A healthy diet for bird pets

A healthy diet is important to maintain a bird's health. In general, most veterinarians recommend giving parrots a diet based on pellets (nourishing pills) accompanied by healthy vegetables, fruit, whole grains and a controlled amount of seeds, nuts and other foods.

Formulated grains

Formulated food for birds is usually presented in the form of pellets (nourishing pellets). Pellets come in different sizes, shapes, textures, colours and flavours. Pellets are specially formulated grains, based on modern research into the nutritional requirements of companion birds, with the right amount of a wide range of nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, required by the bird. The pellets are easy to feed and contain far better balanced nutrition than commercial seed and nut mixes.

Vegetables, fruit and whole grains

Vegetables (e.g. cauliflower, kale, spinach) and red-orange vegetables (e.g. sweet potatoes, carrots) are rich in nutrients. They are also rich in fibre and water. Fruits, especially berries, are rich in fibre, vitamins and antioxidants.

Whole grains are rich in fibre and other nutrients, such as white rice, refined bread and pasta. Whole grains that can be offered include brown rice and wild rice, wholemeal bread and whole grain pasta.

Seeds and nuts

Seeds and nuts are usually rich in fat and energy, but they lack some essential nutrients. Commercial seed and nut mixes are often sprayed with a vitamin complex, but these vitamins usually only adhere to the surface of the food. Seed and nut grains can be a low proportion of the diet composition of most species of parrot. Small pieces of chopped nuts such as almonds, walnuts or seed presses can be used as training rewards for the bird or placed in a leaky food ball as an enrichment toy.

Fresh drinking water

Fresh water should always be available to the bird. This can be done in a water bowl or a water bottle drinker. The use of a water bottle dispenser will go a long way to avoid contamination of the water with droppings. It must be thoroughly cleaned before use and carefully checked to ensure it is working properly.

A healthy and varied diet will not only promote good health but will also keep your bird mentally active. Healthy snacks can be used as food rewards for bird training, or placed in leaky balls as props for behavioural enrichment.