Question about specific diet!

[rictus64]

Hi,

I am quite new to this website (and raising parrots) so excuse me in advance if I do not give enough information.

I just adopted two beautiful parrots: Picasso, my umbrella cockatoo and, kiwi, my green cheek conure. Both of my parrots are living in the same cage (they have been raised together). My cockatoo is 8 years old whereas my conure is only 4.

When I adopted them (a few days ago), the woman told me to buy a certain type of food, although, this seems to only contains seeds which the forums seem to categorize as bad. Should I try to modify his diet after 8 years? If yes how should I do it? In addition, they seem to be used to eat in the same bowl, but should I put 2 bowls just in case?

Thanks a lot!

[laducockatiel]

Hi, congrats on adopting your new feathered friends!

The best thing to do is buy on the seed mix that the previous owner advised you to by for them and keep them on that for a few more weeks until they have settled in really well and are comfortable in your house. Then, the best thing to do is convert them to a healthy brand of pellets. The most healthy and good reviewed pellet brands are: Harrison's pellets (these are very good and healthy and I use these for my bird) and Roudybush pellets (these are also good and are the same healthiness as the Harrison's pellets).

To actually convert them to the pellets that you choose, follow the following instructions (usually, this takes 1 week or so)

reduce the amount of seeds that you put on their bowl by, say, half a teaspoon and add half a teaspoon of pellets to replace the seeds. Everyday, increase the amount of pellets slightly and decrease the amount of seeds slightly.

Soon (after a week or so), your birds will be converted to a healthy brand of pellets and will be healthy and happy! As well as pellets, also feed them veggies everyday.

Hope this helps!

Regards,
Laducockatiel