ones are best)
- Guava
What is the best diet for parrots?
- Beans are a great source of protein and are fun for birds to eat and delightful to boot. ...
- Carrots are full of vitamins that help achieve good eyesight, which we all know is essential for parrots. ...
- Spinach is packed with beneficial omega 3 fatty acids, which would help your parrot enjoy healthy skin and feathers. ...
What human food can parrots eat?
Safe vegetables include asparagus, beets, bell peppers, broccoli, butternut, carrots, corn on the cob, dandelion greens, collard greens, hot peppers, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and zucchini. Parsley is also an option.
What is the best food to feed parrots?
Raw or steamed vegetables (preferably organic, when available) Cooked whole grains and/or pseudo-grains, such as rice (brown, wild or forbidden), oats, barley, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth and teff. Soaked and cooked or sprouted legumes. Raw, soaked or sprouted nuts and seeds.
Can a parrot eat bread and milk?
Yes, parrots can eat bread, but only the low-salt whole wheat ones. And no, parrots should not be given bread frequently, since bread doesn't offer them much of any nutrients. As an occasional treat, parrots can have bread but never as a part of a regular healthy diet.
Can a parrot eat rice?
Technically, both raw and cooked rice are safe for parrots. Keep in mind that your bird's ancestors would only encounter raw rice in the wild. Most birds probably won't have strong feelings about raw versus cooked when rice is presented in their meals.
What do parrots eat in the wild?
In the wild, parrots will eat a wide variety of foods depending on the species. Most parrots are omnivores but tend to feed on seeds, nuts, fruits,...
How much do parrots eat?
The amount a parrot eats depends on its size. Small parrots like budgies may only require a few teaspoons of food per day while larger species like...
What do parrots drink?
Parrots drink water and they should have fresh water available at all times. Make sure to clean and refill your parrot’s water dish at least once a...
Do parrots eat insects?
Parrots are technically omnivores which means they are able to digest foods other than plants. Insects may be included in a wild parrot’s diet, but...
What do you feed a parrot?
Feed your parrot a commercial pellet. Pellets are an important component of your parrot’s diet. They come in a variety of colors, sizes, and even flavors. Because pellets are made up of a combination of fruits, vegetables, grains, and seeds, they have a very high nutritional value.
What is the best diet for a parrot?
You probably already know that your parrot loves seeds, but bird seeds are only one component of a good parrot diet. Having a good understanding of what types of foods your parrot should eat will help you make good decisions to keep him in good health.
How to get a parrot to eat?
Encourage your parrot to forage. Wild parrots spend a large amount of their time foraging for food. You don’t want your parrot to become complacent or lazy when it comes to eating his food, so encourage him to put a little extra effort into eating. For example, sprinkle some pellets and gravel in his food tray. This will make your parrot sift through the gravel before he gets to the pellets.
How to help a parrot with respiratory problems?
Monitor your parrot for vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A helps your parrot fight off infection. Deficiency in this nutrient is common in birds and can make them very sick. Their respiratory system is often affected by vitamin A deficiency, so your parrot may develop respiratory problems (nasal discharge, difficulty breathing, sneezing) if he is not receiving enough vitamin A. If you notice any of these signs, take him to your veterinarian for treatment.
How to help a parrot with obesity?
Obese parrots can also develop fatty liver disease, which is a serious medical condition. If you notice that your parrot is starting to look a little pudgy, take him to your veterinarian. Reducing his food intake will help him lose weight, but you want to make sure that you keep his diet healthy and balanced.
How long does it take for a parrot to sprout seeds?
To germinate seeds, soak a daily a portion of the seeds in clean, fresh water overnight, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. After 12 to 24 hours, you will start to see the root tips of the seeds, which means that the seeds have germinated. At this stage, you can feed them to your parrot.
Why do parrots use puzzle feeders?
