Is your bird mainly a seed eater? Did you know that wild seeds make up just a tiny percentage of the natural diet? While seeds are an essential element of a pet parrot’s daily diet, they should not be the only source of nutrition.
Parrots are opportunistic omnivores, which means they consume anything they come across throughout the day (“opportunistic”) and, like humans, eat from all dietary categories (vegetables and fruits, grains, and animal protein (“omnivores”).
Traditional seed-based diets for pet birds are not indicative of what parrots consume in the wild. Little is known about what they eat on a daily basis, although their natural diet includes a range of foods like as seeds, nuts, fruits, shoots, buds, corms, and invertebrates (insects, worms, and larvae). Wild parrots have even been recorded eating dead fish washed up on the shores of lakes and streams. Because some of the plant material they consume includes toxins, South American parrots travel to natural mineral beds on a regular basis to feast on the clay and minerals present to cleanse their systems.
We do know that a seed-only diet reduces your pet’s potential lifetime by half and causes deficits in vitamins, including vitamin A, minerals, particularly calcium, and protein. They are also often heavy in fat.
While manufactured diets (also known as pellets) are becoming more popular, they do not constitute a full meal and may cause health concerns if taken solely, particularly with the kidneys and liver. Diets were developed based on studies conducted in the chicken business, where the emphasis is on quick development and maximum size rather than lifespan. While they’ve come a long way and, like seeds, are a crucial element of a balanced diet, they can’t do it on their own. Variety, balance, and moderation are essential for your bird’s health and pleasure. A well-fed bird’s daily diet should consist of vegetables, entire grains, and some fruit.
In the wild, a parrot’s “job” is to spend the day seeking for food and then working to get it. Nuts are a good example since getting to the nut meat requires removing not just the hard shell, but also the fiber outer husk. It is important to give your pet a “task” and make her work a bit for her treats. Boredom is relieved by having to peel vegetables and open nuts. (Just make sure the vegetables are organic and free of pesticides.)
Patience, ingenuity, and common sense can help your parrot’s nutrition and general health. The work is definitely worth it, as the end result is a well-feathered, bright-eyed, lively friend who will be able to share your life for as long as possible.
🦜🦜 Click Images Below To Explore More Popular Bird Supplies on Amazon!! 🦜🦜
