Help needed from passionate parrot owners

Hi everyone,

I am a Graphic Design student at Nottingham Trent and I have been given a live brief to design packaging for a new Tropical Bird Seed for Parrots and Cockatiels.

I was wondering if you could help give me some insight into the types and charactertics of people (well, you) that keep parrots as pets?

What age/ lifestyle do they lead?

What would you deem as important for a feed to provide for your parrot?

What parrot feed do you use now?

What packaging attracts you to buy the feed?

Any information would be hugely appreciated.

Thank you for your time,

Tierney Ellison

This may seem harsh...

Well, first of all, passionate parrot owners are aware of the dangers of feeding a seed diet to their birds, so if it's primarily a seed mix, it doesn't matter how pretty you make the packaging, if I feed that to my bird long term I will destroy his/her liver, so I am not going to buy it... :11:

I will put it down and walk away.

If you're selling seed mixes, then you need to find out what IGNORANT parrot owners, who don't care about the health of their birds think... they're the ones who buy based on pretty packaging and advertising claims.

Sorry, seed is only about 10% of a parrots diet. If it's 75% of the content of your bird food mix... well, it's not something I'd give mine.

Parrot owners are a lot more sophisticated in terms of ingredients/what we feed because the pet food industry has been marketing stuff that has long term bad health consequences for our birds for a long time... Diet and nutrition are absolutely critical components to captive bred birds, and most people are smart enough to know that.

Your packaging should be focused on concisely what's in it, and how is this more beneficial for my bird's health than anything else on the market. We're pretty bottom line people.

There tends to be a lot more involved taking care of a parrot than there is taking care of other animals. So, we do tend to be more informed.

It's what is inside that i pay for. i don't use "bird seed", the pellets i use come in 40 lb bags and don't have fancy packaging. Sorry ,can't be of any help.

I feed my bird pretty much all human-grade whole foods (fruit, veg, grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seed). I don't buy packaged bird food as a rule because of all the additives, dyes, GMO's ext... that I don't feel are a healthy fit for my birds diet.

However, I understand this is for a school project and you and the teacher/class probably don't know much about parrots/parrots diet nor are you actually creating a real line of bird food. How about an "organic" mix that includes dehydrated fruit, veg and pellets in addition to the seed? That may appeal to some bird owners. Things that appeal to parrot owners are pictures of healthy parrots, a parrot-theme logo and bright, tropical colors. Hope this is helpful.

Birdman666 said:

This may seem harsh...

Well, first of all, passionate parrot owners are aware of the dangers of feeding a seed diet to their birds, so if it's primarily a seed mix, it doesn't matter how pretty you make the packaging, if I feed that to my bird long term I will destroy his/her liver, so I am not going to buy it... :11:

I will put it down and walk away.

If you're selling seed mixes, then you need to find out what IGNORANT parrot owners, who don't care about the health of their birds think... they're the ones who buy based on pretty packaging and advertising claims.

Sorry, seed is only about 10% of a parrots diet.

Parrot owners are a lot more sophisticated in terms of ingredients/what we feed because the pet food industry has been marketing stuff that has long term bad health consequences for our birds for a long time... Diet and nutrition are absolutely critical components to captive bred birds, and most people are smart enough to know that.

Your packaging should be focused on concisely what's in it, and how is this more beneficial for my bird's health than anything else on the market. We're pretty bottom line people.

There tends to be a lot more involved taking care of a parrot than there is taking care of other animals. So, we do tend to be more informed.

Click to expand...

henpecked said:

It's what is inside that i pay for. i don't use "bird seed", the pellets i use come in 40 lb bags and don't have fancy packaging. Sorry ,can't be of any help.

Click to expand...

I know you are serious, and I agree, but ROFLOL!
I guess a few things the OP can take away from this is: As a group, we are very passionate folks and incredibly protective over our feathered family members. Don't you dare call them pets, same thing as saying you own your human children!
And even tho we are ready to lynch the OP, we will give up $$$, time, etc. to help educate any and all for the betterment of our entrusted family.
Now back to the original question.. A good slogan?

'Tropical Bird Seed for Parrots and Cockatiels-for those who don't care about their Pets'

Poor OP!! XD

But this isn't a good place to ask for bird seed advice like this. What you really need is something simple. Put in drawings of a couple of parrots (cockatiel on a jungle branch, another flying), a bright slogan that says good about the food inside -- you're pretty much done for the ignorant crowd. And just say natural something on the front. You're good to go, but just know that this is not for TRUE parrot owners. If you want true parrot owners, instead of saying seed, why don't you come up with a true brand? I'm guessing this is a project from your school so you can come up with something simple.

Harrison's is just pellets inside a paper bag, but just because it's organic and healthy SO MANY people will go for it for their bird's sake. Zupreem's isn't organic, but it's a reputable brand. It isn't flashy or bright in terms of packaging. What you need to do to really draw in a crowd is promote health and long living and a good list of ingredients that parrot owners KNOW that their bird will absolutely thrive on. Seed isn't one of those ingredients that they can thrive on alone. Instead of saying seed, say pellets and really research it. Hope that helps to give you a perspective of how we bird-brainers really love our fids (feathered kids). We don't just stick them in a cage and watch them sing, we really have a lifestyle that revolves around birds. It might sound crazy, but it sure is love!

