20 Things You Must Know About Nutrition

Nutrition is one of the most important facets of pet bird ownership and it is one that you, as a pet bird owner, have the most control over. By providing your pet bird with a healthy, nutritious diet, and by practicing good sanitation and hygiene, combined with preventative veterinary care, you will be doing the best job you can to ensure that your bird will live a long, disease-free life. It is up to you to supply a balanced diet to your bird, and then to ensure that it is consuming what is offered. Some foods are toxic to birds, and others are not always safe to feed, and others, if fed in excess, can be bad for a bird's health. Let's learn the essentials of avian nutrition so that we can make educated choices for our birds.


1. Make Sure Your Bird is Healthy BEFORE Attempting to Change the Diet

Although it is tempting to make changes to your bird's diet once you have discovered that you could be providing a better diet, it is very important that your bird receive a clean bill of health first. Since birds are so good at hiding signs of illness, by stressing a bird with dietary changes, it is possible to precipitate a health crisis in a bird that is marginally ill. Take your bird to your avian vet for a thorough check-up and any recommended lab tests before making radical dietary changes. Remember, it is impossible to ascertain the health of a bird just by looking at it; some lab testing should be performed. As a minimum data base, a complete blood count (CBC) should be evaluated on each and every bird. Blood chemistries, radiographs, bacterial culture and sensitivity and Gram's staining may also be performed. Other tests for polyoma virus, Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD), chlamydiosis (psittacosis), aspergillosis and protein electrophoresis may be performed.

Once your bird has been checked-up, it is time to discuss tailoring a diet specifically for your bird with your avian vet. Your vet should be able to give you guidelines and recommendations for the species of bird that you have, and for your individual pet, based on the exam, your lifestyle and your bird's activity level and health condition.

2. A Seed-Based Diet is Inappropriate for Psittacine Birds

Most parrots will preferentially consume seeds if a variety of foods are offered. Seed is high in fat, and low in most of the nutrients necessary for good health. Parrots that eat only seed will suffer from malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies, even though they may look healthy, and may even be overweight!

Budgies and cockatiels do eat primarily seeds, grass seeds and small amounts of other types of vegetation in the wild, and they will do remarkably well on a diet that would be dangerous for other species of parrot. However, feeding only seed is not recommended for any type of parrot or softbill.

3. Fortified Seed Has Most of the Fortification in the Hulls

Often, bird owners think that they are providing a better diet by purchasing fortified seed mixes. Unfortunately, the vitamins and minerals are impregnated into the seed hulls, which are discarded when the bird eats the seed. Often pellets, dried fruits and nuts are also included. The pellets are often rejected by the bird, in favor of the seeds in the mix. As nutritious as the pellets may be, they do the bird no good on the cage floor. Fruits are a part of a good avian diet, however, they usually contain an improper calciumhosphorus ratio and contain lots of sugar, so vegetables are more nutritious to feed than fruit.

4. Pellets Are a Good Base for a Diet

Because pellets have a blend of many nutrients, each bite a bird takes will contain good nutrition. We still have much to learn regarding parrot nutrition, and pellets are formulated to provide what is thought to be a balanced diet for most psittacines. While the bird food manufacturers are constantly improving their diets, it is best to provide your bird with pellets, fresh vegetables, small amounts of fruit, table food (including pasta, whole wheat bread, small amounts of meat, cheese and other items), nuts, and perhaps, some seed.

5. Birds On a Pelleted Diet Usually Do Not Need Vitamin or Mineral Supplementation

Unless your avian veterinarian prescribes a supplement for a specific reason, it is most often not necessary, and can actually prove dangerous, to give a bird eating a pelleted diet a vitamin or mineral supplement. Pellets contain what should amount to adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals for the healthy psittacine. Most folks don't realize it, but it is possible to oversupplement with vitamins or minerals, resulting in toxicosis or organ damage. However, some birds may have special needs during certain times, and your avian vet may prescribe a specific supplement. For example, an African Grey parrot patient of mine, Poppy, is on a pelleted diet, supplemented with table foods, fruit and veggies. She developed seizures due to low blood calcium (hypocalcemia) and was prescribed a liquid calcium supplement to be placed in the drinking water. (This condition, peculiar to African Greys and the occasional other species, is the result of problems utilizing or absorbing calcium, and not the result of the bird not having enough calcium in the diet, usually). Poppy's blood calcium levels will be monitored periodically, to determine if the supplement is being administered at the correct dose. At this writing, Poppy's seizures have ceased, and she is doing well.

6. As Far As Seeds Go, There Isn't Much Difference, Nutritionally Speaking, Between Sunflower and Safflower

An old rumor used to go around about sunflower seeds having something addictive in them. Seed mixes were formulated using safflower seed in place of sunflower. Unfortunately, safflower has similar nutritive values when compared to sunflower, except it is a more bitter tasting seed, so most birds will consume fewer of them as opposed to sunflower seeds. Safflower is also more expensive. Let's finally put this rumor to rest: there is nothing addictive in sunflower seeds. There are probably no benefits to feeding a safflower-based diet, as opposed to a sunflower-based one, except birds may eat fewer of them.

