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You parrots are birds that are grouped within the family of psittacidae and we can come to distinguish a wide variety of species in this family that have similar characteristics. It is estimated that there are approximately 300.
Today, many people have seen the parrot as a fantastic pet, characterized above all by its great beauty and the colorful plumage. When we decide to welcome an animal into our home, we have to know that, regardless of the species chosen, it needs care and a certain diet so that it can enjoy good health and quality of life.
In this article by Animal Expert we explain what the prohibited foods for parrots, in addition to explaining other issues about parrot food.
Parrot feeding
If you want to know what is the best food for parrots, first it is important to point out that parrots are omnivorous animals, which means that they can eat animal protein, fruits and vegetables. The parrot's food in the wild usually consists of flowers, nuts, insects and seeds, the latter being considered his favorite food. Due to their strong jaws, they have the ability to open nutshells to feed on their seed and seek their food usually in the tops of tall trees or fruit bushes. Trees such as guava, orange, mango and jabuticaba trees attract them a lot.
In captivity, the parrot's diet is also made up of commercial feed that contains the nutrients necessary for its body. As puppies, the parrots need to be fed directly into the beak, until you develop the ability to feed yourself.
And if we decide to host a bird of these characteristics, we must be clear that it is as important to know which foods are prohibited for parrots as it is also the foods that should be part of your usual diet, since this way we can cover all the nutritional requirements of our pet, which will translate into good health.
An ideal food for our parrot should have the following components:
- fruit: Parrots can eat many types of fruits, such as apple, pear, apricot, melon, strawberry, tangerine and banana. We must bear in mind that it is necessary to offer them daily a mixture that has at least 3 different fruits and combine them so that they do not consume an excessive amount of a certain fruit, especially when it comes to fruits high in sugar. It is worth noting that we should never give avocados to a parrot, as this can cause serious food poisoning, as we have already explained in another article where we talk about avocados for dogs.
- vegetables: They must also be present on a daily basis in the parrot's diet. We can offer spinach, broccoli, endive, carrots, radishes, leeks, celery stalks and peppers. It's also important to vary.
- dry feed: It is not essential but it is highly recommended to supplement the parrot's diet with the specific dry food for psittacidae.
- seeds: The ingestion of seeds should not be as frequent as that of fruits and vegetables, but it is equally important. You should choose dry and germinated seeds.
Prohibited food for parrots
THE parrot food that we select must be in line with the characteristics of your digestive system, so it is important to prevent our pet from ingesting foods that are toxic to him and that can cause multiple and dangerous adverse effects. If you want your parrot to remain in excellent health, prevent him from eating any of the following foods:
- salt
- Avocado
- Chocolate
- Milk
- Alcohol
- Beef
- Carbonated drinks (soft drinks)
- carbonated drinks
- sugar in general
- Coffee
- raw tubers
- Parsley
- Eggplant
- Onion
- Garlic
- apple or pear seeds
- Fried food
- Food with coloring
- Food with artificial flavors
- Canned food
- artificial juices
- spices
- Tomato
Although you should not give milk to the parrot, we can add unsalted dairy products to your diet, always with weight, weight and measure. Sunflower seeds and peanuts should be avoided as there is a strong predisposition to obesity and these foods are high in calories.
If you take this information into account and take proper care of your parrot's diet, it will be able to enjoy excellent nutrition, which will translate into good health.
Symptoms of food poisoning in the parrot
As mentioned before, if your parrot eats a prohibited food, it will certainly produce some toxicity and a series of adverse reactions that can compromise the animal's health status. Some of symptoms that indicate that your parrot is ill due to the food offered to it are as follows:
- low mobility
- eyes half closed
- loss of appetite
- Significant increase in appetite
- Breathing with difficulty and open mouth
- Notorious increase in water intake
- Isolation in a corner of the cage
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
These symptoms can not only be due to food poisoning but also to a wide range of underlying pathologies, so it is vitally important. urgently call the veterinarian if you identify in your parrot any of the above signs.
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