A
seed diet is actually not too
healthy for your
parrot for the following reasons, amongst others:
- Seed diets contain too much fat, especially saturated fat.
- Seed diets, while high in protein, do not supply parrots with a the necessary amounts of vitamins and minerals.
- A varied diet encourages ingenuity and tolerance when it comes to manipulating objects and strengthening the beak and jaw muscles.
The underlying concept here is to lead by example.
- Start with basic fruits and vegtables, such as carrots, broccoli, and bananas (I have yet to meet a parrot that didn't like bananas).
- Bring your parrot ans his/her perch next to wherever you are eating (sometimes establishing one eating area is a good idea as it suggests that feeding will take place and will familiarize the parrot).
- Show your parrot whatever you want to introduce to its diet with much enthusiasm. Take a few exaggerated bites of the food with lots of chewing and continue to extol the virtues of this food.
- Parrots in the wild will often chew up the food for their young and then feed it to them. This strategy is sometimes effective in domesticated parrots, as they already look to a good owner as a fellow flock member or parent or partner.
- Place the food in the parrot's food cup or another area where the parrot enjoys eating food. Some owners let their parrots eat off the owner's plates at the table. Offer much encouragement as the parrot surveys the new food.
- The stategy then forks for a short time. Some birds feel pressured if their owner is constantly watching them during this scene. At this point, go about your business of eating and let the bird explore on its own. Other birds like constant encouragement and food play in part of the owner. This is something that must be learned over time for both owner and parrot.
- As your bird gains a liking for new foods, continue to intoduce more tasty and healthy treats to its diet. Other popular foods includen strawberries, pitless cherries, grapefruit and orange seeds, cucumber, lettuce, lime, bell peppers and their seeds, and celery.
Next: what to and not to feed your parrot
with thanks to Murray, Zelda, and Louis