What to feed budgies besides food, what else to give the parrot

Vegetables, herbs and fruits are essential in a parrot's diet. They contain a huge amount of vitamins, microelements and nutrients. Every owner should know what vegetables parrots eat.

Before you feed your parrot vegetables, you need to sort them out and inspect them. Vegetables must be fresh, ripe, free from mold and rot. Before use, they must be washed, cut into pieces, or grated. Preference is given to vegetables that were grown in the garden rather than purchased in a store.

Lots of opinions about what you can feed parrots

There are many different opinions on feeding issues held by ornithologists, feed manufacturers, veterinarians and bird behavior consultants. For example, regarding what food is suitable for large, medium or small parrots. Most of these opinions generate lively debate and can be very persuasive. But many of them contradict each other.

We often hear: “Seeds make parrots fat, and they should be excluded from the birds’ diet altogether.” And then suddenly we see an advertisement from a well-known company, convincing us that our bird can live to a ripe old age by eating this brand of fortified seed mixture. Or another statement: “Pellet feed is the only way to guarantee excellent health for your birds.” However, it is very difficult to get our birds to eat it. Or: “Apples and grapes are just sugary water and should not be given to your birds.” But on the other hand, these are still the same fresh fruits; how can they harm? What fruits and vegetables then can be given to a parrot, and which cannot? As a result, many questions arise.

Such statements can only confuse you, as you begin to doubt what you can give to your parrot. They also force us to rummage around for more information about what domestic or wild parrots eat. However, it is often too difficult to piece together disparate pieces of information into the best diet for our birds. Taking into account also the fact that parrots, even of the same species, have different preferences in food or feed.

Diet issues require some clarity. What is a balanced diet? What should be the composition of food for parrots? How can we make feeding more effective? What can we do to make our parrots more amenable to food? Why do they act so horribly about certain products? What goals are we pursuing by including new foods and treats for parrots in our diet? How can we make it all work together?

Branches

The gastronomic preferences of budgies and aratingas depend on the season; in the summer they love fruits and berries, and in the spring they need branches of fruit trees. In spring, it is important to fill the bird’s cage with birch and other deciduous branches.

The branches of elm and hawthorn, covered with delicate, young bark, will also not leave any budgie or aratinga indifferent. The branches are washed in warm water, and sometimes in boiling water.

In the cold season, you can keep the twig in water for some period until buds appear on it.

Achieving Balance

Conditions

In fact, the answers to the questions are quite simple. I am convinced that parrots can balance their own diet, provided that we:

1. We offer them a wide variety of fresh and natural products.
2. We don’t give them foods that spoil their taste.
3. We invite them to choose from what they are used to eating in nature.
4. In general, we give them the opportunity to choose.

Research

About 20 years ago, laboratory studies were conducted on the dietary requirements of rats. It was found that, given a sufficient variety of fresh foods and the absence of foods that spoiled their taste, these rats could and did choose the most balanced diet for them at that time. In other words, they instinctively sensed what nutrients they needed at that time. And in accordance with this, they made their choice in favor of certain products. Of course, provided there are enough products to choose from.

Subsequently, even more fascinating studies were conducted among children. And most interestingly, it was again found that children also had the innate ability to independently balance their diet under the same conditions. A single child could eat exclusively broccoli for two days. Drink liters of milk for a few more days. Then eat exclusively whole grain bread. At the same time, he independently chose the amount of food that he needed at that moment to balance his diet. The only condition was that he had no access to products that spoiled his taste.

My experience

It is well known that foods that spoil the taste include foods rich in fats or simple carbohydrates (especially sugar), or both. The more “fast food” we eat, the more we want it. The more sugar we eat, the more sweet things we crave. And vice versa.

I remember that period of my life when I became very demanding about my own nutrition. At that time I followed a vegetarian diet. Mostly free of any fats or sugars. It was then that I happened to visit my husband’s relatives in South Dakota. I will never forget the disgust I felt when I saw a piece of meat floating in its own fat in a ceramic pot. My taste by that time had become relatively correct due to the diet I followed. And such a large amount of animal fats, of course, gave me a feeling of disgust. It's sad that if I were offered to try that dish again, perhaps I would try it now. Although at the same time I would experience a slight feeling of guilt. In general, in the end it all comes down to one thing again: a diet containing even a moderate amount of fats or sugars still spoils our taste to the extent that we choose foods that are not the healthiest for the body.

