How to Feed a Parrot

By eHow Pets Editor

Rate: (19 Ratings)

Polly needs more than just crackers to meet her nutritional requirements. Be creative in the menu you offer and follow these basic rules.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

  • Bird Food/water Bowls
  • Parrot Food
  • Parrot Treat

Step1
Feed your parrot a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, cooked meats and grains. Go ahead and share whatever healthful food you're eating with your parrot.
Step2
Determine the proper amount by feeding your parrot small portions of several foods. If there's food left over, decrease the amount the next time. Continue doing so until your parrot eats all of the food. Remember this portion size.
Step3
Offer your parrot a variety of small servings of different foods, not a lot of one food.
Step4
Keep your parrot's food fresh, as bacteria and mold can grow on food left in the cage and make her sick.
Step5
Give your parrot fresh water daily.
Step6
Feed your parrot treats like seeds and nuts sparingly since these foods have few nutrients for parrots.
Step7
Avoid chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, kidney beans, lima beans and avocados. These foods are dangerous for parrots.

Tips & Warnings

  • Wash the food and water bowls twice a day.
  • Serving your parrot a diet high in fat, calories or cholesterol is dangerous.
  • Overfeeding can make your parrot ill.
  • Underfeeding can starve your parrot. If your parrot loses weight, she's being underfed.
  • Parrots like to mix their food with their water. Be sure to clean all food out of the water bowl.

Comments

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Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 I have had 3 African Grey parrots and a Cockatiel for many years. I feed them Nutri-Berries plus mixed seeds. They also get small amounts of many different "people foods" every day. Some of their favorites are thawed frozen stir-fry vegetables, corn on the cob, cheddar cheese cubes, cottage cheese (large curd), all types of cooked beans, scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs, dry dog food, unshelled (no salt) nuts, almost all fresh fruits, pasta, etc. I never feed them chocolate (or any candy), spinach, avocado, grit, or eggshell. In 18 years, I have never had a sick bird. I use red or green grapes as special rewards & treats.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Parrots love to hunt for food. Don't make meals boring for them. Pellets may be nutritionally complete, but they don't give them the fun of cracking open seeds. Stick treats inside paper cups strung on a rope. They love destroying the containers.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 2/25/2006 Grit is bad for parrots and parakeets! Birds, like chickens, need grit because they eat seeds whole, but parrots hull their seeds so they don't need grit. Grit hurts their stomachs and can make them sick if they eat a lot.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 12/28/2005 Dairy products - Birds do not have the enzyme to digest the lactose in dairy products.

Avocados and cherries - These are poisonous.

Meat - Parrots are not carnivores, with the exception of the Kea- it is insectivorous.

Sand and grit - Parrots take the husk off the seed. Only pheasants, doves and pigeons, because they do not hull seeds.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Use cornbread mix. Follow the instructions, then add whatever fresh/frozen veggies you have, egg with shell, shredded sweet potato, and any fruit. Bake in a pan as directed, cut into squares and freeze. Heat up individually in microwave.

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eHow Article:  How to Feed a Parrot

eHow Pets Editor

eHow Pets Editor

Category: Pets

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