Parrots love to forage, so simulate this by using puzzle feeders. It keeps the bird entertained, satisfies a natural need, and is a great way to prevent a bird from becoming obese.
What are some good foods for parrots?
Out of these, romaine lettuce and watercress are superfoods for a parrot, and they are essential components of a parrot’s diet.
What is the diet of a parrot?
The current diet standard for parrots includes a mix of pelleted formulated food and natural foods, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, and nuts.
What vitamins do parrots need?
Vitamin B is essential to break down the food parrots eat, and without its presence, they won’t be able to absorb the food.
What is the role of vitamin D in birds?
Vitamin D has multiple roles to play in a bird’s nutritional requirements. It helps absorb some essential minerals like calcium.
What is the purpose of segregating food types?
The purpose of the segregation of the food types is to give a full spectrum of a healthy diet for the parrot.
What fruits are safe for parrots?
Other than this, fruits like papaya, mango, melon, pomegranates, and apricots also have vitamin A, and they are safe for your parrot.
What are the benefits of fatty acids for parrots?
These fatty acids facilitate an excellent condition of the parrot’s skin and feathers.
What are some things that you can't feed?
Things not to feed; chocolate,avocado,soda drinks,alcohol, tobacco, meat, egg, raw peanuts in shell, iceberg lettuce,etc. use some common sense.
Do birds benefit from diet research?
Diet research has come a long way and the birds will benefit greatly. If and only If you use the new research and feed your birds correctly. Today, we take the time to create a very nutrient filled exciting diet several times daily. We give a complete diet instruction paper with each baby we sell.
Do birds like warm food?
You do not have to have every ingredient that we have prepared, but the more variety the better, and the more colorful the diet the better it is, also remember this, warm foods are more accepted than cold foods from the fridge, let apples be at least room temp, the worst thing to do, is when trying to get your birds to try new things is for them to try something COLD.
Do avian breeders eat eggs?
This is just one of the mixtures for all our breeders and any babies weaning. Our diets focus on low fat and high proteins during the breeding seasons, We DO NOT feed such dangerous and stupid things like boiled and cooked eggs and meats, feeding such things is absolutely stupid and dangerous, and outdated.. In the past many people, and yes, including us, we and other breeders did this to offer a diet addition change other than just seeds, that was the dark ages, however in this day of advanced avian nutritional understanding there is no reasoning for this, its a time bomb just waiting to go off if you try to feed those things.
Can birds live by eating?
Birds cannot live by eating foods just out of a bag, and neither can you. And offering a piece of fruit or a piece of carrot and saying well, i offered it something but they wouldn’t touch it, this is just not acceptable. Is this the way you teach your child to eat. Also by keeping the foods that your birds are stuck on in front of them in bowls day in and day out will not help you teach your birds to try new things. They are never hungry and will not even try, why would they? By trying different things at the time when your birds are expecting their foods because the bowls have been empty for a short while may encourage them to eat what they maybe would never even try. When you are hungry would you try something new? Many people think that by not keeping food in front of their birds is not good and cruel, well, its the opposite, where in the natural wild world would a bird in their native habitat ever have unlimited sources of food sitting right next to them every day all day all the time? The news is this,,,birds need to get hungry, this sets off important enzymes that flood their crops to cleanse and encourage foraging to find foods, its natural and very healthy, birds and people just sitting and having foods in front of them all the time is not healthy mentally or physically. Birds in pet homes sitting in their small cages need stimulation, through foods, exercise, sounds and sights. When food is not exciting and the bird is not really hungry for it, they get bored with everything foods they see.
What is the best diet for a parrot?
As we come to a better understanding of the nutritional needs of birds, the recommended diet for pet parrots includes a variety of nutritious freshly prepared foods in addition to a formulated diets (pellets) and a small percentage of seeds.
What to feed a bird?
Fresh vegetables are a great addition to your bird's diet. Not all vegetables are equally nutritious though; vegetables like celery and lettuce are high in fiber and water but are otherwise not all that nutritious. Dark yellow and leafy green vegetables are usually excellent choices.