Scientific studies have shown that rats and children can choose the foods that are best for their health. What then can we say about what parrots eat in the wild? Given that these birds are hunted by many predators, a healthy body is an absolute necessity for them. Any kind of illness or illness will undoubtedly attract the attention of predators, and their life will then end. From this it becomes obvious that parrots are quite good at searching and choosing among local products those that allow them to most successfully balance their diet.

I often witness my own birds choosing certain foods over others depending on their current body needs. My pair of breeding Grays may eat little to no greens until breeding season arrives. At this time they simply attack her. Or another example: a parrot that has not eaten pelleted food for weeks suddenly eats every last piece of it in the feeder.

Daily norm

A couple of level tablespoons of grain mixture or, to put it another way, 40 grams will be enough per day. If you are planning a grain-based treat - honey briquettes, then the amount of grain food needs to be reduced, because otherwise you risk feeding your pet. During the period of active growth and hatching of offspring, the norm can be increased to 60 grams.

It is advisable to feed the bird 2 times a day to avoid overeating.

Please note that in natural conditions, individuals are awake for 15 hours, while being in active movement. Therefore, if the daylight hours are short, it is necessary to take care of artificial lighting since the cockatiel does not eat in the dark. If the daylight hours are not artificially lengthened, there is a risk that the parrot may become exhausted.

What spoils the taste and prevents parrots from eating properly?

I believe that our main goal is to provide our birds with as varied a diet as possible, including plenty of fresh food. And also containing the amount of proteins and fats necessary for this type of parrot. At the same time, an important condition is the absence of products that can spoil the birds’ appetite and prevent them from making the right choice. This brings us to the next question. What do parrots eat at home that spoils their taste?

Having carefully studied this question through the example of my own birds, I believe that the answer to it consists of two parts and is a case where we can only speculate, based on the above considerations. Products that spoil a parrot's taste:

• Contains more fat than a parrot would normally consume in nature.
• They contain more sugar than those that the parrot eats in its natural habitat. In some cases, salt can also ruin your appetite.

I often hear from owners of large macaws that their parrots prefer table food to anything else. In this case, the food we prepare for ourselves is what spoils the appetite of our birds. It so happens that the digestive system of our parrots best assimilates foods similar to those that the bird consumes in nature. And in the quantities in which she consumes them in nature.

Minerals

Artificial vitamins and minerals are fed approximately once a quarter. The course of treatment is 2 weeks. The ideal mineral supplement of natural origin is considered to be sepia or cuttlefish shell, which is left in the cage until it is completely crushed by the bird. If a budgerigar consumes sepia, then it does not need additional supplements containing calcium, but it is impossible to completely abandon vitamins. For example, for better absorption of the substances contained in the shell, vitamin D is needed, as well as an amino acid. Amino acids are found in cereals. Most of them are found in buckwheat, wheat, wild rice and oats, and legumes. Calcium is found in spinach and beet tops.

Some owners, in their desire to maintain the health of lovebirds at the proper level, oversaturate the bird’s body with fish oil containing vitamins A, D, E. But a large amount of seemingly necessary substances can be harmful.

Natural products in the diet of birds

Now a little about what is the best granulated food for medium, small and large parrots. I get asked about this quite often. A related question also often arises. Namely, what to feed the parrot if it runs out of pellet food. And should our pet eat such food at all?

If we want our parrots to make the right choices, we must give them the natural foods on which their diet in nature is based. This is the main reason I am against pelleted food. And it's not just about its monotony. By giving it, we in no way stimulate these energetic creatures such as parrots to make any choice. For them it is dead food. None of the ingredients in pelleted food are “live” or fresh. When we give a bird a fresh vegetable, every cell of that vegetable is alive and continues to function. Even though this vegetable has already been picked from the plant. The vegetable's cells will remain alive until it is cooked or frozen.

Natural foods contain fragile enzymes, plant-derived nutrients and a combination of nutrients in general that no pelleted parrot food can replace. That being said, I am not against giving pelleted food to birds. I feed my birds pelleted food, but I only do it on two occasions. I will dwell on this in more detail later.