Both safflower and sunflower contain lots of fat, and not much else that is nutritional for birds. It is thought that the sunflower seeds with more white in the hulls are better nutritionally than the little, black seeds. Occasionally, feeding foods high in fat is beneficial, especially for the bird that needs to gain weight.

One final note: feeding a diet high in fat may cause problems with calcium absorption. If a bird like my Poppy patient above is suffering from calcium problems, the diet must be evaluated to ensure that she is not consuming too many fat calories, which may interfere with her ability to properly absorb calcium.

7. Although Feeding Table Foods to Dogs and Cats is a No-No, It is Beneficial for Pet Birds to Share People-Food

In addition to feeding a pelleted diet, bird food manufacturers recommend supplementing the diet with some vegetables, fruits and table foods. Many birds really enjoy sharing mealtime with their owners. Birds can be suspicious by nature when it comes to eating new foods. This makes sense, because wild birds in a flock eat what they see other birds eating. This way, they are less likely to consume something toxic. By sharing your meal with your bird, it will be much more interested in tasting what you are eating, since you are part of your bird's flock. Of course, there are some foods that birds should not eat (see #8) and some that are not very healthy additions to the diet (fatty, fried foods, very salty foods). Use common sense when supplementing your bird's diet. And remember, we should never allow a bird to eat directly out of our mouths or off our fork, since we carry microbes in our mouths that can be dangerous to our birds.

8. Some Foods Are Toxic to Birds

Chocolate is toxic to birds. It is digested differently in birds than it is in humans, and the resultant digested products are toxic. Bittersweet, baker's chocolate and dark chocolates are more toxic than milk chocolate. Chocolate, in any form, should never be fed to birds. Signs of chocolate toxicosis may include disorientation, hyperactivity, vomiting, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, seizures, dark colored droppings and death.

Some types of avocados are toxic to birds. The skin, meat or pit may contain toxins, so it is best to not feed avocados at all.

Caffeine is also toxic to birds. No products containing caffeine should be offered to birds (including coffee, tea, cola drinks).

Excessive consumption of table salt (sodium chloride) can cause increased thirst, increased water consumption, increased urination, depression, neurological excitement, tremors, incoordination and death.

Onions can be toxic to dogs and cats, and although onion toxicosis is not well-documented in birds, it is probably best to avoid feeding onions to birds. In mammals, onions cause Heinz-Body Hemolytic Anemia, which causes red blood cells to rupture. Red blood cells of birds contain a nucleus, which those of mammals do not, and this may offer some protection against cell rupturing. However, until studies are performed, avoid feeding onions. Small amounts of onions used in cooking are probably not dangerous, but be aware that there might be a problem.

Alcoholic beverages can lead to incoordination and death. Birds should never be allowed access to any products containing ethanol (alcohol).

Some seeds and pits may be toxic to birds. Apple seeds contain cyanide. It is safest to remove all seeds from an apple before offering it for feeding. Cherries, plums, apricots and peaches are safe to feed, but the pits contain seeds that produce cyanogenic glycosides (which release free cyanide). The pits should not be consumed, but if they are, by mistake, the rapid transit time of the gastrointestinal tract of birds, coupled with the type of stomach that they have, seems to protect the birds from intoxication.

Parsley has been reported to be toxic to birds. It has only been shown to cause photosensitivity to sunlight in ducks and ostriches. I routinely feed parsley to my birds, as it is a good source of vitamin A, and it contains some calcium. My finches and canaries love it. It is safe to feed to indoor birds.

9. Feeding Greens Does NOT Cause Diarrhea

When a bird eats foods with high moisture content (fruits and vegetables), the bird will urinate more to compensate for the increased water intake.

There are three parts to a bird's dropping: the urine (the clear liquid), the urates (the white to cream-colored portion) and the feces (the green to brown solid part). Diarrhea occurs when the fecal portion is unformed, loose or very watery. Birds that urinate a large amount may be incorrectly diagnosed as having diarrhea. It is possible for a bird to urinate independently of passing feces in the dropping. So, not every dropping will have all three portions every time. A nervous bird may also urinate more.

Often, older budgie books erroneously stated that feeding a budgie greens (with increased moisture content) would cause diarrhea. Let's disabuse that notion once and for all. It simply isn't true.

10. Droppings Will Vary Depending on What a Bird Eats

Birds eating a seed-based diet usually have dark green feces. Birds consuming a pellet-based diet usually have brown feces. Some birds that pick out certain colored pellets from a color assortment may develop droppings tinted the same as their favorite pellets. Colored pellets use harmless food-coloring to tint the pellets, and this may pass through the gastrointestinal tract of a bird, resulting in rainbow-hued droppings.

Birds that eat berries will develop berry-colored droppings within a few hours. Other foods with pigments will also cause unusual colored droppings. For example, feeding sweet potatoes may result in orange droppings.

11. Birds Cannot Digest Milk

If you think about it, this makes sense. Mammals are nourished during infancy with their mother's milk. Birds would never be in a situation in the wild where they would drink milk. For this reason, birds do not possess the digestive enzymes necessary to process milk. Parent birds regurgitate food to their babies in the nest. Although you might have heard about pigeons feeding their babies crop milk, this is actually sloughed cells from the crop and secretions, and not a milk product at all.

