subject: 4 Common Mistakes Of The Parrots Diet [print this page] Your parrots diet is one of the most critical aspects of parrot care as this directly impacts their life span, happiness and physical and emotional well being.
1. Birdseed Should Not Be The Main Food Source.
One of the largest fallacies in parrot care and their diet is that your parrot can live only on birdseed as the sole source of food. Birdseed is an important nutritional component of their overall diet, but is not the only part. Parrots will miss out on other critical nutrients from a variety of other foods if they only consume birdseed. Only feeding your parrot birdseed will also shorten their lifespan. It is generally understood that birdseed should only consume between 15 and 20 percent of their daily diet.
Birdseed is high in fat and if consumed in great quantities every day, can lead to an overweight parrot and liver issues. It is better to also supplement with a more well balanced and commercially available organic food pellet. It is important to also stay away from artificial additives such as food coloring or various types of preservatives to make sure that your parrot gets all the proper nutrients they need in as raw and pure form as possible.
2. Do Not Give Your Parrot Supplemental Vitamins or Minerals.
When you give your pet parrot a well balanced diet, there should not be a need to give additional vitamins or supplements unless prescribed by a vet. If a medical professionals advice is not followed closely, offering your pet parrot extra vitamins or minerals can pose potential health risk. Sometimes, giving your parrot such extra nutrients in incorrect proportions can even lead to premature death.
3. Limit Amounts of Fat and Sugar.
When it comes to parrots diet, do your homework, but also use common sense. Foods high in fat and refined or natural sugar should be given sparingly to your parrot. Even raw fruit can be high in natural fructose. Offer such foods to your parrot, as it is good and nutritious for them, but give sparingly.
It is good to offer your parrot treats as part of their diet, especially when attempting to train them to complete tricks. Ensure that the treats given do not have artificial colors or refined sugars, as this is unhealthy for your parrot. A good alternative is to offer seeds and nuts as well as small pieces of fruit as treats.
4. Variety and Food Preparation.
Restricting the variety of foods offered to your parrot can cause your parrot to become bored with behavior issues as a result of missing critical nutrients. Be sure to give your parrot as part of their diet many fresh and organic vegetables and grains, which should represent the major part of your parrots diet.
Be sure to find whole grains rather than refined to ensure you are feeding wholesome foods not stripped of their nutrients. Vegetables can be served either raw or lightly cooked. Overcooking vegetables can also strip them of their nutrients.
After feeding your parrot, do not leave fresh or cooked food in their cage for more than a few hours. Foods left at room temperature can quickly spoil and make your parrot sick. It is also a good idea to clean the water and food dishes in between feedings.
Adhering to these simple steps of your parrots diet will ensure a happy and healthy relationship with your pet parrot for years to come.
