What To Feed Your Bird

Many birds are offered a varied diet, but the bird chooses to eat only the seeds in the mixture. Seeds are high in calories and low in vitamins and nutrients. Over time, these deficiencies can lead to a number of serious medical conditions including poor immunity, respiratory infections, skin and feather abnormalities, liver disease, obesity, reproductive issues and even tumors.

By Jennifer Blair and DVM, Star Tribune Sales and Marketing

Last update: November 13, 2008 - 10:31 AM

It’s not hard to find advice about what to feed your parrot, but it can be difficult to find good advice. Many pet birds are still routinely fed diets that are nutritionally deficient.

Each bird is a unique individual and there is no one diet that is perfect for everyone. However, in general, the following recommendations will help your parrot live a healthy, happy life.

Pelleted diets
Pellets should make up approximately 60 to 80 percent of a bird’s entire diet. Pelleted diets are scientifically formulated to meet the bird’s nutritional requirements. Some brands are available only through a veterinarian while others are readily available at your local pet store. It is best to avoid the commercial bird diets that are made up of a mixture of pellets and seeds. The majority of birds will eat the seeds and leave the pellets behind.

Vegetables
Vegetables are a necessary part of a bird’s diet and should make up 20 to30 percent of what a bird eats. Vegetables high in Vitamin A should be encouraged. Examples include green leafy vegetables, broccoli, peppers, yams, carrots, squash and pumpkin. All vegetables should be washed thoroughly prior to offering them to your bird.

Seeds, nuts and table foods
High quality seeds and nuts may be offered in small quantities. Most birds also enjoy eating what the human flock members are eating. Birds can eat most of the foods that humans do, so offer fruits, lean meat, pastas, breads and other grains, eggs, and legumes such as beans and peas. It is ideal to offer foods with a variety of shapes, colors, textures and sizes.

Vitamins
Birds on a healthy diet do not need an additional vitamin source. Vitamins added to water can deter your bird from drinking, leading to dehydration. In addition, adding vitamins to a balanced diet can lead to vitamin toxicities that can be harmful to your bird.

Foods to avoid
There are few foods that are truly dangerous to birds with the exception of avocados, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine and foods that are excessively high in sugar or salt. In sufficient quantities, onions, rhubarb leaves, mushrooms, green tomatoes or potatoes, uncooked dried beans, moldy peanuts and some fruit seeds could be harmful.

The Conversion Process

Converting your bird to a better diet can be challenging, but with patience and persistence, you can get your bird on the right track. While most birds will not starve during a conversion process, it is important to work with your veterinarian while transitioning to a new diet. A 10 percent decrease in body weight or any signs of illness are concerning and require veterinary attention. Try these tips to introduce your bird to pellets:

Recent Pet Central stories

Minimizing Contagious Illnesses - November 13, 2008

Minimizing Contagious Illnesses - Most dog park regulars can enumerate the illnesses their dogs have picked up while romping around with other dogs. I remember my boyfriend once telling a co-worker "It's just like having your kid in daycare. First he got..." and proceeded to regale his listener with the illnesses Riley has caught at the dog park and what gastrointestinal symptoms characterize them. More