Calcium Foods for African Grey Parrots
African Greys are demanding pets, both mentally (because of their intelligence and tendency toward boredom) and physically. Without a proper diet, these sensitive birds can quickly become unhealthy and die. Calcium deficiency is one of the most common diet-related issues these birds experience, so a good African Grey diet will contain plenty of calcium-rich foods.
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Dark Leafy Greens
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You may have heard that humans should try to eat plenty of dark leafy greens. The same is true for African Greys. Since some of these birds are picky eaters, try offering various kinds of leafy greens to determine which kind your parrot prefers. As with humans, some birds will prefer their greens raw while others enjoy having them steamed. Some options to offer your Grey include arugula, broccoli (the crowns and stems as well as the leaves), collard greens, kale and spinach.
Calcium-Rich Fruits
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Calcium is more common in vegetables, but some fruits can offer high amounts as well, and many particularly picky birds prefer fruits to vegetables. Dried or dehydrated apricots contain high levels of calcium, as do prunes, seedless raisins and canned figs. Be careful and double-check before feeding anything you’re unsure of to your bird; rhubarb, for example, also has high levels of calcium, but is extremely toxic to parrots.
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Egg Shells
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For a quick, intense burst of calcium, sprinkle some finely crushed egg shells onto your African Grey’s normal food. If your bird seems to be eating around the egg shells rather than consuming them, try mixing them into a soft food like applesauce, cooked rice or even scrambled eggs.
Nuts
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Certain nuts contain plenty of calcium. If your African Grey avoids the other foods listed, consider incorporating almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, pine nuts and hazelnuts into his diet. Be sure to keep nuts and seeds as only a small part of the diet; many African Greys enjoy these items and would gladly binge on them rather than consuming their pellets or normal diet. This tendency can lead to other health issues if the bird is offered so many nuts that he does not need to eat any of his normal food.
Calcium Supplements
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If all else fails and a vet check has determined that your African Grey’s calcium levels are still too low, discuss the possibility of adding calcium supplements to your African Grey’s diet with your vet. These supplements should never be fed without a vet’s recommendation and should generally be used as a last resort. As with many things, prevention is key; feed your Grey a calcium-rich, varied diet and you will probably never need to use a supplement.
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