Milk sugar is called lactose. Mammals have a digestive enzyme, lactase, to digest milk sugar. Birds simply lack lactase and cannot digest milk products containing lactose. Birds will develop diarrhea when lactose in the diet reaches between 10 and 30 percent. Products that contain a significant amount of lactose are dried skim milk and dried whey. Humans may also suffer from an inability to digest lactose, and this is called lactose intolerance.

Some milk products contain little or no lactose, and these may be safely fed to birds. And actually, these products (cheese and yogurt) are a good source of calcium for birds. Some owners have asked me if they can feed birds items containing lactose if they also give them one of those products for humans (such as Lactaid) to aid in the digestion of milk sugar. Unfortunately, that is also dangerous, as one of the by-products of lactose digestion is galactose, which is also toxic to birds. So these products must never be used in birds.

12.Some Foods are Nutrient Antagonists

Oxalate (oxalic acid) is an organic acid that efficiently binds calcium and other trace minerals, making them unavailable to the bird. The highest levels of oxalates are found in tea, spinach and rhubarb. Potentially toxic levels are found in the leaves of rhubarb and the houseplant, diffenbachia. High levels of oxalates can cause vomiting, diarrhea, poor blood clotting and convulsions. Lower levels can result in decreased growth, poor bone mineralization and kidney stones. Feeding some spinach occasionally will not cause problems, however if a bird consumes enough of it daily, it might present a problem.

13. Vitamin A Can Be Toxic When Overdosed, Whereas Beta-Carotene Cannot

Beta-carotene is a non-toxic form of a precursor of vitamin A. When ingested, the body turns what it needs into vitamin A and the rest passes out of the body unchanged. The carotenoids are found in several plant pigments.

Vitamin A is necessary for the immune system to function properly, it is involved in vision and is important for the proper growth of bones, for reproduction and for maintaining healthy mucous membranes. Seed is notoriously deficient in vitamin A precursors or vitamin A. Birds that eat a seed diet for a long time are prone to sinus and respiratory problems. Often, the choana is swollen and the choanal papillae will be blunted. Many birds suffering from respiratory problems that are eating a seed-based diet will benefit from an injection of vitamin A during their initial veterinary evaluation.

Vitamin A is stored in the liver, and small amounts can also be found in the kidneys, lungs, adrenal glands and blood.

14. Grit is Not Required By the Normal, Healthy Psittacine or Passerine Bird

Grit, usually defined as a granular, dense, insoluble mineral material (generally granite or quartz), is required for birds that consume whole, intact seeds. Examples of some birds requiring grit are pigeons, doves, free-ranging gallinaceous species (Red Junglefowl, Common Turkey, Helmeted Guinea Fowl, Domestic Fowl, quail, megapodes, pheasants, grouse, and more) and ostriches. Notice that parrots, canaries and finches aren't on the list. The smaller psittacines (budgies, cockatiels, lovebirds and parrotlets) may overeat grit when they aren't feeling well, and this may result in an impaction of the gizzard. Psittacines and passerines will get all the minerals they need from a balanced diet.

15. Baby Birds on Hand-Feeding Formula Do Not Need Any Vitamin Supplementation, Nor Should Other Ingredients Be Added

Manufacturers of hand-feeding formula have spent a tremendous amount of time researching formulas. When the hand-feeder, aviculturist, pet retainer or new pet baby bird owner starts adding baby food, baby cereal, or other ingredients to the formula, this will change the fat to protein ratio of the diet. When this occurs, digestion may slow, resulting in what is commonly called "slow crop" or "sour crop." Vitamins and minerals are already incorporated into the formula, so additional amounts are neither necessary nor advisable. It is always best to feed the formula exactly as the label instructions recommend. If you carefully read the label, you will see that you can feed hand-feeding formula from day one. My husband and I have incubator-hatched close to 100 baby birds, including Queen of Bavaria conures, blue and gold macaws, green-winged macaws, scarlet macaws and several species of Amazons, and we have fed them all commercial hand-feeding formula from day one. You can too!

16. Healthy Birds Consuming a Pelleted Diet Should Not Require Sunshine (Unfiltered By Glass or Plastic) for Their Vitamin D

Don't get me wrong. Sunshine is very good for birds, and if possible, pet birds should receive sunlight, not filtered through glass or plastic (which filters out the ultraviolet rays), an hour a week during the summer months, and perhaps an hour a month during the winter.

The uropygeal gland (also called the preen gland) secretes an oily substance that the bird spreads over the feathers. This secretion aids in waterproofing the feathers and helps keep them supple. The secretion also has precursors of vitamin D that are spread on the feathers during preening. When the bird's feathers are exposed to natural sunlight (or full-spectrum indoor lighting), the secretion is changed to the active form of vitamin D, which is then ingested when the bird preens. Vitamin D is necessary for a bird to properly utilize calcium, which is necessary for strong bones, normal eggshells, muscle contractility and more. However, if a bird is eating pellets, vitamin D is added to them, so providing a bird with sunlight shouldn't be necessary. (As an interesting side-note, Amazon parrots and Hyacinth macaws don't have a preen gland, yet their feathers are as water-proof and supple as those found in birds that do have one.)