It is very important what the owners feed their pet and what the parrot eats at home. I firmly believe that feeding birds a diet that is more than 50% pellets is foolishness! Especially considering that their body is biologically configured to process fresh food. In addition, we still do not know enough about the nutritional requirements of parrots to be 100% sure that pelleted food fully meets these requirements. As its manufacturers assure us. For example, not long ago there was an article in which an incident that happened with a macaw chick was mentioned. He suffered from a disease called perosis, expressed in the curvature of the legs. This chick was 100% pelleted fed. Which turned out to be too low in choline. Adult birds can produce choline themselves, but young birds must obtain it from their diet.

What not to give

It is strictly forbidden to feed the nymph with the following products:

• mango, persimmon, bird cherry and papaya.
• potatoes, avocado, onions, garlic.
• green tops from tomatoes.
• spicy herbs.
• mushrooms.
• chocolates.
• milk, hard cheese, cream.
• freshly baked pastries and bread.
• human drinks: coffee, tea, alcohol, cocoa.

It is also not advisable to feed the bird from your table, because fried, fatty and salty foods will significantly shorten the life of your pet. Remember that the cockatiel does not eat everything; what is tasty and good for a person can turn into disaster for a bird.

Different dietary needs

It is very important to know what parrots eat in their natural habitat, that is, in the wild. We must also recognize that different species of parrots have adapted to live in different regions of the world and eat local foods. In addition, they have developed their own feeding habits. Should we feed grays the same thing we feed blue-and-yellow macaws? Grays' ancestors adapted to live in Africa near the equator and eat on the ground. Macaws, in turn, live in the humid jungles of South America and usually eat almost nothing on the ground. So should you feed them the same? I guess not. And this fact negates so many of the generalizations we hear about feeding parrots.

Part of the diet of birds that feed on the ground in the wild, such as Grays, cockatiels and cockatoos, consists of seeds of various plants. Parrots eat the seeds that fall to the ground when ripe. Because of this, I believe that a partial inclusion of seeds in their diet is acceptable for these birds. What then is the best food for these types of parrots and in what quantity? The answer is: for my birds, I create a diet that consists of 10-15% seeds.

On the other hand, most macaws, Amazons and birds of the genus Pionus, along with parrots from the New World, feed under the cover of the humid jungle. They usually do not come down to the ground to feed on it in the same way as Grays. Their diet naturally contains fewer seeds. And these are the types of birds that often develop aggression, as well as problems due to obesity, if in captivity their diet largely consists of seeds. What do people who know this dietary feature usually feed such parrots at home? These bird species in my house receive a strictly limited amount of seeds. And to compensate, I add even more nuts and other fruits to the variety of fruits and vegetables they get in their diet.

Cereals

Budgerigars and lovebirds are often fed:

Wheat.

Prosom.

Oats.

Rice.

barley (the main thing is to ensure that all sharp spikelets are removed).

You can give buckwheat and corn. But they do this carefully; corn, for example, can cause obesity, and not all birds like buckwheat. Wood shavings, pine cones, and unpainted cardboard are added to the bowl with grain.

During the mating period, budgies and lovebirds are fed sprouted grain. Sprouted grains help activate the sexual instinct. They contain more nutrients and vitamins than regular ones.

Visual experience and its influence on bird nutrition

Finally, we must understand how parrots eat and what factors influence their eating habits. This is necessary in order to correctly determine the possible reaction of birds to the diet offered to them. Whenever I discuss the topic of bird feeding with parrot owners, I almost always hear the same answer. “But I can’t feed him broccoli (or carrots, or wild rice, or greens...). He doesn’t like it!” Apparently the bird's owner tried giving it broccoli a couple of times and then stopped based on the fact that the parrot wouldn't eat it. This interpretation of the parrot's behavior is incorrect and is based on two things.

Firstly, starting from the statement that a parrot can balance its diet itself, it is necessary to understand that at some point in time, simply due to lack of appetite or due to the fact that at that moment it feels the need for other foods, the parrot may refuse to eat anything. And based on this, we cannot interpret our parrot’s reaction to this product as evidence that “he just doesn’t like it.”

Secondly, it is important that we understand that a parrot's own visual experience often dictates whether it will eat something or not. Parrots perceive everything by their appearance. I believe that in nature, adult birds teach young, barely fledged parrots to choose their food in the following way: “LOOK. You should eat something that looks like this.” And not: “Here. Take it. Try it. Eat any plant you like, like this.” Because in the latter case, the young parrot would be in danger of trying a poisonous plant in search of an edible one. Although it is obvious that parrots like the taste of certain foods, it is scientifically proven that the number of taste buds on the tongue of parrots is significantly less than that of humans. That is, taste sensations are not the main thing for them.

