| Parrot Care & Diet |
| Diet Parrots need a varied diet in order to stay healthy. Many "parrot foods" sold at your local grocery store are not really good for the bird. Usually they consist of a few pellets, but mostly sun flower seeds with a few peanuts thrown in. Pet stores as well as the big chains like PetsMart will carry a parrot pellet. My favored brands are Zupreem and Pretty Bird. You can make them a mix with the pellets as the base. Uncooked pasta, dried peppers, dried peas, crackers, bread (in pieces), pretzels (in small amounts), tortilla and the like can be added. They should be given fresh fruit and vegetables as well. Some foods are bad for them, CHOCOLATE and AVACADO will kill them. You can give them: oranges, apples (no seeds), peaches, apricots, plums, honey dew melon, cantelope, grapes (seedless), red chard, peppers, boc choi, green beans, celery, spinach, carrots, corn, brussell sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli and peas. They will also need some form of protein, like cooked kidney beans, rice, boiled/scrambled eggs, cheese, etc. Consult your vetrinarian for breed specific dietary needs. We feed our birds twice a day, once in the morning, a serving of vegetables or fruit and a serving of pellet mix with cheese, eggs, etc. At dinner time they get a serving of seed mix and more veggies. Care they are creatures of habit and need a good night's rest. Parrots should be covered at night and have a nice quiet place to sleep. Their cages should be kept clean with fresh paper or gravel to catch their waste, with one back against a solid wall. Since they are a prey animal, it will help them feel more secure. They should have some toys, but not too many as to overcrowd their cage. If they are alone for most of the day, a television or radio can be left on to help keep them occupied until you return home. Parrots are wonderful, intelligent creatures and deserve to be treated so. The most famous parrot is probably, Alex an African Grey. There are tons of free resources out there. A local parrot club, the library and of course, websites are a good place to start. Good luck with your pet bird! |