17. Monkey Biscuits are for Monkeys, Avian Pellets are for Birds

Monkey biscuits designed for New World primates (those from Central and South America) have very high levels of vitamin D in them, because New World primates have a very high vitamin D requirement. Unfortunately, these biscuits have too much D for parrots, especially macaws, which may show signs of toxicosis, including kidney problems, mineralization of tissues and increased urination. Birds with vitamin D toxicosis may go off feed, become lame, develop diarrhea and become lethargic. It is my opinion that there is no reason today to feed a monkey biscuit based baby-food diet, nor should they be fed to adults. One manufacturer has recently increased the vitamin D levels in the biscuits. The biscuits may also harbor acceptable levels of Gram negative rod bacteria, which is harmless to monkeys, but potentially dangerous to birds.

18.For the Hard-Core Seed Junkie Bird, Sprouting Seeds May Be a Way to Increase the Nutritive Value of the Diet, and Get the Bird to Experiment With a Better Diet

Sprouted seeds have a lower oil content, which is better for the bird, and can help the bird that prefers seeds make the transition from hard, dry seeds to the more fleshy foods. Fresh seed can be sprouted by placing them in a shallow, flat pan. First, the seeds should be rinsed well in lots of fresh, clean water, and then soaked in water overnight. Next, the bottom of the flat pan should be covered with wet paper towels, then the seeds should be placed in the pan, in a single layer. The pan is then covered tightly in plastic wrap, with a few holes poked into the plastic. The pan is then placed in a warm environment, and the paper towels are checked daily, and remoistened, if necessary. If the seed mix is of good quality, and is fresh, then the seeds will begin sprouting within two to five days. The should be rinsed in cold water several times and stored in the refrigerator to retard bacterial and fungal growth, once they have sprouted.

Some seed companies offer little tins of seed that come pre-packaged for sprouting for birds. These are very good for budgies and other small birds.

19.The Way A Food is Presented May Determine if a Bird Eats It or Not

Your bird may reject a carrot stick, but it may be willing to taste carrot if it is grated or peeled. A bird may prefer to eat bits of carrot mixed into special birdy muffins or bread, baked just for your pet, even though it won't go near grated carrot in its bowl. Some birds really relish corn wheels (corn on the cob, cut into round pieces) and others prefer corn cut into long pieces. Yet, other birds prefer the corn cut off the cob.

Skewering veggies onto a metal pole, and hanging it in the cage, may entice a bird to nibble foods good for it. It is easy for a bird to take a piece of food that it doesn't want to taste, and hurl it out of the food bowl, but if it wants to remove a shish-kabobed veggie from the cage, it will need to rip it up into pieces to drop it to the cage bottom, and in the process, it will be likely to taste the veggie, and may even ingest a bit. The same goes for food that is tied to a perch.

Instead of putting veggies and other nutritious foods into a separate dish, it may be beneficial to mix it into the seed mix, so that the bird runs into it while fishing for the seeds.

Of course, it should go without saying that all fresh fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly washed before being offered to your birds. Potentially harmful bacteria and other microorganisms may be found on the surface of fresh produce.

20. Water, Clean and Pure, Is Necessary for a Healthy Bird

If your water quality is suspect, I recommend serving your pet bird bottled spring water. Do not use distilled water for a birds water source, as this water has all mineral content removed, and is a very flat-tasting water. As an alternative, a water filter may be used to purify the water prior to offering it to your bird.

Consider having your water professionally analyzed by a private laboratory or through your local health department. If the coliform (this is a group of bacteria commonly found in the intestinal tract of mammals, that may cause disease in birds) count is elevated, it will be safer to offer bottled water for your bird. Although sulfur or other compounds may impart an odor to tap water, this is not usually dangerous, but it may decrease palatability of the water. The lab that analyzes your water can give you specific recommendations. Be careful if you submit a water sample to a company that sells water treatment systems, as they are in business to sell them. It is better to have an independent lab perform the testing.

I always recommend that an owner supply water to their birds via water bottles. Parrots are so smart that they will figure out how to use a water bottle in no time. By using a water bottle, birds will not be able to dump food into the water, making a horrible soup that quickly grows bacteria. It seems that no matter how often you clean their bowls, bacteria will rapidly multiply. In my experience, birds with water bowls and not bottles have higher levels of sub-clinical bacterial infections. Also, contamination of water in a bowl by fecal material can also cause problems with reinfestation with certain protozoa, including Giardia. While some canaries and finches will successfully drink from a water bottle, they should also have a water bowl for bathing and drinking.

It is vital that an owner check the water level in the bottle daily, and also check the tube, to ensure that the water is flowing properly. Occasionally, a bird will figure out how to stick its beak or toenail into the bottle, draining it in just a few minutes. Some birds, notably the cockatoos, will figure out how to stuff a seed or piece of veggie into the tube, effectively blocking the water. Birds cannot survive without water, and after three days of water deprivation, a bird will be near death. That is why it is so very important to check the bottle daily to make sure that it working properly.