And also about what domestic and wild parrots eat. These birds are terrible conservatives. If I hang a feeder outside in a new location, it will be at least two weeks before wild birds are anywhere near it. First, they must get used to the sight of the feeder and realize that there is food for parrots there. Therefore, when offering new food to parrots, we must also assume that our feathered friends will most likely not eat it for some time. This happens simply because in the beginning they have to get used to its appearance.

Fruits

A budgie or lovebird that has just found a new home should be offered to try the pulp instead of balanced dry food or together with it:

• oranges;
• tangerines;
• grapefruit;
• lime

Poultry will not refuse banana and pineapple, watermelon puree and melon. You don’t have to remove the peel from the fruit, but before filling the feeder with fruit, you will have to wash it with warm water and soda. Many budgies eat all the berries that are offered to them.

But, for example, viburnum is prohibited as the main food for lovebirds with kidney disease, but healthy birds love it (it should be given in small portions, freed from seeds).

Fruits and berries are given fresh or defrosted. There are few contraindications, the only thing, for example, is that the aratingas do not like mangoes. Moreover, this fruit is contraindicated for them, so before purchasing anything exotic for your pet, you should make sure that a particular fruit or berry is safe for its body. If you cannot find out on your own about the safety of a particular fruit or vegetable or food, you need to contact a veterinary clinic.

Kalina.

Mango.

Dried fruits purchased in the store, before distributing to feeders, are soaked and washed in warm water, using a toothbrush, and any dust or debris that may stick to their surface is cleaned out. Both dried fruits and fresh berries are pitted. Pears, apples, apricots, peaches, plums, quinces and grapes are divided into several parts and completely cleared of stems and peels. Accordingly, there should be no seeds in them.

Some lovebirds love pomegranates. But since they themselves consist of seeds, before transferring the fruit to the bird, the skin is removed from it. When feeding fruits and berries, you should never overdo it; for example, grapes can be fed daily, but not allowing the bird to eat more than 3-4 berries at a time. Otherwise, the same lovebird may develop food poisoning or indigestion.

Pomegranate.

Grape

Multilayer mixture of fresh vegetables and fruits

If you have time to prepare it, you can provide your birds with a complete diet.

Every week I dedicate a couple of hours to making this layered mixture of fresh vegetables and fruits for my parrots. I then store it in airtight plastic containers. Their size and number depend on the number of birds that live with you. The mixture consists of several layers, which are arranged in the following order (listed starting from the bottom):

1. Finely chopped greens (chard, mustard greens, fresh herbs, sorrel, cilantro leaves, parsley, kale, carrot greens, endive salad, etc.).
2. Finely chopped vegetables (celery, bell peppers, pumpkin, cucumber, sprouts, cauliflower, zucchini, grated carrots, beets, green beans, etc.).
3. Broccoli in small pieces: either fresh or boiled for 5 minutes.
4. Lightly boiled and cut into small pieces vegetables rich in vitamin A (pumpkin, yams, carrots, etc.).
5. Pasta (dry) made from whole grains.
6. Boiled Legumes (Soak overnight, then cook for 20 minutes) You can use a ready-made mixture of 17 types of legumes or create a mixture of your own choosing. Soybeans, as well as popular soak-and-boil mixtures, must be cooked separately for at least an hour. (To help the mixture keep better, you can freeze the boiled beans in individual bags (one bag at a time) and add them after thawing to the mixture in the morning when feeding the birds, instead of including the beans in the puff mixture immediately after cooking).
7. Fresh corn on the cob (cut first into small rounds and then into quarters) - if in season.
8. Finely chopped apples.
9. Finely chopped citrus fruits.
10. Whole grapes (possibly with seeds).
11. Mix of frozen vegetables.

If you lay the layers in the above order (citrus fruits - the penultimate layer and frozen vegetables - the last layer), then, if necessary, you can keep the mixture fresh for up to 4 days or more.

When I need to use a mixture, I usually pour the contents of the container into a large bowl and mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Also, at the same time, I often add 1-2 more new ingredients, such as juicy fruits, for example (plums, peaches, watermelons) and ready-made (sprouted or boiled) cereal grains. I then put 8 parts of this fresh mixture in another bowl and add one part high quality seed mixture and one part kibble food. I mix all this thoroughly and place it in feeders. Each bird receives 2/3 to 1 heaping cup of this mixture twice a day: in the morning and around 5 o'clock in the afternoon, which corresponds to their feeding time in the wild. The mixture prepared according to this recipe consists of 80% fresh vegetables, fruits, pasta and legumes, 10% seeds and 10% granular food for large, medium or small parrots.

