Please make a sticky for a proper Macaw diet!

[PenClem]

I'm putting out a request to have a post made by someone with extensive Macaw experience to make a sticky post regarding the proper Macaw diet.

As I understand it, and please correct me if I'm wrong; Macaws require a higher fat diet than, say, an Amazon. They get this fat mostly from healthy nuts, correct? Do they also require the dried clay blocks/pieces you often see for sale? How about the fruit:vegetable ratio for them?

I'd love to read more about Macaws as I will likely (hopefully) have one someday years from now when I feel fully confident in caring for one. Thanks!

 

[Allee]

Good for you, it's always better to do your research before you bring your bird home. You could probably learn a lot about macaws by just reading past posts in the Macaw section.

Our parrot food recipes and diet section is also an excellent source of information. Once you have a basic idea of parrot diets in general it's pretty easy to adapt the diet to a particular species or a particular bird. I'm sure our Macaw enthusiasts can also help with a Macaw specific diet.

Parrot Food, Recipes and Diet - Parrot Forum - Parrot Owner's Community

 

[ChristaNL]

as far as I know: the clay-blocks are pure nonsense

(just like the grit they always sell "because birds eat grit" - completely ignoring the fact that the intestines and eating habbits of parrots are not the same as that of a chicken...)

of course all enrichment is to be encouraged, so for fun...maybe, necessary for survival: nope.