subject: A Healthy Parrot Needs Quality Parrot Feed [print this page] A Healthy Parrot Needs Quality Parrot Feed
The correct feeding of a parrot is paramount to the long term health of a parrot. Although most of their needs are provided for, what most pet owners fail to realize is the quality of parrot feed their pet is receiving. All parrots love seeds and because they do, often parrot owners will only feed their birds seed. Let's face it, it is easy to keep feeding your pet the same food day in day out if they like it, but that is not the best decision for the parrot.
A healthy diet for a parrot should comprise a lot of different foods, just as they would eat if they were not living in captivity. It is the variety of foods that provides the vitamins and minerals that they need for good health.
Bird Seeds:
There are many different kinds of parrots, and even more numerous are the types of seeds available as a parrot feed. Keeping the type of bird in mind, it is important to incorporate a few varieties of seed that your bird prefers. Perhaps buying a small quantity of a few types of seeds and testing those out to decipher which types are most preferred. As important it is to provide a healthy diet, it is as vital to ensure that the quality of the seeds is not compromised. The seeds should be organic and not chemically treated. Parrots are cherished pets, much like family and deserve to be treated as such, with their health taken care of. Most quality seeds are coated with vitamins and minerals, but don't let this be their only source of these valuable additives.
Fruits:
Most parrots love fruits because of the sweet smell and taste they have to offer. Most parrots love oranges, apples, grapes, melons, plums and bananas. Avocado should be avoided at all costs, since it is toxic for parrots. Fruits can be served fresh or in dried variety, as is available commercially. As much as one might love to provide an unlimited quantity of fruits to their parrot, it should be done sparingly, because of the high fructose content in fruits. An occasional fruit treat is a better idea. Also, parrot feed should never consist of fruit that has been bitten or chewed by a human, or contains human saliva. Human saliva contains bacteria that could potentially prove detrimental to the health of parrots.
Vegetables:
Vegetables have a much higher content of vitamins and minerals as compared to fruits, and these can be adopted as a frequent parrot feed. Most variety of parrots prefers green chillies, tomatoes, carrots and turnips, or vegetables that are crunchy. Ensure that all feed provided to parrots is organic and cleaned thoroughly beforehand. In the case organic fruits and vegetables are too expensive to procure, peel the skin off so minimal chemicals enter into their system through their feed.
Nuts:
Nuts are an essential source of calcium and other vital minerals for parrots and should be a weekly part of parrot feed. The nuts most preferred by parrots are peanuts, hazelnuts and almonds. Pet owners often neglect this component of the diet because nuts are usually expensive to purchase. As an alternative, baked egg shells, sesame seeds or cuttlebones can be fed to them to make up for the unavailability of nuts.
Parrots often need to be feed a different food a few times before it will take to eating it, so don't dispair if your first attempt at a new food is rejected.