Authorized Products

Parrots are not carnivores, so their diet should consist mostly of plant products. All products available for feathered pets can be divided into the main menu and incentive treats.

Basic diet

The diet of birds should be safe, healthy and varied. The basis of a parrot's diet is grains and seeds.

The main feeding of parrots is carried out with balanced food containing:

• canary and hemp seed;
• meadow grass seeds;
• millet;
• oats;
• flax seeds;
• sunflower seeds;
• sesame.

You can make mixtures yourself or purchase ready-made food, available in a wide range.

The grain mixtures in the feed are formulated based on the needs and age of the bird. Preference should be given to premium segment feeds - the quality of the grain and the ratio of crops in them is optimal.

If, after opening the package of food, you notice an unpleasant moldy smell, or if the quality of the food is in doubt, you should throw it away and not risk your pet’s health.

Porridge

Porridge is given to parrots daily in small quantities. To save time, you can freeze the porridge in portions. Remove the porridge from the freezer in advance to have time to defrost it.

Porridge is cooked for parrots:

• buckwheat;
• oatmeal;
• rice;
• millet;
• pearl barley

It is easily absorbed during the digestion process of birds and normalizes the functioning of the system.

Vegetables

Vegetables contain a large number of useful minerals and vitamins. All vegetables must be pre-processed: thoroughly washed and chopped (grated or cut into pieces).

The list of vegetables that are good for parrots includes:

• young corn;
• beet;
• zucchini and pumpkins, pumpkin seeds;
• turnip;
• carrots – contains carotene;
• cabbage is a source of vitamins and substances;
• legumes in the milk maturity phase - contain protein and sugars;
• sweet pepper - can be given along with seeds;
• cucumbers;
• tomatoes are useful along with seeds.

It is better to give preference to vegetables from your own plot, because... the amount of nitrates and toxic chemicals in them is significantly lower. All fruits must be clean and fresh.

Fruits

Fruits, like vegetables, should be present in small quantities in your pet’s diet all year round. They are a source of sugars and vitamins for birds.

Allowed:

• apples are a favorite and safe treat;
• pears;
• pineapples (not canned);
• bananas (without peel);
• citrus fruits (oranges, tangerines);
• Stone fruits - plum, peach, sweet cherry, apricot, cherry;
• grape;
• watermelon and melon (with seeds);
• kiwi;
• pomegranate;
• berries - lingonberries, rowan, honeysuckle, gooseberries, rose hips, blueberries, raspberries, currants, strawberries and sea buckthorn.

Berries can be stored for future use in the winter by freezing or drying them. They should be defrosted or soaked before feeding.

There are many advantages

Expiration date

The proposed mixture-based diet has many advantages over others. This is what you can, and what I recommend, feed parrots in addition to (or better yet, instead of) food. The mixture can be left in the feeder for a long time. Since most of the ingredients in the mixture are given raw, and the mixture itself is relatively dry, it does not create conditions for rapid growth of bacteria. As is often the case with other legume-based or chopped vegetable and fruit mixtures, due to their excessive moisture.

Possibility to choose

The mixture also leaves the parrot with a choice: he eats in proportion to his appetite and the nutritional needs of his body. We must do everything possible to provide freedom of choice and freedom of movement for our birds. That is, give them those two things that they first of all lose when they fall into captivity. We must do everything possible to somehow make up for their lost freedoms.

Diversity

And one more advantage: preparing the mixture is a creative process. There is no end to the variations of this mixture. Once a week I change the composition of one of the layers. I choose other types of greens and other vegetables to cut. I can use lemon and kumquat instead of orange in the citrus layer. I can replace the grapes with blueberries and/or cherries (pitted). Use red bell peppers instead of green bell peppers. Vary the shape of the pasta you use: one week I give you tiny letters or stars, another week I give you wheels.

Each morning I stir the mixture and add other foods to provide even more variety to my diet. This could be canned peas (chickpeas), sesame seed sprouts or other seeds, lightly boiled grains of cereals or other plants (brown rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa), carambola, lightly chopped nuts (Brazil, almonds, walnuts, etc.). d) or pieces of toast with a thin layer of peanut butter. I may use small canary seed instead of a seed mixture for larger parrots. I can choose another granulated food for feeding parrots. In general, there is no end to the variety. My birds never know what awaits them at the feeders and rush to them with all their might to find out.