We feed Harrison's because it's good for them...

We feed Zupreme because they actually eat them, instead of throwing them...

There's a slogan for you: Your bird will eat more than they throw, guaranteed or your money back..."

Please check out this link: http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-food-recipes-diet/28242-ingredients-pellets.html

There are some photos of the foods listed, which can possibly give you an idea about appearances.

To me, a TRUTHFUL and COMPLETE list of ingredients would be more important than any fancy/flashy packing.

Wow! That was harsh (haha)

This is brief set from Stocks Taylor Benson, so regarding the 'details & small print', it's not up to me. I'm trying to do as much research to hit the right target audience as spot on as I can.

Hense, asking real owners, not just googling pretty seed and mix packaging.

I am an animal lover, (we have horses & wolfhounds, so i understand a 'pet' being more part of the family than real members (now that was harsh) )

But from a professional point of view, the product I am designing is under the category of 'Pets' - so sorry for insulting your feathered friends. (I was trying to be formal - obviously wrong approach)

Full details on the Seed that I know... "Tropical Bird Seed: 1) Cockatiel Mix 1kg 2) Macaw Parrot 1kg and 3) Small Hookbill Food 1kg" (It is a mix)

So as you can see... I used "seed" as a wide term because my question was aimed at you, my target audience and buyer not the actual ingredients.. not because I don't care but because details about exact mix hasn't been finalised yet.

For now, it is just research.

So with that in mind...

(cry) Please may anyone give me a few pointers to understand a bit more about the feathered kind and why you do it as I know only know about furry companions and poo picking.

Tierney, I'm glad you popped in and replied. I truly don't think anyone was purposely trying to be harsh and/or rude, and if so, I apologize!

We've had our fair share of 'strange' intruders here lately, so some of us are a bit on edge.

June2012 said:

Poor OP!! XD

I'm guessing this is a project from your school so you can come up with something simple.

Click to expand...

It is actually a live brief (if successful, will go into production), for my final year at University..

Well, what you're dealing with a parrot is an animal with the same IQ and same attention needs as a human toddler, that doesn't grow up, and may outlive you.

Many of these species have their own little quirks, issues, and problems, and you kinda need to know about those, and master how to deal with them, in order to have a well behaved bird.

The amount of training involved is usually more with a bird.

So the commitment factor for an owner is significantly higher... which means we tend to be more involved with them, and more protective of them... (My oldest bird is 43 now!) and the folks that have been doing this a long time tend to be more informed in terms of care needs.

In terms of the interaction factor, they are THE MOST interactive of the bunch. When they bond, they bond... and bonded with a parrot usually works both ways. And parrots are one of the most emotionally empathic animals on the face of the planet. So the emotional bond with these guys is completely off the hook.

Some of these guys when worked with and properly trained, have the ability to use language in context and appropriately... So on some levels it's the fascination with the IQ, and at least with a CAG, it's actually living the Dr. Doolittle fantasy...

It's almost a parent/child relationship. Not quite to that level, but not far from it.

I don't know how else to describe it.

TierneyEllison said:

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if you could help give me some insight into the types and characteristics of people (well, you) that keep parrots as pets?

SEE MY LENGTHY POST ABOVE...

What age/ lifestyle do they lead?

I'M 52/A COLLEGE EDUCATED PROFESSIONAL/SINGLE FATHER.

What would you deem as important for a feed to provide for your parrot?

THIS NEEDS TO BE SPECIES SPECIFIC. ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL. MACAWS AND COCKATOOS HAVE A HIGHER IN FAT DIET, THAT YOU WOULDN'T GIVE AN AMAZON OR AN AFRICAN GREY. ECKIES ARE DIET SENSITIVE. THEY DON'T DO WELL ON VITAMIN ENRICHED FOODS.

I WANT SOMETHING THAT IS AS CLOSE TO NUTRITIONALLY COMPLETE AS I CAN FIND, THAT MY BIRD WILL ACTUALLY EAT, RATHER THAN THROW ON THE FLOOR...

What parrot feed do you use now?

A MIXTURE OF ZUPREME PELLETS, NUT MIXES, AND FRESH FOODS FRUITS/VEGGIES/CHICKEN/FISH/RICE/BEANS, ETC...

What packaging attracts you to buy the feed?

HONESTLY NEVER REALLY PAID ATTENTION TO PACKAGING, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST USING A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE TYPE OF PARROT THE FOOD WAS DESIGNED FOR, I.E. MACAW AND COCKATOO, AMAZON AND CAG, CONURE AND COCKATIEL, AND SOME OF THE INGREDIENTS IN YOUR MIX.

Any information would be hugely appreciated.

Thank you for your time,

Tierney Ellison

Click to expand...

HOPE THAT HELPS... Do we get a free sample for participating?!

Thank you for the answers you have given!

