So... What exactly do I feed my birds? Parrots have specific nutritional needs, based on the species. What is great for one may not be balanced for another. A good rule of thumb is : Research your birds specific needs and feed a balanced diet around those needs. For example, I have a Mollucan Cockatoo, an African Grey Parrot, and several Cockatiels. Obviously, they will require different amounts of food and each has their likes and dislikes. I'll take their diets, one at a time.

The Tiels:

My Tiels are SEED JUNKIES! They will eat anything nutty I give them, but vegetables and fruits are not high on their preferred list. Occasionally, I can get a brocolli florette, apple or orange past their beaks, but not often enough to be nutritious. For them, Bird formulated vitamins are a must! I still offer fresh foods, but I'm not surprised if they're still in the bowl when I go back to collect it.

The Mollucan:

My M2 is NOT picky! He'll eat anything!!! I do have to be careful about what I offer him, though, because he has a "sweet tooth". He prefers fruits and grains, but will also eat beans and vegies. With him, choosing the order I feed him is important. I feed him vegies and beans throughout the day, giving him fruits during the hottest part of the day, in the summer, or at night, during the winter. He does not get fruits, every day.

The Grey:

She is not very old and is still learning how to eat "real" foods. If I let her, she would be a seed junkie, but she is willing to try almost anything once. The trick with her is getting her to eat something more than once. I can usually peak her curiosity by eating something, myself, before offering it to her.

So, with all the varied preferences I've learned to create three seperate menus, in addition to a good quality seed mix that includes pellets. Just one caution, however, don't leave the fresh foods in their bowls for more than a couple hours. It will grow bacteria if left out too long.

These are the Vegie Medley, The Bean Mash, and Fruit Salad. This is easy!!! You can do this!!!

VEGIE MEDLEY:

Start at the grocery store. Buy small amounts(depending on how many birds you have and if your family will eat the items) Try to get fresh produce, when you can. Frozen is almost as good, but canned vegies have added salt. Cook or serve raw, as you would eat. Dice into 1/4 to 1/2 inch chunks or slices. Some birds will not eat chunks but will eat slices. If your bird wiil use it and not try to eat it, a kabob is handy for larger chunks.

• Sweet potatos contain vitamin A and provide fiber to help digestion
• Chilies and other peppers contain vitamin C and trace minerals
• Potatoes contain carbohydrates and simple sugars for energy
• Dark green vegies such as squash and brocolli contain vitamin A and calcium, squash seed okay, cooked or raw
• Light green vegies, such as green beans or peas contain carbohydrates and simple sugars
• Carrots contain vitamin A and provide fiber to help digestion
• Pumpkin contains Vitamin A and C, and fiber for digestion, seeds okay, cooked or raw
• Corn, whole or on the cob, contains vitamin A and fiber for digestion

Bean Mash:

Beans and legumes are great for your birds! They provide all the B complex vitamins and carbohydrates your birds need for their higher metabolisms Cook them separately, rinse and combine.

• Rice, brown and white
• Pinto Beans
• Chick peas
• White beans
• Kidney beans
• Black beans
• Garlic (use sparingly, some evidence points to onions and garlic causing anemia, even after cooking)
• Parsley
• Split peas
• Lentils
• Pasta and Noodles

FRUIT SALAD:

Any fruit you eat is safe for birds, except rhubarb, and avacado. You will need to keep certain seeds away, as well. Apple seeds contain cianide as do the pits from almost all the pitted fruits, but the meats from these fruits are safe. Some people also skin the apples so that the delicate crops of their birds won't get cut. Here's a list of the fruits my birds enjoy. Again, I cut them into bite sized chunks or slices. Be careful how much fruit you feed your birds, too much will make their wastes (poop) runny.

• Apple, any variety, but Green, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious are favorites Skinning preferred
• Pears
• Apricots, Peaches, Necterines, Plums...you might want to take off the skins
• Grapes... Not too many as these are mostly water, but they can have the seeds
• Mangos...Seeds are okay. Many parrots relish the seeds best
• Papaya
• Pineapple, Oranges, Limes, Grapefruit
• Banana
• Coconut meat
• Melons...seeds okay
• Berries...Seeds okay
• Kiwi, Star Fruit, Palm fruit

In addition, I also feed meats, WELL COOKED, and in small quantities. Chicken bones and pork chop bones give a good source of protein and make a fun toy, as long as you supervise. Tuna, Salmon, and White fish are also welcomed in my flock.

You don't have to feed all these things, everyday, just make sure your bird has a well balanced diet with variety and they will be much healthier. Below is a picture of the bean mash and vegie medley, combined. T. Bailey was so kind to let me use her photo, as I can never remember to take photos of my own recipes.