Way to switch

One more thing: this mixture is the fastest way I know of switching birds that are used to eating exclusively seeds to fresh food and pelleted food. I give this mixture to a wide variety of birds, both wild-caught and hand-fed. And even to abandoned birds who are accustomed to living exclusively on seeds.

There is not a single bird that is not quickly tempted to try the mixture. Because Ultimately, the mixture contains 10% seeds, very little effort is required to persuade even the most inveterate stubborn person to accept it. While choosing seeds from the feeder, the parrot also tastes and eats pieces of fresh food. The parrot does not suffer from hunger, because... eats seeds. And soon he gets used to fresh food. For particularly stubborn birds, I add an extra tablespoon of seeds to each feeder until they get used to the mixture. It is also important that since the mixture consists of 10% granulated food, those birds that have not previously eaten dry granulated food at all begin to eat it as part of the mixture.

Health

This mixture allows parrots to be beautiful and healthy birds. Once, after molting, I saved the feathers of rejected birds, and then compared them with the feathers of the same birds a year later this week. The difference was obvious and impressive.

Discontent

Only once did I hear a dissatisfied response regarding this method of feeding. The owner was unhappy that too many fruits and vegetables from the mixture ended up at the bottom of the cage. However, it is necessary to understand that parrots are designed this way. This is their usual way of eating - take a piece of food, bite off a little of it and throw away the rest.

I have been puzzled several times by clients who say, “my chick won’t eat anything.” My bewilderment was caused by the fact that the chicks ate with appetite at my house and were on a similar diet at theirs. But upon further questioning, it turned out that the chicks fed in their usual manner, described above. And due to the fact that a lot of food ended up at the bottom of the cage, the new owners worriedly thought that the chicks were not eating anything at all. All parrots behave this way in nature. Thanks to them, fallen food acts as a nutritious mulch for plant seeds and helps ensure their germination. And ultimately promotes the flourishing of lush vegetation in the parrots' habitat. Those who can't stand losing parrot food can use it for chickens or to form compost.

Changing your diet depending on the time of year

In autumn-winter, it is advisable to add young green branches of fruit trees (cherry, plum, apple tree), as well as decorative deciduous trees (rowan, birch or linden) to the parrot’s diet. These twigs contain vitamins and tannins; they will be an excellent addition to green and grain foods.

In winter and spring, it is recommended to treat your pet with pine or spruce needles. The needles can be crushed and added as an additive to the main feed. Alternatively, you can hang a whole branch in a cage. Conifer needles contain a lot of essential oils and resins, and an excess of them can have a detrimental effect on your feathered friend. Remember that the daily intake of pine needles should be about 5% of total food intake. That is why it is necessary to give pine needles no more than 2 times a week.

Prepared bean mixture

Compound

Another mixture that I regularly prepare for my birds and give to them every other day, usually in the afternoon. I remove this mixture before going to bed, because... Cooked foods spoil too quickly. The main components of the mixture are as follows:

• 1 cup quinoa (the leaves of the plant contain a lot of calcium and protein, they can be bought at all health food stores);
• 2 glasses of water;
• 0.5 cups grated nuts (Brazil, almonds or walnuts);
• 2 cups grated yam (or other vegetables high in vitamin A);
• fresh kernels of hulled corn from two ears of corn or 1 cup of frozen corn;
• 0.5 cups canary seed;
• 1 cup grated green vegetables;
• 0.5 cups uncrushed sesame seeds (from a health food store).

Cooking method

Boil water and add quinoa. Bring the water back to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the yams, cover again and cook for another 10 minutes or longer. Until all the liquid is absorbed. Place the mixture in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and stir lightly. Serve the mixture slightly warm.

You can add variety to this mixture by using different grains instead of quinoa (but this may increase the cooking time), carrots, pepo squash or pumpkin instead of yams, and changing the composition of green vegetables and nuts.