What are some good diets for birds?
Some good brands of formulated diets include Harrison's, Zupreem, Kaytee, Pretty Bird, and Roudybush. As these diets grow in acceptance and popularity, manufacturers are producing lines formulated for particular species and also for health management (e.g. lower-calorie diets for weight management). As mentioned earlier, these diets come in a variety of shapes from larger chunks down to crumbles, and you may need to experiment to find the type your bird prefers. Some birds, especially those used to a seed-based diet, may be difficult to switch to a formulated diet.
What are sprouted seeds?
Sprouted seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals as well as enzymes and antioxidants, and some consider them to be nature's most perfect food. In any case, they are an excellent way to provide a nutritional boost and most birds love them. Information on sprouting seeds can be found in "Sprouting for Healthier Birds.".
What is the problem with a pet bird?
Other Foods. Sprouted Seeds. Supplements. Foods to Avoid. Back to Top. An imbalanced or incomplete diet is a common problem with pet birds and is a relatively common cause of illness. There is a lack of scientific study on avian nutrition, especially as it relates to the different species. While our avian nutrition is still in ...
What do birds eat?
Birds can also be fed a variety of nutritious grains, such as cooked brown rice, quinoa, oats, wheat, barley, and pasta. Whole wheat bread and unsweetened whole wheat cereals can also be offered. Cooked legumes such as beans, lentils, and peas are an excellent addition to their diets.
Do birds eat seed based food?
However, many birds, especially those started on a seed-based diet, do not readily take to eating a formulated diet .
What to feed a parrot?
What to feed your parrot with.. Today’s pet bird food comes in many forms. Pet bird owners feed bird seed, pellets, table foods, soak and cook mixes, vegetables, proteins, fruits and treats to their birds, so it’s easy to get confused about what to feed your specific pet bird. Find out all about bird food info you need to know with our simple bird ...
What to feed a bird to eat?
Bell peppers, squashes (e.g. pumpkins, butternut, spaghetti, plus roasted seeds), sweet potatoes, green beans and carrots are also great for your bird. Mix in legumes, sprouts and whole grains (e.g., quinoa, brown rice, oats) with your bird’s vegetables.
How to get a bird to burn off energy?
Sprinkle pellets in a tray of pebbles, so your bird has to pick out the food from between the rocks. Put food in a bird-safe cardboard box so your bird has to tear it apart to get to its meal.
What are the parts of a bird seed?
A seed consists of four parts: the germ, the cotyledon, the endosperm and the hull.
Can birds eat seed?
A bird hulls the seed so it can eat the germ, the cotyledon and the endosperm. Pet birds can eat germinated seed, too, when you sprout bird seed. Pellets. A pellet usually consists of ground up grains and seeds, vitamins and minerals that are baked at a low heat and formed into shapes.
Can you feed a softbill a pellet?
Some aviculturists do not recommend feeding dry pellets to lories and other softbills. Talk with your veterinarian about the best bird foods to feed your softbills. Many vegetables are packed full of vitamins, fiber, protein, calcium and other nutrients.
What do parrots eat?
The best diet for parrots consists mostly of pellets, supplemented with “table food.”. These birds need foods from the bread/cereal, vegetable and protein (meat) groups – just as humans do. Dairy products aren’t necessary, although some owners do feed them to their birds in small amounts. Fruit is mostly sugar and supplies few essential nutrients ...
What percentage of parrots eat pellets?
Commercial pellets made especially for birds should make up 60 percent to 80 percent of most parrots’ diets. Packages come in sizes that accommodate everything from a macaw to a budgie. You’ll want to feed more pellets to your bird than seeds because pellets are far more complete nutritionally.
What do birds need?
Unique Needs of Some Birds 1 Toucans, toucanets and mynahs require low-iron diets. 2 Lory and lorikeet diets may vary with species but will include special commercial-nectar diets, insects and an increased amount of fruit and greens.
