Parrot Nutrition, How Do You Even Know?

[Michael]

Everyone has their own theory about parrot nutrition and what they should be fed. What I want to know is what this is all based on and how does anyone know what is really best? I've heard everything from 100% pellet diets to all fresh food but who is right? How do we know? Are you choosing food for your parrot because you enjoy eating it? Is it because you know it is supposed to be good for people so you assume it must be good for parrot?

How do the pellet manufacturers know what parrots need? These pellets are usually manufactured for the general term "parrot" but how do you supplement the generic pellet for the not-so-generic specific species of parrot you own? Are they seriously assuming that the same pellet can satisfy an African Grey, Amazon, and Cockatoo diet just because they are all parrots?

[Mona]

Hi Michael:

I don't know the answer to your question but I do know about Roudybush because Tom Roudybush was a presenter at one of our Northwest Exotc Bird Society meetings.

Roudybush tested their pellets on populations of cockatiels. They fed different pellets to the birds at different stages of their growth. From those tests, they determined levels of protein, etc. that are optimal for the healthy growth of the cockatiels. Roudybush does do scientific studies.

Of course, not all parrots are cockatiels and I think the tests would be difficult for other species if the species are slower to mature and harder to get populations.

I think just like our own diets, the decision will always be personal because it will be dependant on lifestyles, species, personal biases and different goals. When I chose a diet for my birds, I decided to go with pellets (always available), fresh fruits, vegetables and daily sprouts. I decided that sprouts are more nutritious than seeds so it was a better fit for my flock. My flock are all in excellent feather quality and I really don't have health issues so I figure, this works well for us. I also choose to feed so that it fits with my family's current lifestyle and I also like to know that the birds can "play" or "forage" with some of their food because that provides enrichment during the day when they are in their cages. I have a few birds that really like to chew up carrots and broccoli stems. My Senegal, Jack routinely makes a nice "Borscht" mix at the bottom of his cage when I get home. I honestly should find someway to compost it.

There is a lot of current research out questioning the wisdom of nutrient dense food. I'm not sure about it. My bias is not to trust it.....

Just my two cents. I know that others will want to discuss and argue this further....Diet is just one of those topics that constantly evolves. Until we have some way to compare these animals as they age, we just don't have definitive answers. The other issue is that we have a lot of different species in aviculture and different species have different dietary needs.....so, you can't generalize.

We haven't really figured out the best way to optimize human diets.....so, I'm not sure we are even close to figuring it out for our birds.

Thx

[Michael]

Jean Pattison told me that all parrots need is pellets and that veggies just dilute the nutritional balance of those foods...

[purringparrot]

I agree with Mona and we feed our birds in a similar way. I found a really good yahoo group that has a lot of vey good information regarding feeding http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/FeedingFeathers/
They do not say that they are experts in nutrition but what works well for them. I read a post from Jean Pattison once that she tried feeding a fresh diet instead of pellets but since she lives in FL most of the birds started to develop bacterial infections from the high heat and humidity levels so she just sticks with dry mixes now. I think that giving a good variety of foods and not using any single thing in excess is a good place to start.

[Mona]

Yes, I think that Jean lives in Florida and the heat and humidity causes food to spoil faster than other climates.

I'm in the Pacific Northwest so, not so much....

Jean also breeds Africans. I'm not sure what their specific nutritional needs are but I do know people who have solved plucking problems by changing diets. The feeding feathers link is a good one. It's different people talking about different things that work so people can contrast/compare for their households and species.

Thanks!

Mona

[pchela]

Here's how I look at it. We humans mess try to improve on nature too much. Trying to put all of a parrots nutritional needs into a tiny pellet to me is ridiculous. Do parrots eat pellets in the wild? Who are we to try an improve upon what they eat naturally? I believe in a well balanced and varied diet. Would you want to eat a nutritionally complete yet totally bland pellet for the rest of your life with nothing else? I really hate the idea of an all pellet diet. So I offer pellets and a seed mix with nuts and dried fruits etc (no sunflowers) and a variety of fresh foods daily and birdie bread from time to time.

[Michael]

Name one thing about living in a cage in a human's home that is natural? Fact is if you take away what's natural (flying many miles a day, picking up specific nutrients from clay licks, etc) then you have to try damn hard to fake it in a way that works. Heck is the human diet "natural?" Are Frosted Flakes and Corn Bread natural? Those are just pellets for humans. Haha.

[pchela]

Actually, most of the manufactured crap we feed ourselves is bad. That's why I advocate a healthy, natural diet with lots of fresh foods for us and our parrots. Just because it's unnatural to have them living in cages in our homes doesn't mean we shouldn't at least try to feed them as close to their natural diet as possible.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

A lot of the packaged diets I see ARE targeted at different types/sizes of birds, and they are formulated largely by observing what healthy wild birds eat as well as some clinical trials I gather. I've been struggling with the whole diet thing myself. We are currently feeding Scooter a packaged diet that contains seeds, nuts and extruded/pelleted bits. So naturally he eats the components he likes and leaves the rest. The extruded pieces he tends to leave. Likewise with the fresh food we offer every day -- he picks out his favorites and leaves the leafy greens... mostly he likes cherries and apples. So I'm not sure he's getting balanced nutrition and I'm worried he's not getting enough Vitamin K, which is apparently especially important for conures. I've been toying with mixing another diet, an entirely extruded or pelleted one, in with the one he is currently getting -- and liking a lot, at least the parts of it that he likes, lol!

I do think that the packaged diets are more well researched than diets made from fresh food alone, but I'm also betting we don't know everything about parrot nutrition yet (heck, we are still struggling with human nutrition). It seems somewhat easier with horses and cats, most are not as inclined to pick and choose as a bird, at least ours, is.

How many folks use a vitamin supplement?

[pchela]

I've actually heard and read from many vets that the vitamin supplements are worthless and especially to never, never use the kind that goes in their water. Anything put in water allows bacteria to thrive, even vitamins. As long as you're feeding a well balanced diet they shouldn't need the supplements anyway. (On that note, also avoid store bought antibiotics at all costs! They are actually harmful to our birds.) Also, I've mentioned this before but this recipe is great and packs a lot of nutrition... it's super easy to make as well. http://www.companionparrot.com/glop.htm