Feed mixtures for artificial feeding of chicks of “herbivorous” parrots

1. 200 grams of rolled oats (pass through a coffee grinder), grind the boiled yolk of three chicken eggs in milk to a soup-like mass. Combine rolled oats and yolk-milk mass and stir in a pot until it becomes doughy. Add milk if necessary. When feeding, add finely grated carrots, vitamins and minerals to this mass.
2. 250 grams of semolina, three raw chicken egg yolks, milk. These ingredients are thoroughly mixed to form a soup-like mixture. Then cook it over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring thoroughly. After cooling to 40-50°C, add 4 drops of trivit (vitamin A, D, E) and mix thoroughly again. The chick can be fed with a spoon.

Cornbread

And one more, third mixture. Twice a week I give the birds cornbread. I use the standard cornbread recipe. At the same time, I buy corn for him (uncrushed) only at a health food store, as well as whole grain flour. You can add any number of ingredients to this mixture, including grated vegetables and fruits, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, raw sunflower seeds, creamed corn, grated low-fat cheese, green chili pieces, etc. There is no limit to the number of products that can be added to the main ingredients of the mixture. Thereby introducing even more variety into your parrot’s diet.

How to choose and buy a grain mixture for a parrot?

1. The online pet store “Kakadushka” has implemented a convenient system of automatic assistance in selecting products using filters. To select a grain mixture, you need to go to the appropriate section of the Feed website.
2. First of all, you need to choose the type of your parrot - large (for example, Gray, cockatoo or Amazon), medium (for example, cockatiel) or wavy.
3. Now on the website you will see only those foods that are suitable for the selected species of birds. Then you can use additional filters - specify the manufacturer or type of diet you are interested in.
4. After these steps, the site will display suitable grain mixtures. Now all you have to do is choose and buy.

Treats or seed treats for parrots

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter;
• two tablespoons of honey;
• one egg;
• 1 sachet of gelatin without flavoring additives;
• liquid vitamins for birds (optional);
• 2 cups of seeds and/or granulated food (some of the seeds can be replaced with oatmeal or corn flakes, dried fruits or nuts).

Mix all soft ingredients in a bowl: peanut butter, honey, egg, gelatin, vitamins (if available). Make sure the gelatin has completely dissolved. After this, add all the dry ingredients (seeds, flakes, dried fruits, nuts), mix well and knead until smooth. Then either form into large flat balls and place them on a lightly greased baking sheet or place the entire mass on it at once, while the layer thickness should be no more than 1 cm. In the latter case, cut the layer before putting it in the oven into small squares. Bake at low temperature - no more than 150 degrees Celsius until done. As soon as the mass hardens and becomes golden in color, it is ready.

Feed mixtures for artificial feeding of chicks of “juice-eating” parrots

1. "Artificial nectar." For one liter of boiled water add 65 g of rolled oats, 50 g of honey, 30 g of pollen (or bee bread), 5 g of brewer's yeast, 3-5 tablets of calcium gluconate, 2-3 drops of trivit. All components are thoroughly mixed and the nectar is ready.
2. Dry food. 1 kilogram of the mixture approximately contains: 430 g of pollen (breadbread), 360 g of oat flakes, 140 g of glucose, 50 g of brewer's yeast, 20 g of glycerophosphate. The mixture is thoroughly mixed. Adult birds can be fed dry food. When feeding the chicks with a syringe, the mixture is diluted with water to the desired consistency.

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Place for granulated feed

As I mentioned earlier, I believe that pelleted food can be a healthy part of your parrot's diet. Each of my birds has free access to a feeder with granulated food, which I give twice a day in addition to the above mixtures. It doesn't really matter to me whether birds eat pellets or not. However, I find it clear that if parrots are offered the kind of pelleted food that birds of their species generally prefer, and given a choice, most of the food (depending on appetite) will be eaten by the birds. There are periods when birds completely eat all the granulated food. I throw away the remains of the granulated food, as well as the remains of the mixture.

I do not use heat-pressed kibble that contains chemical food coloring. And I don’t understand the rationale for using it at all. Especially considering publications that such products have caused exacerbations in hyperactive children. I believe that “the court has retired to deliberate” on this issue and prefer not to risk giving this food to my parrots. I usually use brands of kibble like Harrison's; Breeder's Blend; Foundation Formula and Scenic Diet. I have found that my Grays prefer Harrisons' High Potency blend, which is designed for birds with higher dietary fat requirements. My cockatoos prefer Scenic Diet. Macaws, Amazons and Pionus love Breeder's Blend and Foundation Formula.

