Fresh clean water should be available at all times. The water container must be thoroughly washed every day. It is not good enough to just rub your finger around the inside of the container. Disinfection of the water container should be carried out on a weekly bases to rid it of organisms that grow on the inside surface. Rinse thoroughly before replacing in the cage.

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

The best foods to feed are nutrient-dense. Those high in vitamin "A"- are especially desirable. Vitamin helps to fight illness, especially respiratory diseases. Any of the orange, yellow, or dark leafy vegetables are excellent.

By giving a wide selection of fruit and veggies, you are providing your bird with the vitamins that it needs. Carrots, zucchini, green beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, squash, corns on the cob, cucumbers, tomato, peppers are great veggies to feed your bird. They are readily found in your grocery store.

Avoid iceberg lettuce; there is very little nutritional value in this type of lettuce. Dark, leafy greens are best.

Fresh unprocessed foods should be removed each day to prevent your birds from becoming sick from eating mouldy or spoilt food. Cooked food spoils more quickly and needs to be removed within a couple of hours, depending on the temperature and humidity of the day.

BEANS AND LEGUMES

Feeding these to your bird provides lots of protein and minerals. Kidney beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, black beans, green split peas and other lentils along with rice are found in the grocery store.

These are soaked in water for approx. 8 hours and then microwave for 10-15 minutes. You can make large amounts, freeze them in smaller portions, and pull them out when you need them.

FROZEN VEGGIES

If you are extremely pressed for time, this is about the fastest way to do veggies. The bags of mixed veggies (lima, green beans, carrots, corn, and peas) are not bad. Keep in mind that the nutritional content of frozen veggies is low.

PELLETS

Pellets can provide 40-50% of the diet. Providing a balanced diet for you parrot can be a complicated business. Researchers specialising in avian (bird) nutrition developed a dry bird food in the form of pellets. Bird pellets come in two forms, cold pressed and extruded.

We have available in Australia several manufactured pellet providers, some are locally manufactured and others imported. Pellets are available from veterinarians, pets stores and other outlets.

Your bird should consume pellets at about 40% of the diet, combined with other foods mentioned earlier to round out anything required by the bird that is missed in the pellets.

SAVE ON PREPARATION TIMES

MASH DIET

For a new owner the diet that a parrot requires is intimidating, especially if the person works part or full time! I have found several ways to cut down on the preparation time.

This is a wonderful time saver! Keep in mind that this is a guideline only; feel free to use any ingredients that you think your bird might like.

When Lyn prepares this delishes meal, I feel like eating it instead of the parrots!

Lyn take 2 different types of greens, 3 or 4 types of vegetables, 3 or 4 types of fruit, approx. 2 cups of rice, bean, and legumes (these have been soaked for 8 hours and then microwave for 15 minutes) , several cups of cereal (wheat bix or corn flakes, grape, nuts, etc.)

Okay, now the fun part! Put everything into a food processor. The idea is not to liquefy the ingredients but to finely chop everything. After everything has been chopped, Lyn mixes it up well in a large bowl and then transfer it to smaller containers. Lyn is then able to freeze the containers and just pull one out and defrost it when needed.

The one good thing about this diet is that everything is mixed together and chopped so small the bird is not as likely to pick out and eat only his/her favourite foods.

        

BREADS: 

The majority of birds love different kinds of bread and toast. Our personal companion parrots love honey and peanut butter on toast  

Reprinted with permission

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