I'm getting confused about bird diet...

[Mare Miller]

I've learned that we need to give our birds the best diet. Organic, (when possible), veggies and fruit,,,good pellets...mostly,,, not a lot of parrot seed and nooo salt! My question is, why can we feed them from our plate that usually doesn't have any of these things?! Is it only in moderation, or is it a no-no!

 

[Enjru]

You have to strike some kind of balance between what is nutritionally ideal vs. what makes the parrot happy. If you are feeding your parrot pellets, vegies, fruit, sprouted seeds, parrot mash, nuts (as rewards), etc, then letting them eat human dinners with us at the dinner table does not contribute anything to them nutritionally. BUT, the VAST majority of parrots live in a flock, so they like to feel part of a group, and eating together as a group is an important part of belonging to a flock. So, eating the same foods together with your parrot can contribute something to its socialization needs. Of course, if you are willing to socialize with your parrot by eating the parrot's diet, ie, parrot pellets, vegies and fruit on a kabob, sprouted seed, etc, then it will be even better for your parrot. It's very likely your own nutrition will improve a lot as well!

 

[lizardsmells]

I think it's moderation. Kazi shares whatever I'm eating. I eat fairly healthily as a general rule and those things that aren't healthy I try not to eat in front of him or I'll give him a bit that is less unhealthy from it. He doesn't get a ton, just a taste or two so he doesn't feel left out. And of course, whatever I'm eating is automatically better than what he may have in his dish, but I can tell him, "You've got the same stuff in your dish!" and he'll head back over there and check it out.

 

[Mare Miller]

Being vegetarian, I would feel comfortable with Amigo eating with me and me with him. I'm mostly concerned with salt.

 

[mandolynn]

When possible, I make a bird friendly version of what I'm eating.

 

[Mare Miller]

When possible, I make a bird friendly version of what I'm eating.

This is what I do, also. If I'm boiling rice for a rice stir-fry dish, I keep rice out for Amigo. When making something with wheat bulgur, some is saved for my boy.

 

[mele]

I feel if your bird is getting a well balanced diet then moderation is okay. I eat with my birds but like Mandolynn, they get a vesion of what I eat. If I have chips, they get sliced cucumbers or bannana chips. When I have pasta, they will get the pasta plain with diced red peppers and tomato. My mom loves to share her food with her birds and they love it.

 

[Pedro]

You can't go wrong with a balanced diet & everything else in moderation.

 

[Remy]

Everybody else seems to have said it well! Moderation is the key! A little extra salt is going to be fine, and so is a little dairy, and a little sugar. They are not good for the bird, but a couple bites of your popsicle will make your bird feel included, be good emotionally, and not hurt anything. Just don't let him chow down on your popsicle TOO much. [And stay away from the no-no foods, of course!]

If I am eating something that I don't want Puck to eat, he seems to be happy with something else on his own plate.

 

[oled]

Villes favorit is dryed bread (Swedish) and he also get some from oure plates. From what I can see it not what he get to it eat thats importan but being in the flock

 

[roxynoodle]

My birds know the phrase "Not birdie food" when I'm eating something that isn't good for them. Unfortunately my diet is not very good anymore; I used to be able to always share some of my dinner with them. Now I have to make them their own dinner. I, too, will set aside stuff for them before I add salt or something. I'm not that big on salt either though. Last week I made spaghetti. If I don't eat some meat though my blood sugar seems to go crazy, so I set aside tomato sauce just for them for a couple of day's worth, and then added the meat to the rest for myself. I don't give them hamburger at all after a friend's macaw almost died from it. If I eat waffles, I cut parts off for them before putting on margarine and syrup. I set aside cereal before I add the milk. Stuff like that.