Feeding Amazons

[Billy29]

Do you give just pellets or pellets and seeds?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Here, check this thread. Yes, it's in the macaw section, but my Amazons get the exact same food my macaws get, minus the nuts.

http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/34367-blue-gold-diet.html

 

[henpecked]

Your going to get loads of answers on that one. All seed diet is very bad. If you feed seeds it 's hard to get them to eat other things. I feed daily maintenance pellets (at least 50%) Veggies,sprouts ,etc 40% , and fruit 10% . Acouple of nuts, seeds(hemp,milk thristle,safflower) nuts , human food, nutribeeries, are all treats and should be fed sparingly. If you give to much for treats then they don't eat the good stuff. With amazons, too much of anything is bad and variety is best. If your giving them something like "birdie bread" then that would take place of some of the pellets and some of the veggies. The good thing about pellets is they contain all of the trace minerals and Vitamins birds need. its hard to fed a fresh diet that has everything in the right proportions. But a fresh diet of veggies ,greens,sprouts makes a wonderful addition to a pelleted diet.

 

[Pajarita]

Yep, all kinds of answers is right. I don't believe in pellets been the best dietary option for any bird but most especially for birds that require lower protein (like amazons) because, with pellets, you don't really know how much of it you are feeding (all of them show protein content as been "no less than" or "larger than" but never a specific value so, if it says "no less than 20%" you could be feeding 30 or 40% for all you know). I feed a dish of cooked whole grains mixed with small white beans (and no other kind), flax seed (and sesame during molt) and cooked and chopped or diced vegetables accompanied by raw produce (one fruit, one veggie, one leafy green or a cruciform) for breakfast and a measured amount (less than a measuring quarter cup) of a cockatiel seed mix with a couple of nuts. I don't feed hemp because it's breeding food and I don't feed milk thistle seeds although I do add the contents of the capsules to their cooked grain dish as well as dandelion root (the benefit of milk thistle is in the seed covering so feeding them the seed doesn't do them any good as they 'peel' them and discard the 'good' part and dandelion root is only good if they eat it which they would not if it's in its natural shape -canaries do, though.

 

[henpecked]

So what % protein are you feeding? Like me with the pellets ,you don't know either. The point is, variety is best. They seem to have a Knack for self medicating themselves. If they "need" something in their diet ,they seek it out and consume it first. The trick is to keep all the essentials provided. i try and cover all the bases.( and of course limit "bad" fats and sugars)