How to give a bird a treat?
Give your bird seeds in small amounts as treats. They should be shiny (not dusty) and free of mold, fungus and insects. The same goes for nuts – give them only as treats. Leave nutshells on: Shelling a nut can give your bird a good cerebral workout. However, this is a learned behavior.
What do lorikeets eat?
Lory and lorikeet diets may vary with species but will include special commercial-nectar diets, insects and an increased amount of fruit and greens.
How to feed a bird fruit?
Feed your bird fruits in small amounts since they consist of mostly sugar and water. If it’s the vitamins and minerals in fruit that you are looking for, pellets have more of those nutrients. Don’t leave table food in the cage very long since it spoils easily. Remember, if you wouldn’t eat it, neither should your bird.
What percentage of bird food should be table food?
The other 20 percent to 40 percent of your bird’s diet should be table food.
What to feed an avian?
Keep in mind that as a rule of thumb, the darker the fresh food item, the more nutritious it is. Many experts in avian nutrition actually recommend that you make a “chop” of a huge variety of fruits, veggies, sprouts, legumes, etc.
Why do parrots die from seed?
More parrots die from malnutrition from a seed based diet than any other cause. The most significant problems are calcium deficiency and low Vitamin A . Feeding your parrot right is good for it’s mind, body and soul.
Why do birds chop?
The idea behind chop is that all of the pieces are finely chopped, helping to insure that a picky bird eats a variety of produce. Always remember that cleanliness is critical. Wash all fruits & veggies (even rinse sprouts well) to remove bacteria, pesticides and other contaminants.
Do parrots eat sprouts?
Fresh sprouts are really a parrot super food and properly made sprouts are one of the best ways to insure that your parrot has a natural, healthy diet. Many avian nutrition experts recommend that about 20% of your birds dietary intake should be sprouts. According to experts at Bird Channel sprouts “contain digestible energy, vitamins A, C, E, B, minerals, amino acids, proteins, antioxidants and phytochemicals, which have protective and disease preventative properties.” Learn how to make bird sprouts here.
What Can Parrots Not Eat?
Aside from traditional foods, there are other kitchen ingredients your parrot should never have. Some of these drinks or ingredients are toxic. Others will upset your parrot’s metabolism or lead to illnesses over time.
What are some foods that can harm parrots?
Still dangerous foods include raw rhubarb and mushrooms, followed by onions, garlic, sugar-free foods, and dairy. Risky foods that are safe in certain conditions include raw meat, saltine crackers, chips, large raw beans, raw peanuts, and certain plant stems and leaves. These foods or ingredients can harm your parrot in various ways.
How long does it take for a parrot to die from a pit?
In some cases, death within hours or days. The larger the seed or pit, the more cyanide it contains. Unfortunately, parrots often find fruit pits tasty and fun to crack open. Before feeding your parrot any fruit with pits, double-check if they contain cyanide.
Why do parrots have delirium?
This is because they contain tropane alkaloids, which may cause hallucinations and delirium. If you want to feed your parrot stems or leaves, check its base compounds. If it contains tropane alkaloids, even in small amounts, avoid it.
What happens if celery stalks are in your parrot's stomach?
Celery stalks can lead to the impaction of your parrot’s stomach or crop. A crop impaction is more common and happens when food cannot move from the crop to the stomach.
Why is milk bad for parrots?
This is because it often contains ingredients like: Butter, which adds too much fat to a parrot’s diet. Milk, which is harmful since birds cannot digest lactose. Sugar, which can lead to weight gain, lethargy, and stomach upset.
Can parrots overdose on vitamins?
At the worst, they expose your parrot to a higher risk of certain bacteria or pathogens. This may lead to illness. At the least, they overdose your bird in vitamins or minerals that can be harmful in large amounts. Be sure to prepare these foods correctly, or avoid them to be safe.