Making Your Own Parrot Food

As a new parrot owner, you may have taken it for granted that you would buy Parrot Food at the local pet store. Then, one day, making your own Parrot Food seemed the better choice. The question? How do you go about making your own Parrot Food?

Your Parrot’s Needs

The first requirement is to consider your parrot’s nutritional needs. What kind of Parrot Food will meet those needs? What kind of food will meet the parrot’s taste test? What kind will be fun to eat? Your pet needs to get both enjoyment and nutrition from Parrot Food. Meet its needs.

Basic Dry Parrot Food Recipe

“Polly wants a cracker” but that is not the only Parrot Food Polly needs. The actual ingredients of a good Parrot Food for your pet will vary according to the size and species of the bird. If you are making your own Parrot Food for an African Grey, Amazon, Conure, Eclectus, or Pionus, you might try mixing the following ingredients.

* Seeds: cantaloupe, pumpkin, squash, sunflower,
* Dried fruits: apple, banana, papaya, pineapple, raisin
* Grains: alfalfa meal, corn, corn flakes, corn meal, oats, wheat
* Nuts: almonds, coconut, pine nuts, pistachios
* Dried legumes: green split peas, pinto beans
* Dried vegetables: carrots, red peppers, sweet potatoes
* Dried whole egg
* Salt
* Brewer’s dried yeast
* Dried cane molasses

This mixture will meet the basic nutritional needs of your large parrot. The fruit colors will amuse him, too. If you dry your own fruit, try cutting it into a variety of shapes that your playful parrot will enjoy. Store the mixture in a cool, dry place in a tightly sealed container such as a Tupperware canister. If you will be storing it for a long time, put it in the refrigerator.

Daily Amounts

A Conure will eat about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of this Parrot Food. The other large parrots mentioned will need 1/2 cup each day.

Things to Avoid

Some foods are toxic to parrots and must avoided when you make your own Parrot Food. These include alcohol, avocados, caffeine, chocolate, fava beans, navy beans, rhubarb, and sprouted lima beans. Commercially grown strawberries should also be avoided due to pesticides.

Fresh Parrot Foods

In addition to dry Parrot Food, you will want to treat your bird to fresh fruits and vegetables. Wash all fruits and vegetables well before offering them as Parrot Food. Give them a wide variety while they are young so they will not become picky. Serve a miniature fruit or vegetable salad. Give cooked vegetables now and then, too.

Parrot Pellets

Supplement your home-made Parrot Food with commercial pellets to be sure the diet is well balanced.

Vitamin Supplements

Ask your veterinarian what vitamin supplements you should add to be sure your bird’s nutritional needs are met.

CAUTION: We are not parrot experts. Please talk to your veterinarian about your Parrot Food recipe to be sure it does not contain anything harmful to the species, and that it will supply adequate nourishment.