Conclusions

I hope that this has given you some "food for thought" about your bird's diet. Remember, always discuss your birds diet with your avian veterinarian, and make sure that your bird has received a clean bill of health from your avian vet prior to making any dietary changes. As a bird owner, you have the most control over your bird's health on a daily basis by providing a healthy, nutritious diet and making sure that your bird is actually consuming the diet. Mealtime should be fun for you and your bird.

Bon apetit!

= From exoticpetvet.net =

Kate this great. I learned something from this and I think everyone on the board should have a read. CJ when you get your bird this should be a great guide for you.

yep it's going in my ringbinder of stuff

its got everything from breeders to hand-rearing and pionus parrots to lorrikeets

and also lots of conures

Thanks for the advice! I am completely clueless when it comes to nutrition for my new Sun Conure and can't get him to eat more that seed and the hand feeding formula. I will try grating the veggies and see if that works better.

Wow Katie, you are very smart
I am an intense reader, too
I really have been in to the holistic reading now.
It is a blessing for all the people who will benefit from you to have you on this site
Racheal

These are without doubt very helpful tips on the nutrition aspect of the pet birds but there are some things which I feel should be answered. There are some specific vendors whom I have seen dealing in pet foods, now is there any way by which we can judge the nutritive value of the food. Maybe they are imprinted on the label but can it be guaranteed whatever written there is true? So please if someone could tell me regarding this.

Think Organic, really brings out colors and health!


THE KITCHEN PHYSICIAN
Feeding Organic Foods Affordably
by Carolyn Swicegood
You may be surprised at how affordably we can feed pesticide-free foods to our parrots. It is much easier now to select foods that promote health and longevity by minimizing the exposure of our birds to toxic pesticide residues, thanks to a report by the Environmental Working Group on the toxicity of produce. This report outlined the most toxic and least toxic fruits and vegetables, as detailed in my last article, The Kitchen Physician III.

Eating organic food and drinking pure water can have profoundly beneficial effects on the health and longevity of parrots. If your parrot became ill due to the ingestion of pesticide residues, how much money would you spend to restore it to health? The cost of feeding organic foods is minimal in comparison to the cost of illness, and there are several favorite foods of parrots that are safe to buy even when not grown organically.

According to Consumer Reports, January 1998, there are 9,700 pesticides in existence, and in 1995, U.S. farmers applied 566 million pounds of pesticides to major fiber and food crops. Last summer, the U.S. Geological Survey announced the first results of a massive study of pesticides in 5,000 water samples from wells and rivers. Half the wells--and nearly all streams--contained at least one pesticide. Almost every pesticide legal for use in the United States, even when applied according to label directions, will kill birds. Carbamates and organophosphates kill insects (or birds) by disrupting the organism's nervous system. Although eating pesticide residues on foods will not kill a parrot instantly, long-term exposure will result in a slow but sure toxic buildup in the bird's system. Knowing the magnitude of the problem, it is imperative that we give our parrots the purest possible water and the least contaminated food that is available.

A recent article in the Journal of Applied Nutrition gave credence to the notion that organic foods have higher nutrient levels than non-organically grown food. In this study the mineral content of organic apples, pears, potatoes, wheat, and sweet corn were compared to commercial varieties. Overall the organic foods showed higher levels of nutrient minerals and lower levels of heavy metals.

Here are a few of the minerals that were found in higher levels in organic foods: CHROMIUM is a micro-nutrient that was found to be higher in organic foods by an average of 78%. SELENIUM is one of the antioxidant nutrients that protects us from damage by environmental chemicals. It was found to be an average of 390% higher in organic foods. CALCIUM averaged 63% higher in organic foods. BORON, which works along with calcium to keep bones strong, averaged 70% more. MAGNESIUM averaged 138% more.

When organic foods were tested for mineral levels, the researchers also looked for the amount of heavy metals--aluminum, cadmium, lead and mercury. ALUMINUM has been implicated for years in the development of Alzheimer's disease in humans. Its content in organic food averaged 40% less that in commercial foods. LEAD toxicity often is a problem in parrots. It averaged 29% lower in organic foods. MERCURY, which can cause neurological damage, averaged 25% lower in organic foods.

Other studies have looked at vitamin levels of food plants treated with certain pesticides. They showed that application of some pesticides lowered the vitamin levels in the plants they were applied to. This is not the same theory as that of plants raised with chemicals being low in nutrients because of soil depletion. Not all studies on the differences between organically-grown foods and conventionally-grown foods agree on the varying levels of vitamins, minerals, and even taste. Although some researchers have concluded that there is no difference in taste between food grown organically and conventionally, many gourmet chefs seek out organic ingredients for their special dishes because they believe the tastes to be more intense. This of course could have to do with the type of soil or other factors.

A more important question is whether or not the accumulation of pesticide residues in non-organically grown foods is a real health concern. Studies have never been able to conclusively show a direct correlation between residues in food and a decline in human health, but there are numerous problems in doing any such study. The first is that you would need a population of people who are free of chemical residues to compare to, and no one has been able to find such a group! According to an ongoing EPA study of fat samples taken from surgeries and autopsies across the country, we are all loaded with chemical residues. Similar studies done in other countries all show the same results.

