What Should I Feed My Parrot?

Parrots have the potential to brighten up your life and provide years of fun and energy in your home. However, if a bird is poorly fed, it can spend a lot of time feeling unwell and can get a bit down in the dumps. It is not always easy to get the right balance of vitamins and nutrients for your bird, but hopefully, this feeding guide can shed some more light on the ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ of feeding time at your aviary. 

  

Lack of fruit and veg can cause illness, especially long-term illnesses, in parrots. An all-seed diet is advised against, and a healthy balance of seeds, fruit and veg is advised for the wellbeing of your parrot. Parrots can sometimes live up to 60 years, so we want to give them a lifetime of nutrition and love. Actively trying to avoid vitamin deficiency will help your parrot live the energetic and bubbly life they are known for living. Prevention is better than cure!

 

Avoiding or Spotting Vitamin Deficiency 

Vitamin A and Calcium deficiencies are the most common in parrots.

 

Vitamin	Function	Symptom of Deficiency
Vitamin A   (carrots, apricots, cabbage, grapefruit, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomato, watermelon…)	Growth and repair of tissues Function of eyes, ears & bones	Early stages: increased thirst and urination   Later stages: Scaley feet Faded feathers Depression Laboured breathing
Vitamin B (particularly B6, B9 and B12)	Break down food and absorb nutrients   Can help cope with stress during times of mating and moulting	Loss of appetite Muscle spasms Weakness Toes curled inwards Diarrhoea
Calcium   (nuts, carrots, beans, parsley, celery, cabbage, broccoli…)	Brain and nerve function   For females when they are laying eggs	Weakness Seizures Tremors Loss of coordination   Can develop behavioural problems : feather plucking and chewing
Vitamin D   Sunlight   (linked with calcium absorption)   Domesticated parrots don’t get the direct sunlight they would be exposed to in the wild	Absorb essential minerals	Low egg production Soft/overgrown beaks Fractures Seizures Spayed legs Bent knees

 

 

In the Wild

Variety is key to correctly feeding your parrot. Fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts and leafy vegetation would be the typical diet of a wild parrot. This variety helps to cover all vitamins and avoid deficiencies. Since you as a pet owner are in charge at dinner time, you are responsible for the health of your parrot.  

 

The fat content of different nuts should be considered when feeding them to your parrot. Remember, food is in moderation! Nuts are rich in protein, healthy fats, vitamins and energy but too much of them can lead to weight gain. As domesticated parrots are not exercising as they would in the wild, we need to be conscious of overfeeding. Polly is not allowed too many crackers!

 

Best nuts for Parrots

 

Keeping them interested in meals! 

Parrot food can come as complete meal, however, you should consider feeding your parrot keeping in mind who they are as instinctual wild creatures.

If you are feeding these intelligent creatures the same meal day in, day out, there is going to be a time they get bored – just as you would. Feeding fruit, nuts, seeds, vegetables and leafy greens triggers your bird’s instinct to forage and can keep them mentally stimulated and occupied for longer. You might even put some food in a foraging toy for extra stimulation. This can benefit not just the physical health of your parrot, but also their mental health.

And finally, parrots need water!

Just as in humans, water helps regulate every process throughout the bird's body. Parrots should be drinking about 5% of their body weight a day to minimise their chances of developing illnesses down the line.

Stay hydrated, folks!