Zoo's Diet

Parrot's needs are no different to any other creature. For them to thrive, they need to eat a healthy, yet varied diet. If your parrot lives in-doors then variety is even more important and supplementation may be required, ask your vet.

People's opinion on what should or should not be eaten varies as much as the food itself. This article is intended to give you an idea of what they should be eating on a regular basis and why. It is also written in layman's terms, so as to be understood by all, and not just nutritional experts and veterinary surgeons.

The article is not just based on findings from one or two pet parrots but is based on information on hundreds of parrots that have been in both the zoo and pet environments.

Your parrot does not have to eat everything that is shown in the list below since availability may be a problem; however, the more varied the diet, the better they will absorb the different minerals and vitamins needed along with adding a natural stimulus to their daily routine.

First of all, it is wise to understand just what a parrot needs and why?

Parrots like most flying creatures burn up calories very quickly since their metabolism works at high speed, therefore they need foods that will give them energy as and when it is needed. Carbohydrates must be available in high quantities as they convert to energy very easily, proteins in the required quantities especially for breeding birds.

Parrots are often fed leftovers from their owner’s plates which they rarely refuse. Why? Well they need quite similar vitamins and minerals as us humans do and, in my experience, parrots will eat anything and everything. They seem to have the ability to know what they are lacking, in dietary terms, and will tend to eat more of the food that contains essential nutrients that they are deficient in.

Feather growth, although we take it for granted, is a big strain on a parrot's body and if they do not take in the correct nutrients to assist the growth then the bird may suffer severe induced stress which can lead to all kinds of problems. These problems may include Amino Acid deficiency. Amino Acids, such as methionine and lysine, are required to manufacture the proteins necessary for feather growth, large quantities will be needed when the bird is moulting.

Vegetable protein, as a source of these amino acids, is not as efficient as animal protein. Adding cheese, cooked egg, chicken or fish to the diet will be helpful.

When do you feed your parrot? Extensive research has been carried out in this area, the results being based on watching parrots in a pet situation living in a house and parrots living in a semi-natural lifestyle in a colony system outside.

Pet parrots tend to have a food bowl offered to them in the morning. Usually, it's the same bowl, in the same location and it is left there all day, with a few titbits offered now and then. This is no good for either your parrot or your pocket as you will find yourself throwing just as much food away as what the parrot actually eats.

Only giving the parrot one meal a day, containing a variety of mixed parrot seed or pellets, whichever you use, will cause the parrots to become very selective and picky, trashing what they don't need and eating only what they want. The fact that there are always plenty of unopened seeds and uneaten pellets means that you must be giving far more food than is necessary, or in other words, he can pick out what he wants and leaves the rest.

Parrots in the wild and in colony aviaries will fill their crops to bursting point in the morning, which will then slowly release into their system throughout the day. In the evening they will go and do the same, taking them through the night. You would be amazed at how much food it takes to fill the crop, of say an African Grey. Definitely not the bucket full most owners will give their birds. In fact, the amount of a good quality parrot mix offered, should be approx 50 / 55 grams or a level serving-spoon. It is up to you what you feed in which order but, here at the zoo, we offer the seed mix with a little fruit and veg in the morning and the animal protein matter with fruit and veg in the afternoon. We never have any waste and all the birds maintain optimum weight.

The mainstay of the diet should consist of mixed fruit and vegetables with some form of animal protein. The remaining part can be of a good mixed parrot food containing seeds oats grains and dried fruits etc or a pelleted mix. When feeding fruit and veg, just think a little about what your parrot has to do to eat it. If it is all cut up into little chunks, it looks lovely to us, but it is not very stimulating to your bird, give it a half apple or a full carrot, hanging on a string this will make life a little more interesting and make the bird work for his dinner.

All in all it adds up to your parrot having to think a more about what it's doing and therefore fills in a little more of his day. It may sound simple but this kind of food activity can assist keep your parrot sane.

When feeding parrot mix, choose one that has a good variety of seeds in it and not a cheap mix that is high in sunflower. Make sure that it has a good variety of dried fruit and vegetables. If you're using pelleted diets, make sure your bird has free access to fresh water; in tests we have noticed a considerable increase in water consumption.

When feeding grown food such as nuts, please make sure they are prepared for human consumption as some nuts have a toxic quality that can harm your parrots.

As you can see, there are many types of food to keep your parrot not only well nourished but also occupied in keeping himself fed.

Please Note: - It is advisable to alter their feeding regimes from summer to winter.
Summer time having a higher protein intake through pulses for vegetable proteins and Chicken etc for animal proteins

Winter time having a greater carbohydrate intake enabling increased heat generation due to them being endothermic and therefore assists in their heat creation and retention

An example of the weekly routine at the Parrot Zoo

Fruit is offered everyday by hanging it around the enclosure for enrichment, parrots do ground feed regularly so there is no reason why on one or two days can present food lower down ( if you feed on the ground make sure you check your parasite program regularly, we here at the Parrot Zoo worm in 3 monthly periods.

Cheese is offered 3 times per week (every day in winter months) in small quantities per bird, again hidden around the enclosure. Then all other foods are mixed together and fed at set feeding points around the enclosures

General Feed Quantities per bird per day to be added to supplement mix (below)

Macaws

Cockatoos

Amazons

Conures

Caiques

Daily Supplement Mix