Parrots need more than just seed as supplied in the little bags by the pet stores. They need a balanced diet. Vitamin A, D , E and K is essential to all parrot types. The above are all fat soluble and vitamin C and B are water soluble.

Vitamins have to be supplied and cannot be produced by the body (except for Vitamin C). Vitamins occur in living plant material.

Vitamin A can be given in the form of carrots(110 000 I.U/Kg), sweet potatoes (81 000), Apricots(27 000), and Paw-Paw(17000). This has to be given fresh in order to be affective.

 

Vitamin D is probably the cheapest of all, this is obtained from sunlight. Many of the everyday fruit and vegetables contain Vitamin E.

Another essential part of any animal's diet is fresh clean water. Parrot bodies consist of 75% water. The body constantly uses water and this needs to be replenished frequently. Water also plays a major role in temperature control.

Minerals are also needed in various quantities to maintain a healthy body. Large quantities of Macro-Minerals P, Ca, Mg, Na, K, S and Cl are needed for the bone structures. Trace elements of Zn, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, MN, Mo, and Cr are needed for various daily body functions. The ratio of Macro to Trace elements are 99.9 to 0.1. These are usually supplied using comercial products , I use a local product which comes in a twin pack, one macro minerals and one Trace elements.

The diet I give to all my parrots consists of the following, all mixed together

• Maize (we use broken chicken maize)
• Various Beans
• Rice
• Various Peas
• Raisins
• Lentils
• Macaroni/spagetti

All the above is boiled until all the water is gone.

To this, I add various chopped (using a food processor) fruit and vegetables.

None of my fruit and veges are cooked, as this destroys the vitamin content of the product. We only use fresh produce and try to get organic non- genetically modified stuff.

 

• Apples
• Carrots
• Pears
• Broccolli
• Bannana
• Grapes
• Sweet Potatoes (Yams)
• Beetroot
• Hubbard Squash with seeds
• Pumpkin with seeds
• Swiss Chard
• Oranges
• Tomatoes

 

All this is mixed together with sunflower seed, sprouted sunflower and some millet seeds, and fed in a mash.

My food is made fresh everyday, and all leftovers is fed to the ducks and chickens.

I feed twice daily, once in the morning, and then in late afternoon. As breeding season approaches, I increase my calcium and spirulina in the food.

We do not feed our birds peanuts as the peanuts supplied by most feed and pet stores are animal grade and these invariable contain Aflotoxins. This can cause major liver problems to birds and humans.

Foods NOT to feed to any birds:

• AVOCADO PEARS
• LETTUCE
• CHOCOLATE
• ALCHOHOL
• COFFEE.

Avocardo contains a deadly toxin and Luttuce has 95% water, this tends to give parrots diarrhoea.

Remember: If you are not prepared to eat the food you feed your parrots, then you should not being feeding it to them in the first place.