Each bird receives a separate feeder with the granular food it likes. I also include these four types of pelleted food listed above in a mixture of fresh vegetables and fruits so that the birds have the opportunity to try the other three mixtures that they do not have in their cage. In addition, the granulated food included in the mixture absorbs moisture. I also noticed that some parrots prefer to eat it softened rather than dry.

Is it possible to give parrots bread?

Baked goods are often fed to birds on the street. Meanwhile, bread is not very desirable for birds. The reasons are the salt, sugar and yeast it contains. They can negatively affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

But small concessions are sometimes made. A parrot can eat white bread, but in very small quantities. It is better to give the product in dried form: the crackers are crushed and added to the feed. In addition to white bread, you can give your parrot some baked goods. They love sweet foods, and a small amount of sugar is good for the body.

But feeding a parrot with rye bread is not recommended at all: you can easily overfeed your pet with it, as a result of which the crop will become clogged.

An alternative to bread is healthy porridge. It’s better to have crumbly ones – it’s easier for the bird to grab them with its beak. You can give parrots millet, pearl barley, oatmeal and buckwheat.

Allergies and other reactions of parrots

Before closing this topic, I would like to make a few more caveats. It is always necessary to take into account that parrots can react painfully to certain types of fruits and vegetables. Or due to the use of fertilizers when growing them. Or on chemical additives in some products. It is currently unclear whether the nature of these reactions is an allergy or some other predisposition. Therefore, while offering a variety of foods to our birds, we must also pay attention to possible changes in their behavior that may serve as an indicator of such problems.

Not long ago, one of my clients called me, whose Amazon began to speak as if in a drawl... And constantly. Knowing how unnatural such a sudden change in vocalizations is for birds, she took the bird to a veterinarian, who discovered significant inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. This was the reason for the funny sound of the bird's voice. At that time, this woman was feeding her Amazon strawberries, something she had never done before. Whether such a reaction in the bird’s body was caused by strawberries or due to the use of fertilizers when growing them, no one knows. However, it is obvious that such a reaction is unnatural for birds. Therefore, we must always be aware of the danger that some products may pose to them. We must carefully monitor what our birds eat and know what we can feed parrots at home.

Nut mixes

The grain feed contains nuts. Sometimes their concentration exceeds the needs of the bird. It is recommended to partially remove the nuts so as not to harm the liver. Not all types of nuts are suitable for your pet. For example, you should not offer peanuts: they can be affected by mold, which causes dangerous diseases.

It is necessary to discard fruit seeds:

• bird cherry;
• cherries;
• plums;
• apricot

Bitter almonds are not the best food for parrots. Sweet almonds, pistachios, pecans and macadamia nuts will be much more beneficial.

Benefits of green food for parrots

Green food is young shoots of various plants. Experts name plants that can act as green food for a feathered pet: shepherd's purse, wood lice, beets, dandelion, plantain, carrot greens, young nettles. When choosing greens for your pet, you need to make sure that the plant leaves have not been treated with chemicals. Therefore, it is better to grow your own greens for your parrot. It is also necessary to remember that not all types of plants are beneficial for your pet. Feathered pets should not be given parsley, onion, dill, buttercup leaves, basil, St. John's wort, cilantro, celandine. These representatives of the flora are considered poisonous to parrots.

Animal food on the parrot menu

In their natural environment, parrots eat various insects. For them, such food is a source of proteins. Therefore, pets need to be introduced to food of animal origin (insects, meat, eggs, cottage cheese). For feathered pets, a good source of protein are boiled eggs, which can be given with carrots and herbs. In addition, a chicken egg is a necessary product for chicks. Meat contains a lot of animal protein, so this product must be introduced into the menu carefully. You should not feed your parrot meat if it is not necessary. If your parrot needs meat products, then it is better to use liver, which contains many mineral salts and vitamins. Before use, such products should be crushed, boiled, cooled, and only after these procedures should be offered to your pet. Dairy products can include low-fat cottage cheese, dry milk, and skim milk in your feathered pet’s diet. Cottage cheese can be given in small crumbly pieces, and it is better to add milk to the egg mixture.

Forbidden vegetables

Vegetables prohibited for parrots include the following:

• Onions and garlic contain essential oils that are harmful to birds. Celery and various herbs are dangerous for the same reasons. They can cause pulmonary failure.
• Radishes are harmful to parrots due to their pungency and bitter taste.
• Potatoes and eggplants are dangerous due to their high content of the toxic compound solanine.