I will let you know about the free sample if it's successful haha

I hope I can later comment on this feed as the project develops

Those of us who are owned by parrots are extremely protective of our fids. Everything that goes into those beakies is so meticulously researched and scrutinized it's not even funny...I have spent hours reading the backs of bird food, researching on my phone, and juggling a flapping blabbling grey....we don't pay any attention to pretty pictures hahaha!

Something I would strongly suggest, if possible, is a list of key ingredients on the front and a picture of the species the mix is intended for. Maybe pictures of birds with messy food beaks? That would be cute! Us parronts love foodie beaks. I can't guarantee that we will buy it by any means but that will at least get our attention

That's the thing.

Most dog food buyers don't take the time to go through the ingredient labels, and unless you have a dog with health problems, it doesn't matter as much.
Whereas, the vast majority of parrot owners (if they are honest) are more particular about what their parrot eats, than what they eat...

And some species, like Eclectus parrots, you have to, because they can get neurological problems from feeding them the wrong foods, or Toucans, for example, ACTUALLY DIE if there is too much iron in their diet.

So, parrot people know these things and will check.

A guy in a suit who says there's 30 million pet birds in this country, we could make money selling bird food, doesn't necessarily know that... Especially when he gets a really good deal on bulk sunflower seeds and peanuts... [inside joke.]

JerseyWendy said:

Tierney, I'm glad you popped in and replied. I truly don't think anyone was purposely trying to be harsh and/or rude, and if so, I apologize!

We've had our fair share of 'strange' intruders here lately, so some of us are a bit on edge.

Click to expand...

Harsh can be educational sometimes...

Birdman666 said:

JerseyWendy said:

Tierney, I'm glad you popped in and replied. I truly don't think anyone was purposely trying to be harsh and/or rude, and if so, I apologize!

We've had our fair share of 'strange' intruders here lately, so some of us are a bit on edge.

Click to expand...

Harsh can be educational sometimes...

Click to expand...

And fun most of the time...

TierneyEllison said:

Wow! That was harsh (haha)

This is brief set from Stocks Taylor Benson, so regarding the 'details & small print', it's not up to me. I'm trying to do as much research to hit the right target audience as spot on as I can.

Hense, asking real owners, not just googling pretty seed and mix packaging.

I am an animal lover, (we have horses & wolfhounds, so i understand a 'pet' being more part of the family than real members (now that was harsh) )

But from a professional point of view, the product I am designing is under the category of 'Pets' - so sorry for insulting your feathered friends. (I was trying to be formal - obviously wrong approach)

Full details on the Seed that I know... "Tropical Bird Seed: 1) Cockatiel Mix 1kg 2) Macaw Parrot 1kg and 3) Small Hookbill Food 1kg" (It is a mix)

So as you can see... I used "seed" as a wide term because my question was aimed at you, my target audience and buyer not the actual ingredients.. not because I don't care but because details about exact mix hasn't been finalised yet.

For now, it is just research.

So with that in mind...

(cry) Please may anyone give me a few pointers to understand a bit more about the feathered kind and why you do it as I know only know about furry companions and poo picking.

Click to expand...

I also read your Live Briefing post... Sorry about that. I had thought this was simply a project. *shrug* But yes, we really do care about our fids that much truly. We're very picky as it seems, this world isn't quite ready for taking on a parrot's quite sensitive needs. (Just shows how psychotic we are! XD)

We love it... I guess, from something different? I can't say for others as I can only say for myself. I sure love parrots as they tend to be a bit more - ahem - more intelligent than you're average dog. I have a dog and am an AVID animal lover, but I still love parrots so much. My mother is allergic (as we just recently found out) so I don't know if I'll ever have one until I move out.

So I settle for here, dreaming for something so difficult, time consuming, and so idiotic. Why would I opt for this thing that can't show me affection like a dog can? Or have the antics of a cat? It's like a pet rock, don't ya know? Nope! Not at all! It's a beautiful living thing, but is much like a cat in many ways. They tend to have a mind of their own and will CLEARLY tell you, like a cat does. They'll gently bite you as a cat would scratch you, except our birds are more loving when they bite you. (So many oxymorons when it comes to life with birds...I can't explain!) Of course, comparing them is also a sin. A bird will do their best to please you, like a dog if you will. But ya can't just slap it's ribs and give it a belly rub without it humping you. Remember, it ain't fixed!

And about that food topic, dunno if you sent it in or not, but we all love foodie beaks. And to catch the average (we're a, top of the line, blood backed, pedigree -- just so you know *wipes dust off shoulder*) owner's eye, like I said, anything tropical with the bird clearly enjoying the mix should be fine. Bright colors and like I said, a flashy cockatiel on the front! It's got a cute little beak covered in the food, on the edge of a food cup that has the brand's name on it, with big twinkling eyes like Japanese anime. Another is enjoying the breeze while eating it, perhaps sitting with the first cockatiel. Very possibly slap on any other tropical looking bird, a macaw/cockatiel hybrid? Or just a macaw... Anything that seems impressive or seems to be giving the cockatiel unbelievable ecstasy.

June2012 have you considered volunteering at a bird rescue? There are a few large ones in S CA. That would provide bird experience, and expose you to many different species so you can figure out what you like. Even if its just helping with event set up and break down, its a good road to you dream destination.