The clearest studies that we have about pesticide residues and disease are those looking at breast cancer in humans. In the last few years there have been a series of studies looking at the level of DDT, DDE, and PCB in women. They have very clearly shown chemical residues of DDT in the serum and fat cells of women, and since we no longer use DDT to spray for mosquitoes, the only known route of exposure to DDT in this country is on foods that we have imported. We still manufacture DDT in the U.S. even though its use has been banned here. We export the DDT to other countries who use it on their produce and then we import their produce with the DDT, hence exposing ourselves and our parrots to its toxicity. We know from the lesson learned from the Bald Eagle problem years ago that DDT is devastating to the successful reproduction of some birds. It is imperative that we at least give our endangered parrots in captive breeding programs every advantage in the attempt to prevent their extinction, and that would include the elimination of hormone-altering pesticides from their diet.

Here is what the Consumer Report has to say about the effect of pesticides on children, which can be compared in some ways to the effects on parrots: "Whatever the health effects, children--with their fast-growing, small bodies, speedy metabolisms, and less varied diets--are especially vulnerable". This same report states: "Organic food guarantees you a diet as low in pesticide residues as possible".

Many of us are aware that like children, our parrots are especially sensitive to pesticides. But we like to provide our birds with a smorgasbord of fresh foods in hopes of covering all the bases of their nutritional needs. Unfortunately, produce is the food group with the highest incidence of pesticide and chemical residues which are linked with potential cancer, neurological problems, and hormonal imbalances.

Listed here are some foods that we can buy in our local markets and health food stores, secure in the knowledge that they are relatively free of pesticide residues.

BABY FOODS--Recently, even the big brand name manufacturers of baby foods, like Gerber and Beechnut, began marketing certified organic baby foods. There are dried mixes of whole grains and fruits and berries. Also there are many jar foods of tasty tropical fruit mixes, as well as vegetables, rice, and pasta. One jar of organic tropical fruit tossed with any one of the many shapes of pasta creates a healthy and tempting taste treat for parrots. Fettucini-style pasta with Gerber's Apple & Strawberry or Pear & Blueberry is one of many tasty "pastabilities".

SPROUTS--When you "grow your own", you can be sure that there is no pesticide contamination. Sprouting is as easy as buying a package of mung beans from your health food store, soaking a cupful overnight, spreading them in a colander, covering them with a paper towel, rinsing several times a day for a couple days, and voila! You have a food that is as fresh and alive as you possibly can get. Once you see how easy it is to make mung bean sprouts, you may want to try lentils, alfalfa, sunflower seeds, wheatberries, and other beans and peas. There are sprouting jars and mixes and anti-fungal preparations available, but it can be done very simply without any special equipment. If you fear that fungus will grow on the sprouts, you can purchase Nutribiotic Citricidal at your health food store and add it to the soak water of the sprouting food.

HEALTH FOOD STORE ITEMS--As any parrot lover who shops in health food stores will tell you, bring your check book! Although some items purchased in natural foods markets are a little more expensive, there is a virtual smorgasbord of items to tempt your feathered friends. One can purchase many organic items, including fresh produce, in the larger stores. One of my favorites items is the various flavored "nut butters", including almond, cashew, pistachio, and hazelnut butter. These are high in natural fats but can be utilized to make other dishes more taste tempting . Most weaning babies find a sandwich made of nut butter on whole grain bread irresistible. There are many whole grain breads available in health food stores, including those made from sprouted grains. The different types of whole grain pastas, including spelt, and other non-wheat grains, can be used for parrots with allergy problems. Organic juices of many flavors are a treat for parrots as well as humans. Some will be found in the freezer and can be defrosted one slice at a time as needed. Nearly all health food stores sell sprouts, mixes for sprouting, and sprouting jars and other types of equipment that one can use for growing their own sprouts. Also available is the Nutribiotic Citricidal mentioned earlier to prevent bacteria and molds from growing on the sprouting seeds, nuts and grains. Many herbal preparations that are used for parrots are available in health food stores, such as Echinacea which is sometimes used as an immune system stimulator, Aloe Detox which can be a lifesaver in treating ill parrots, St. John's Wort, Pycnogenol, and other feather plucking remedies. At the direction of a naturopathic veterinarian, many homeopathic remedies from health food stores can be used with no danger of toxicity.

If you have only one or two parrots, you can easily afford to make your own organically-grown seed mix from the health food store by choosing shelled or unshelled sunflower seeds, whole millet, wheat berries, oats, buckwheat groats, unshelled sesame seeds, and many other nuts, grains and seeds tailored to the tastes and nutritional needs of your birds. For birds with obesity problems, one can choose from the products with lower levels of fats. By determining the protein levels of the available products, one can adjust this level for the breeding and molting phases of their birds. If you haven't yet visited your local health food market with your parrot friends in mind, you're in for a very special treat.

