Food pyramid for parrots

[Ilovemygrey]

Hi guys,

I read an article on parrot nutrition that is amazing. I would like to share.
Here's the link:
HolisticBird and HolisticBirds
I hope you guys enjoy!

 

[Kalidasa]

Wow, that was the most extensive and informative piece on diet that I've read to date, thanks for sharing, this is exactly what I've been looking for, as I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to diet. This confirms what a nagging voice in my head has been saying all along.

 

[JadeC]

I haven't got my baby bird yet and I'm pretty nervous about the diet thing...

 

[Kalidasa]

Hi jade! The good thing is you'll have a baby and they're so open and eager to try everything and usually can be coaxed to try anything. It seems once they get older (like us) their preferences have developed and that usually includes things that are not good for them, they became finicky and take longer to adapt to different diets. I'm sure you'll do just fine...just being worried about it shows you'll do your homework and put forth the effort.

 

[JadeC]

Thanks, I've been trying to do my research, but I'm still nervous haha I'm sure ill get the hang of it!!! I'm gonna do a chop diet with pellets and some seeds.

 

[lotosha]

Nice pyramid, sadly most parrots tend to disagree with this pyramid My CAG is a pretty good eater, but tends to exclude the vegies. My tiels are even worst it is an everyday straggle to get them to eat some other food than seeds, so far I am the loose most of the times...

 

[MonicaMc]

Not all adult birds are finicky eaters. I had one hen who converted herself onto a healthier diet and I didn't even try! Well, in her last home she was eating the crappy Walmart bird food, which ended up being the wild bird seed when the people decided to be even cheaper. I don't know what she ate before that home, but I can't imagine it was anything beyond seeds. She had lost her mate in her previous home, and not knowing how old she is, I figured she would be hard to convert to eating healthier.

When I first took her in, all I fed her was seeds. When I introduced her to my flock, she basically made a B-Line for the dish of pellets! Haven't looked back since! There are multiple ways to convert a bird to eating healthier, but one of the best ways is to already have a bird(s) that eats good.

Beyond that, it's just being creative! Trying different ways to convert them to eating healthier! There's a difference between not liking a food and not recognizing something as food. I was born and raised American, but I am 1/8th Filipino. I'm pretty sure I'd have a difficult time eating some of the Filipino cuisine! Or even some of their regular dishes! For example... Balut! That's one dish I doubt I have the stomach to eat, let alone the heart to!



The food pyramid is good, although every species diet is going to differ some. Conures may require extra vitamin K. Amazons may require extra vitamin A but a diet lower in fat and/or protein. African Greys may require extra vitamin A and calcium (along with vitamin D). Macaws may require a higher fat diet.

It may be a good guideline but one should also be aware of any special dietary requirements of the species that they keep. (not to mention specific birds in their care) It's not really difficult to feed them, though.