Parrot Food Needs To Be More Than Just Seed Or You Will Soon Hear Your African Grey Parrot Talking Up A Storm!
African grey parrot food is not just about seed! Many parrot owners feed their birds nothing but seed and in many cases this is just sunflower seeds. Whilst African Greys need seed in their diet, too much of it, particularly sunflower seeds can cause an often fatal lung infection. And too much of the same thing is just plain boring. How would you feel if you were fed the same food every day? The only thing you would hear from your African grey parrot talking would be complaints
If you feed your Grey a varied diet there will be no need to give added vitamin supplements. A varied diet consists of fruit and vegetables as well as some seed. Sunflower seeds given once or twice a week help to keep your bird's feathers in tip top condition.
There are some foods however that you should not give to your bird. These include chocolate, alcohol and junk food. There is some doubt as to whether avocado is a suitable food for your parrot or not. I work on the principle if there's doubt I don't. Companion pets like the African grey like to eat when the rest of their flock, you, eat. So it is quite in order to offer food from your plate as long as it is not any of the foods they should not be eating. Parrots are very happy to eat meat, cooked vegetables and chew on bones. Any type of bone your bird can hold be thoroughly cleaned and crunched for the marrow. Never forget these birds are carnivorous and eating meat is not something strange.
Being relatively small creatures parrots only need small doses of vitamins. And most, if not all, of their daily requirement should come from the fruit and vegetables you feed them each day. When you first get your parrot home you should start feeding it fruit and vegetables right from the beginning so it gets used to the idea that these sorts of food will be the main part of their menu. Uncooked vegetables are obviously best but certain ones will have to be cooked. Potatoes and sweet potatoes are two that will have to be cooked before giving any to your bird.
Some ideal fruit and vegetables to include in your parrot's diet are:
Fruit - apples, grapes, bananas, pears, plums, granadillas (the number 1 favorite), oranges, naartjies and papaya.
Vegetables - broccoli, cauliflower, beans, peas, baby corn, tomatoes and potatoes (remember to cook them).
You should give your bird a varied diet on a regular basis. If he doesn't like any of the food you put in his dish he will simply toss it out the cage.
Sprouts are very nutritious and can easily be grown at home in your kitchen. Cooked rice provides excellent roughage as well.
Parrots have their own set of meal times just like us. In the wild they will forage for food in the morning normally between the hours of six and nine and in the late afternoon from around four until about six o'clock. Try and keep to these hours as far as possible when feeding your bird and remember that good African Grey parrot food consists of more than just seed. A well fed parrot is a happy parrot!
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Stay safe!
Cheers!
Stay safe!
Cheers!