Other foods that we can buy from our local markets without concern for high levels of pesticides are: CORN, SWEET POTATOES, BROCCOLI, BRUSSEL SPROUTS, CAULIFLOWER, U.S. GRAPES, BANANAS, PLUMS, IMPORTED CHERRIES, and WATERMELON

Here is a list of foods that NEVER should be given to our parrots unless they have been organically grown:

STRAWBERRIES, RED AND GREEN BELL PEPPERS, SPINACH, U.S. CHERRIES, PEACHES, MEXICAN CANTALOUPES, CELERY, APPLES, APRICOTS, GREEN BEANS, CHILEAN GRAPES, AND CUCUMBERS

A new set of nationwide organic standards is making its way over the final set of bureaucratic hurdles in Washington, D.C. at this writing. Once these rules are in place, the plethora of organic labels that we now see will be reduced to one: that of the U.S.D.A. The new national standards are not expected to vary much from the existing ones. Consumers can trust labels indicating that a food is organically-grown. Contrary to rumor, there has been only one recent major incident of known or suspected fraud: a Minnesota food company that repackaged conventional foods and sold them as organic. Organic farmers cannot take the risk of mis-labeling foods and losing their designation as a Certified Organic Farmer.

Here is information from AVIAN MEDICINE: PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATION by RITCHIE, HARRISON AND HARRISON, Wingers Publishing, Inc..

"Exposure to high concentrations of pesticides can lead to non-specific signs of poisoning including gastro- intestinal problems, tremors, weakness, dyspnea, seizures or sudden death. Chronic low-grade exposure to pesticides may induce more subtle clinical signs that are more difficult to attribute to a toxin exposure. These exposures may cause immunosuppression and increased susceptibility to disease, decreased reproductive activity or generalized unthriftiness". And...... "Interestingly, free-ranging granivorous birds that are offered both organic (no pesticides) and pesticide-treated grains will preferentially consume the organic foods. Test birds would not eat the pesticide-treated foods until all of the organic grains were gone".

There is no question that pesticide-free foods are a better choice for our parrots. Although it may seem to be a lot of trouble to feed in this manner, once you get into a routine of feeding from the clean group of foods and avoiding the foods that are known to be problematic, it really is not difficult and it will prove rewarding for both you and your parrots. It can make a real difference in their health and longevity.

Also an interesting read- is this






Friday 11. May 2007


Parrot Diets & The ‘Idiot Factor’
by Sally Blanchard

This article was first published in Pet Bird Report Issue #26 and may not be reprinted without the written permission of Sally Blanchard or the PBIC, Inc. Contact us for permission.

Contributing To The Death Of Many Parrots?

A few years ago, a manufactured diet company representative suggested that I was contributing to the death of many parrots because I refuse to recommend any pelleted food as a Total Diet. I believe this statement is based on what I have heard called the "idiot factor."

Simply put, it was explained, the vast majority of people who own birds are not knowledgeable enough to feed them a balanced diet. Therefore, according to many parrot diet manufactures anything bird owners feed in addition to or instead of a pelleted diet will cause malnutrition and disease leading to early death for their parrot.

At a conference, I heard a representative from one of the pellet manufacturers say, "We want to control your bird’s diet." I can not help but believe that at least part of this desire is financial. If you feed nothing else, the pet shop or veterinarian and the manufacturer get all your money. None of it is shared with the supermarket.

My emphasis is behavior and I believe providing a varied diet for companion parrots is essential for their well-being. I do not believe that any one food should be a ‘total diet’ and I abhor the trend to recommend feeding nothing but a manufactured diet to parrots.

Parrots are foragers and much of their behavioral stimulation involves food gathering, food manipulation, and food consumption. I am not a nutritionist and can only offer nutritional information based on reading and conversations with knowledgeable people in the field.

The "idiot factor" does exist - a visit to the bird department of almost any pet super store offers proof that the majority of bird owners still feed their birds a substandard diet. These stores stock what the public demands. A great quote someone told me, "Asking a clerk at a pet super store how to feed your parrot is like asking the bag boy at the grocery store how to feed your children."

If the majority of bird owners wanted pellets instead of seed, these stores would stock a good variety of pellets. They don’t. In fact, most of the warehouse type stores I have been in still have rows of shelves with 95% seed mixes providing evidence too many bird owners still feed a predominately seed diet. Do these people not know any better, do they not care, are they too busy, too lazy … ?

Defining the "Idiot Factor"

Although the term certainly sounds judgmental, "the idiot factor" must be considered in any aspect of education. This concept has much more to do with willingness to learn than it does with IQ or innate intelligence.

In any endeavor, there will be a percentage of people who want to take the time and energy to be educated. They will analyze new information and use what is appropriate for their situation in a positive manner.

At the other end of the spectrum are people who are closed to learning. They are not receptive to new information, think they already know everything, and/or are not concerned enough to learn. This is sad when it involves sentient animals in need of proper care.

I devoutly believe parrot people who read the Pet Bird Report are more willing to learn and apply new information to their daily lives than the general bird-owning public. If I didn’t believe this I would probably quit publishing the PBR. It would certainly surprise me if a long-term reader told me they were still feeding their parrot a nutritionally abusive seed-only diet. I am also surprised when I hear that a subscriber has decided to feed nothing but a pelleted diet.

Not A ‘Total Diet’

I strongly recommend the feeding of quality manufactured diets. While they are clearly the most important development in avian nutrition, I will never believe in them as a total diet. Most pelleted diets can claim balanced nutrition within the parameters of what is known about the nutritional needs of parrots. But do we really know if the same nutritional parameters apply to all the different species of parrots kept as human companions?

