When a pet bird's diet consists of healthy choices and good foods, the parrot is certain to live longer than if feed a poor diet. Large parrots such as cockatoos can live for a century or even longer. Small parrot species, such as budgies and cockatiels, will live longer than expected if their bird diet is made up of healthy foods.
Seven Deadly Parrots Diet Foods
There are many bird diet selections which humans consume that are great for your parrot. However, there are seven foods that can provide deadly to your pet. These are: chocolate, alcohol, avocado, fruits seeds of any type, uncooked eggs, raw meat, or spoiled or moldy foods. There are some other foods over which there is some debate such as onions or garlic cloves. A parrot is extremely unlikely to eat enough of those items to cause a problem.
Limits These Foods in Your Parrots Diet
There are also foods which a parrot may consume which should be limited in quantity. Small amounts will not harm the parrot, yet large amounts can cause serious health problems. You may notice that the foods to limit in a bird diet are those foods that people should limit in their own diets.
Any food which is high in fat must be limited. Wild parrots diets include very little fat. Think of your parrot diet much as you would the diet of a three year old child. A child could have a few potato chips even though they are high in fact, but you would limit the quantity. In a parrot's diet, you could allow a bite or even two from the edge of one single potato chip once in a while. Just do not let it become a habit so that every single day the parrot expects and gets potato chips. The golden adage "everything in moderation" is a good guideline to follow about parrot diet items to limit. Examples of foods in this group include: potato chips, fried foods, buttered vegetables or bread, ice cream, and cake or cookies.
Salt much also be limited in a parrot's diet. Health-conscious humans also tend to limit their own salt intake. Thinking of the size of a parrot's body compared to your own, you can easily see why a tiny quantity of salt goes a long, long way. When preparing family meals, remove some vegetables prior to adding salt; this way your feathered friend can enjoy these healthy foods safely. Items which are too salty for inclusion in the bird diet include: salted chips, nuts with salt, fruits or vegetables prepared with added salt, and some packaged foods such as entrees for the microwave. Also included are cured or aged meats such as bacon or ham, and popcorn if salt or butter has been added.
Sugary foods are poor choices for a bird diet. Just like children, birds can learn to crave sweets if allowed. It is safe to permit a parrot to taste a bite or perhaps two of sugary foods, it is crucial to restrict quantities. Sugary foods include: sweetened soft drinks, some cereals, candy, sweetened fruit juice, ice cream, and cookies.
Good Foods for Parrots' Diets
Many foods do not have to be restricted in your bird diet at all. In fact, everything that is not listed as diet choices to limit are good choices for your bird diet. The more different foods a parrot eats the healthier and happier it will be. The longer the companion parrot will live in most cases as well.
Fruits and vegetables are great parrot diet choices, either raw or gently cooked. Cooked eggs, cheese, pasta, rice, potatoes (except potato chips or fried potatoes), noodles, bits of meat or fish, and other human foods are good for you bird. Parrots only need a very small amount of meat, so offer just a bite or two; some parrots do love a bone with a few bits of meat left on it to chew and to dig out the marrow which is quite nutritious.
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