Foundational Diet Recommendations
An overabundance of food, foods high in fat and calories, and too many food choices can all turn on your bird’s reproductive drive. In addition, obesity and other nutritional complications may occur. For most captive parrots, the most appropriate diet is a combination of formulated pellets and vegetables. Seeds, nuts, pasta, and other people foods are not present in the regular diet. The brand or type of pellet is generally not as important as what the bird will accept. In other words, the best pellet is the one that the bird will eat! Talk to your avian veterinarian about the appropriate percentage of pellets, fresh vegetables, and other food for your particular parrot.
Please keep in mind that every bird if different, andany of the conversion methods below could work for your bird, no matter what size or species they are. If one method is not successful at first, don’t give up – try another one!
To convert your bird to a formulated (pellet) diet
Conversion for medium to large parrots
With the bird sharing time with you from its training perch, eat (or act like you are eating) the food in front of your bird. Make sure that you really enjoy the food item, and show your enjoyment to your bird. Offer some to your bird, but do not necessarily try to force the issue. Give a limited time to accept the offer (a few seconds). If they don’t take it, keep eating the food and make it obvious that you are enjoying it. Do this daily as it must be seen as a regular flock behavior. During the introduction period, offer pellets in a separate bowl from the old diet. Once your bird is eating the pellets during these “foraging session,” you can remove the dish used for the old diet. This will open up many opportunities for “treats” to be used as positive reinforcement and training tools in the future. Once the birds are regularly consuming a pellet diet you will notice changes in their droppings. The droppings may be larger and lighter in color than when on seed. Additionally, food colorings, if present, may be seen (orange coloration for example).
Conversion of cockatiels or budgies
It may be important to have your bird’s wings clipped unless they are very tame, in order to maintain the bird’s focus on you. Spread a variety of choices of pellets out on a table surface covered by a towel and set your bird amongst them. Use your hand to simulate a scratching and pecking flock member. Pick at the pellets, crunch them in your fingernails, and flick them about. Do this daily as it must be seen as a regular flock behavior. During the introduction period, offer pellets in a separate bowl from the old diet. Once your bird begins to eat the pellets consistently, you can replace its old diet. You may also find that using smaller pieces or varieties of pellets will be more readily accepted and you can later increase the size you feed. You may want to simulate foraging, using your fingers, in the food bowl in the cage as a final conversion training method as well. Since these species are ground-feeders, it may help to offer the pellets on the floor of the cage or in a flat dish instead of in a bowl. Even then, be sure to monitor your bird’s droppings to ensure that they are eating well. Once the birds are regularly consuming a pellet diet you will notice changes in their droppings. The droppings will generally be larger and lighter in color than when on seed. If you only see scanty, dark green feces or black feces, your bird may not be eating and will need to be offered its old diet again.
Conversion of lovebirds, parrotlets, and conures
It may be important to have your bird’s wings clipped unless they are very tame, in order to maintain the bird’s focus on you. Place a small assortment of pellets in one hand. Holding it slightly cupped, perch your bird on this same hand and use your opposite hand to simulate a scratching and pecking flock member. Pick at the pellets, crunch them in your fingernails, and flick them about. Do this daily as it must be seen as a regular flock behavior. During the introduction period, offer pellets in a separate bowl from the old diet. Once your bird begins to eat the pellets consistently, you can remove its old diet. You may also find that using smaller pieces or varieties of pellets will be more readily accepted and you can later increase the size you feed. You may want to simulate foraging, using your fingers, in the food bowl in the cage as a final conversion training method as well. Even then, be sure to monitor your bird’s droppings to ensure that they are eating well. Once the birds are regularly consuming a pellet diet you will notice changes in their droppings. The droppings will generally be larger and lighter in color than when on seed. If you only see scanty, dark green feces or black feces, your bird may not be eating and will need to be offered its old diet again.
Conversion of finches and canaries
For the most part, these species will self-convert if offered a dish of very small pellets or mash. Most brands of pellets offer a finely ground mash for these birds. Offer the old diet in a separate dish until you notice a change in dropping color or you see the birds investigating the new diet. Once your bird begins to eat the pellets consistently, you can remove its old diet. Monitor your birds’ droppings to ensure that they are eating well. Once the birds are regularly consuming a pellet diet you will notice changes in their droppings. The droppings will generally be larger and lighter in color than when on seed. If you only see scanty, dark green feces or black feces, your bird may not be eating and will need to be offered its old diet again.
Offer vegetables
These should be restricted to just two or three types of vegetables at a time to avoid the perception of abundance. For smaller species, we suggest trying grated or thinly sliced fresh vegetables or offering clean sprouts or broccoli. A frozen vegetable mix (e.g., corn, diced carrots, and peas or beans) can be convenient. Just thaw out a small amount each day.
Restricted foods
These include seed, nuts, pasta, rice, and other people foods. These items pack lots of calories that can stimulate reproductive behavior or cause health problems. Also, regularly offering softened or warm foods can simulate regurgitative feeding that might be offered by a mate. Nuts and seed are NOT recommended. As an alternative, edamame or other favorite beans or whole grain cereal (e.g., Cheerios) can be offered. Even then, very limited amounts of these items should be offered, preferably only as a REWARD for foraging and training. Ideally a reward item can be consumed in a few seconds so as not to interrupt the flow of training and to stretch out foraging time. Making your bird work for what they want will help balance their lifestyle, prolong your healthy interaction, and limit the amount of high-fat items that they actually eat.