Parrots are perhaps the most commonly-owned of all exotic pets in the UK, and they can give their owners a great deal of pleasure through their attractive colours and intelligent behaviour. But as with all exotic pets it is important to give the right pet care because giving them the wrong diet can make them very ill. Pet birds are frequently given up for adoption because their owners did not consider how much care and attention they would need before they bought them.
If you’re thinking of buying or rehoming a pet bird, only do so if you believe that your parrot will have enough company and entertainment during the day: a bored or lonely parrot will become stressed and unhappy and will often pluck out their feathers. Also be sure to check your bird regularly for obvious signs of ill-health or mites, and get your bird seen by a specialist vet at the earliest opportunity if something seems amiss. It is a good idea to get pet insurance for your bird – there are specialist policies available for exotic pets that should cover birds, and the monthly premiums tend to be small (and certainly more than the cost of any vets’ bills).
Different breeds of bird need different food to thrive. Parrots can become ill if they are not given a diet with all the nutrients they require, so take care to understand what they need before you buy.
Parrots’ diets should include some seeds but seeds should not make up the bulk of their diet. Seeds are high in fat and lack certain vitamins and minerals that parrots need to be healthy. There are specialist parrot pellets available that offer all the vitamins and minerals that parrots need, because they are made from a variety of foodstuffs including fruit and vegetables. These are a better option than seeds alone, but parrots often grow bored of eating them and they should be offered fresh alternatives to supplement the pellets.
Good vegetables to offer include dark green leafy veg like spinach and cabbage or broccoli. Offer these vegetables cooked or raw to see what your bird prefers. You can try other vegetables like carrots, green beans, peppers, corn or cucumber.
They also enjoy fruit and get many of their vitamins and minerals from it. Good fruit to offer can include: kiwi, pineapple, berries, apples, grapes, peaches, bananas and oranges. Don’t let them eat the pith or seeds as these can be toxic.
You can also offer your parrot pasta and brown rice (cooked).
As parrots need plenty of calcium you should make sure that they always have access to a cuttlefish bone in their cage, which they will enjoy nibbling on.
Never feed your parrot: avocado, apple seeds, chocolate, rhubarb or onions, and don’t give them any lactose products (like cheese).
If you’re thinking of buying or rehoming a pet bird, only do so if you believe that your parrot will have enough company and entertainment during the day: a bored or lonely parrot will become stressed and unhappy and will often pluck out their feathers. Also be sure to check your bird regularly for obvious signs of ill-health or mites, and get your bird seen by a specialist vet at the earliest opportunity if something seems amiss. It is a good idea to get pet insurance for your bird – there are specialist policies available for exotic pets that should cover birds, and the monthly premiums tend to be small (and certainly more than the cost of any vets’ bills).
Different breeds of bird need different food to thrive. Parrots can become ill if they are not given a diet with all the nutrients they require, so take care to understand what they need before you buy.
Parrots’ diets should include some seeds but seeds should not make up the bulk of their diet. Seeds are high in fat and lack certain vitamins and minerals that parrots need to be healthy. There are specialist parrot pellets available that offer all the vitamins and minerals that parrots need, because they are made from a variety of foodstuffs including fruit and vegetables. These are a better option than seeds alone, but parrots often grow bored of eating them and they should be offered fresh alternatives to supplement the pellets.
Good vegetables to offer include dark green leafy veg like spinach and cabbage or broccoli. Offer these vegetables cooked or raw to see what your bird prefers. You can try other vegetables like carrots, green beans, peppers, corn or cucumber.
They also enjoy fruit and get many of their vitamins and minerals from it. Good fruit to offer can include: kiwi, pineapple, berries, apples, grapes, peaches, bananas and oranges. Don’t let them eat the pith or seeds as these can be toxic.
You can also offer your parrot pasta and brown rice (cooked).
As parrots need plenty of calcium you should make sure that they always have access to a cuttlefish bone in their cage, which they will enjoy nibbling on.
Never feed your parrot: avocado, apple seeds, chocolate, rhubarb or onions, and don’t give them any lactose products (like cheese).
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