The parrot diet should include fruits and vegetables to meet their nutritional needs. A quality, varied and he althy diet will result in a he althy and happy parrot. Of course, we must know the species of parrot in particular to define its diet properly, as well as its strategies for feeding, only in this way will we get a diet as similar as possible to what they would have in the wild. If in doubt, consult a veterinarian.
Remember that a diet based solely on commercial preparations can cause deficiencies of minerals, vitamins and essential amino acids, in addition to containing high levels of fats. Likewise, it can also favor the appearance of behavior problems For all these reasons, in this article on our site we explain which are the bestfruit vegetables for parrots , reviewing their nutritional value, frequency and much more.
What do parrots eat?
As we have already told you, the feeding of parrots can be extremely varied, so it will be essential to know the species to which that belongs to determine what are the best foods for them. In addition, we must take into account the characteristics of the food offered to calculate the portions, such as texture, flavor or its platitude, since they can favor excessive consumption if it is to the parrot's liking. We will try different types of food and sizes, to know your preferences
In general, 75% of the parrots' diet should be based on fruits and vegetables, 20% on feed or other foods that complete your nutritional needs and 5% in rewards and prizes. We will moderate the consumption of fruit, due to its high sugar levels, and we will promote that of vegetables, which have a high nutritional value, a lot of fiber and little fat We will also ration seeds and nuts, because although they love them they contain very high levels of fat.
The use of grit, very popular in the poultry world, is not considered harmful but neither is it necessary if the animal has a diet balanced and tailored to your needs. Likewise, to complete the diet of fruits and vegetables for parrots, some tutors decide to offer vitamins for the plumage of parrots, preferably of natural origin, since those of artificial origin are not recommended by several authors. An excess of vitamin A, for example, can cause he alth problems associated with two species of psittaciforms: Glossopsitta porphyrocephala and Glossopsitta pusilla.
It may happen that a parrot does not recognize a new food as such, especially if we present it to him in his adult stage. Precisely for this reason, when some owners begin the transition to a more natural and he althy diet, they have certain difficulties. In these cases we will try to mix it with other foods, vary the size or introduce it in toys that help improve the environmental enrichment of the birds.
To finish, note that it is not advisable to leave food to libitum (free choice), especially when we talk about seeds, since the birds may not make the right decisions in terms of quantities. In any case, we must assess their needs and adapt them to the individual.
Fruit for Parrots
Fruits are ideal and directly condition the colors of the plumage of our parrot, they also help it to be he althier and to be active. However, it is important to review what type of fruit we are offering you as there are some with a high sugar content that could negatively affect your he alth if we offered it to you in excess.
The ideal would be to buy a wide variety of pieces of fruit every week and vary it so that our parrot receives the different vitamins it needs. You should get three different types of fruit each day. Do not forget to thoroughly wash the fruit to avoid the presence of pesticides. We will also bet on the seasonal fruit
The fruits for parrots that we can give daily are:
- Apple
- Pear
- Mandarin
- Orange
- Apricot
- Blueberry
- Dresa
- Grapefruit
- Watermelon
- Kiwi
- Pineapple
- Papaya
- Khaki
- Grenades
Fruits that we should ration to 2 or 3 times a week:
- Mango
- Cherry
- Grape
- Cantaloupe
- Banana
- Peach
- Medlar
Vegetable for parrots
Vegetables should represent the basic diet of parrots, although the percentage may vary depending on the individual and the species to be the one that belongs. From these foods they extract the most important nutrients, fiber and necessary vitamins. The vegetables for parrots that we can give daily are:
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Artichoke
- Jewish
- Cauliflower
- Green pepper
- Red pepper
- Yellow pepper
- Orange Pepper
- Chard
- Endivia
- Canons
- Green shoots
- Endive
- Carrot
- Radish
- Celery
We can ration 2 or 3 times a week:
- Lettuce
- Cooked sweet potato
- Baked potato
Seeds for parrots
As we have mentioned, many parrots like the seeds, however, it is important to ration them, since they contain a high contribution of fatWe will offer them only as prizes, representing a maximum of 5% of the individual's diet. Some examples of seeds are:
- Birdseed
- Hemp
- Thistle
- Safflower
- Yellow millet
- Red millet
- Sunflower
- Buckwheat
- Oatmeal
- Pumpkin
More natural foods
In addition to fruit and vegetables for parrots, we can also offer our parrot another type of natural food so that its diet is very rich and nutritious:
- Legumes: Vegetables are a fantastic contribution for our parrot but they should be rationed to 1 or 2 times a week. They should be soaked so that they are not hard when we offer them to them. Some examples: lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, quinoa.
- Rice: Like legumes, rice is a cereal that can be beneficial for our parrot. It should also be soaked beforehand so that it swells and does not cause serious intestinal problems.
- Nuts: This type of food should be offered very occasionally so as not to cause problems in the parrot's digestive system. We can use it as a prize if we work little tricks. They are especially suitable for the coldest seasons. Some examples are: walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios or pine nuts.
Forbidden food
The foods listed below can be very harmful to the he alth of your parrot. Therefore, any owner must be thoroughly informed about what foods are prohibited for parrots and avoid including them in their diet at all times. They are as follows:
- Avocado
- Meat
- Fish
- Milk
- Frying
- Fizzy Drinks
- Sugar
- Coffee
- Alcohol
- Cocoa
Why isn't my parrot eating?
Now you know what are the best fruits and vegetables for parrots, however, it is important to know why a parrot stops eating. The first thing to do when observing symptoms that a parrot is sick is to go to the veterinary to carry out a general check-up and rule out any serious pathology.
We can also be alarmed when we observe that the parrot throws the food, in this case, it may be because some foods do not like it and it is selected its favoritesHowever, it can also be related to behavioral problems, so it is advisable to pay attention to the possible appearance of stress symptoms in parrots, which may indicate boredom, loneliness or lack of environmental enrichment.
