What to feed the parrot: food, vitamins, mineral supplements

Parrots, like living flowers, please the eye with their beautiful, bright plumage. They almost do not sing, but how interesting it is to communicate with them! All of them, from large cockatoo to small wavy ones, are able to memorize melodies, words and even whole expressions. However, to the pet was always healthy and active, you need to know what to feed the parrot and how to properly care for it. In the markets and in pet stores, many imported and domestic grain mixtures are offered. Experienced breeders recommend using mixtures of only well-known companies that offer quality grains and seeds that are not treated with chemicals and do not contain pesticides.

When buying any feed, you must always be interested in the period of its validity. At home, before giving it to the pet, you need to check the feed for debris and moldy grains in it. Some advise the dubious food to wash with water, and then dry it (but do not fry!). Of course, this treatment is good, but the washed and incorrectly dried food can not be stored.

For large parrots (macaw, cacada), you can add nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, seeds, cedar nuts) to the seeds. In the menu of wavy parrots, nuts and seeds are added only once a month, and even in scant amounts, because they heavily load the liver. Coconut and cashew do not give parrots to any breed.

What to feed the parrot with vegetables or fruit? In nature, birds eat fruits, vegetables, various herbs and leaves. At home, you also need to add these products, so that in the body of the bird all the processes normally take place. Parrots are always happy carrots, which can be given entirely, fixing between twigs, and can be grated and mixed with low-fat cottage cheese. Some breeders recommend adding a drop of honey to the carrot. Also parrots willingly eat pumpkin, cucumber, cabbage, sweet pepper, beans in pods. In a tomato, they prefer seeds more than a flesh. Turnip and beets must be given in small amounts, pre-brewing a little. Vegetables from soups and other "human" dishes can not be given to birds.

Fruits are given to the birds in fresh form, frozen (after defrosting), in the form of sugar-free children's purees , and in the form of dried fruits, which are pre-soaked in water. Also parrots, especially large breeds, are happy to eat raisins, dates and dried apricots. In their diet can include all fruits, except mango, persimmons, papaya and avocado, which contains a deadly parrot percin. Many breeders do not recommend giving birds melons and watermelons to birds, and also advise to limit grapes and pomegranate.

In addition to fruits, parrots love berries. All fruits and berries should be washed thoroughly. Of cherries, cherries, plums and apricots, you need to remove the bones, and in citrus peel.

What should the parrot feed to get fiber? Tree branches are available all year round. They are cut off, thoroughly washed and given to pets. In winter, it is better to put the twigs in the water first, so that the kidneys begin to open. This supplement to the diet not only provides the birds with fiber and trace elements, but also helps to evenly grind the beak, and also serves as an entertaining toy for them.

You can give the birds branches of apple, raspberry, cherry, viburnum, cherry, hawthorn, mountain ash, maple, willow, linden. Contraindicated branches of oak, bird cherry, poplar, pear, all conifers. Like parrots and sprouted grain of cereals: they grind such grass with pleasure.

There are many plants harmful to parrots. Some of them are dangerous because of the smell, others have toxic leaves or fruits. Experienced breeders are strongly advised to protect parrots from contact with plants such as garlic, onion, bird cherry (twigs and fruits), sorrel, parsley and all spicy plants; Lemongrass, juniper, buckthorn, chestnut, barberry, ledum, adonis, calendula, St. John's wort, yarrow, tansy, buttercup, periwinkle, rue, peony, horsetail, hops, horseradish, celandine, eleutherococcus, azalea, amaryllis, asparagus, heather, gladiolus, Hyacinth, fern, nightshade, primula, tulips. The above list is far from complete.

What to feed the parrot from products of animal origin? These include milk and its derivatives, eggs and meat. Some breeders recommend the addition of boiled chicken to the diet of large parrots. Others are categorically against it. Dairy products can be given only with a low percentage of fat and sugar-free. Parrots like cottage cheese, yogurts, fermented baked milk, yogurt. Boiled eggs are mainly given to young birds. In adults, the protein causes activation of hormones, that birds living without a pair, are poorly tolerated.

To breed parrots successfully, in their menu you need to add cereals cooked without salt and oil, corn on the cob, vitamins according to the attached instructions. You can offer them white chalk and white clay, sold for masks. Very useful and a variety of freshly prepared juices, broths of wild rose, chamomile and hawthorn. It is forbidden to give fish oil and fresh bread, since it always has yeast-hazardous for parrots. Breeders also warn that parrots are harmful to human saliva, so you should not let it fall into the bird's beak.