It is my firm belief that providing a proper diet is our #1 responsibility to our birds.  As long as we keep wild creatures in a cage, and at our mercy, it is imperative that we at least give them that which they need to maintain their health, both mental and physical.
Many of us have parrots who have come to us with serious diet issues whether they have been re-homed or have come from a pet store. In this age of information there are still many, many parrots living on an all seed ...

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Congo African Grey Parrot

1. Dirty Food:

The expression “you are what you eat” is so true.  Since we are in charge of our parrot’s food selection, we have to make sure that it is not only the best quality we can offer, but that it is safely edible.  Thoroughly wash all fresh foods. Even organically grown produce use pesticides, although not chemical ones.

Many of us work full time jobs and are in a rush to get out the door in the morning.  It’s convenient to feed the birds and go.  ...

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Hyacinth Macaw

Studies are showing that parrots bred in captivity are not living as long as they used to.  It seems impossible to me.  With all the advancements in avian sciences and medicine, with the increased numbers of avian certified vets, with all the information available out there on the internet, how can this be??

Up until as late as the early 90’s, the parrot owning general public had only the advice of pet store employees on how to care for their new birds.  All seed diets, with the occasional table scraps, ...

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Congo African Grey Parrot

Some of my flock have great, healthy appetites.  Some, not so much. We have to come up with some pretty clever ways to outsmart the picky eaters for their own good. Determine what your parrot’s favorite foods are, and then make some variations to the recipe.

*Remember, be very sneaky!  Cut the veggies very small and use them sparingly at first.  In this battle to good health, you are using his favorite foods as coercion.  You don’t want him to get suspicious and walk away from them. His ...

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Military Macaw

Of all of the things you thoughtfully do for your parrot, your first consideration must be for its diet.  I can’t stress this enough.  Without well balanced nutrition, a parrot’s general health will gradually decline, vitamin deficiencies will leave it susceptible to illness and disease and its life span will be decreased.  An unhealthy parrot is temperamental and may not want to be a part of family activities. If your parrot doesn’t feel well and energized, no amount of love, enrichment or interaction will do him much good.  A ...

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Camelot Macaw

Your parrot’s feathers speak to its overall health.  A healthy parrot will have soft, vibrant and well-formed feathers.  Flaws in the feathering, such as discoloration are often a sign of poor diet or the lack of sunlight, but can also be attributed to illness and the subsequent use of antobiotics.   It can also signal serious organ problems or PBFD.  If you have noticed a change in your parrots feathering, you should seek the attention of an avian certified vet to rule out any significant health issues.

A good, varied ...

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