However, it is not just the nutrients that determine the value of a food. Not all manufactured parrot diets are of the same quality. The quality of ingredients, the method of manufacturing, and the way the nutrient are delivered can all make a tremendous difference.

Are the nutrients combined with ingredients which may be harmful to parrots on a long term basis? I believe the more natural a product is, the healthier it is for parrots. I do not feed or recommend pelleted diets which contain certain additives - particularly artificial fool colorings (even if they are human grade).

Parrots evolved to eat natural, ‘organic,’ unprocessed foods and I believe they have a relatively low threshold for artificial additives in their diets. I have worked with several plucking birds, especially Eclectus, who have stopped picking their feathers when they were gradually weaned off of diets with artificial food coloring. I sincerely believe that the long term use of manufactured diets with food coloring and perhaps some other artificial ingredients will eventually cause health problems for our parrots. Some of the parrot foods on the market today are so brightly colored, it most likely takes a great deal of artificial coloring to make them this bright.

‘But, it is what the public wants!’ is what I have been told. My response is that the ‘public’ is generally uneducated about nutrition and the proper care of their parrots. Consider the amount of junk food we all eat despite the fact that we know it is not good for us. Can we afford to feed our parrots foods that may create health problems for them just because they like them? The vast majority of our parrots can be converted to most foods if the owner is knowledgeable, consistent, and patient.

Bright artificially colored pellets became popular because one manufacture had great success with them and many others decided to duplicate that success with similarly colored foods rather than try and create a new market for a more natural, healthier food. I would not feed my parrots an artificially colored food and I recommend that my clients do not either. I believe this so strongly that I will not accept advertising for manufactured diets with artificial food coloring in the Pet Bird Report. Parrots do love color in their food but it should be foods naturally colored by nature.

Make Smart Choices

Most pelleted foods are nutritionally balanced to be fed as a total diet. If we presume a manufactured diet contains all the nutrients any parrot needs and we decide to feed it only as a portion of the diet, it is important to realize we need to make up for the nutrition we have lost.

Unfortunately, people often feed extra foods that don’t have good nutritional value. Too much junk food can create problems. Instead of feeding junk food snacks, and the types of fruits and vegetables that have low nutritional value, the extra foods should also be a quality source of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. While grapes corn, pizza, French fries, seed, peanuts, mashed potatoes, tacos, cookies, crackers, etc. may make a parrot very happy on a short term basis, they will not keep him very healthy if fed as any thing more than a rare treat.

Nutritional Values of Vegetables and Fruits

Not all veggies and fruits are good sources of healthy nutrients. The most popular parrot people foods seem to be apples, grapes, and corn. While these foods may make an enjoyable snack, they don’t contain high nutritive values and are pretty much empty calories. Although I do feed these from time to time, I try to make sure my parrots everyday eat at least one high vitamin A vegetable each day. These include sweet potatoes, yams, winter squash, carrots, pumpkin, peppers, broccoli, collard greens, turnip greens, kale and mustard greens. The fresher the better. Sweet potatoes and squash are best baked.

Bean, Rice and Corn Mixtures

I try to feed a rice/corn/bean type of mix a few times a week. My birds love these mixes but I know they are not a complete diet. For example, Crazy Corn is marketed as part of a complete diet. I cook up a large batch and freeze it in servings for my 6 parrots. I usually stir in a small jar of baby food sweet potatoes, winter squash, or carrots, a spoonful of nonfat yogurt, and a dash or two of Spirulina or Wheat Grass. I add these same ingredients to whole grain toast to make my "glop" - which is my parrot’s favorite food.

These soft food mixes are a great vehicle to provide other nutrients. Most parrots enjoy them and added supplementation will adhere to the ingredients guaranteeing the nutrients will actually get into your bird.

It is important to realize that bean/corn/rice mixes are high in phosphorous (as is seed). A balanced calcium/phosphorous ratio is essential for our parrots health. Calcium supplementation may be needed to keep bones and muscles strong and the nervous system functioning properly. If you feed corn/bean/rice mixes as a food staple in your parrot’s diet, make sure that you are using a supplement that only contains calcium. There is no need to provide extra phosphorous as there is enough of this mineral in the foods being fed.

Extra Work

With knowledge and a little extra work, it is possible to feed parrots a balanced diet without pellets or using pellets combined with healthy human foods added for variety. There are those parrot owners who do not care if a diet of pizza, burritos, corn, crackers, French fries, grapes, cheese, potato chips, and such junk foods is just as nutritionally abusive as a total seed diet. They may not have the inclination, time, or energy to prepare nutritionally sound foods. These are the people the pelleted diet company representative was referring to and they should probably be feeding a total pellet diet.

It does take more knowledge, time, and effort to prepare nutritious parrot meals but with solid nutritional information, it is possible. My parrots have pellets available all the time but watching them crunch on their carrots, unshell their almonds, or hearing pleasure sounds while they devour their "glop" makes the extra food preparation worth it. See "A Healthy Parrot Diet" online or in PBR Issue #13 for more information about healthy people food for parrots.