What should most parrots be fed, exactly? And how much?

[Joshaeus]

The title is somewhat self-explanatory, but I will elaborate a bit...

1: How can a good pellet brand be identified?
2: Once you have the good pellet brand, roughly how much of it should the birds get each day? I heard somewhere that most birds will eat about a fifth of their weight total each day.
3: What should the ratio of pellets to more natural foods (I.E fruit, veggies, maybe the occasional meat scrap) be?

Any answers would be much appreciated. (I don't need answers for lories since I have no intention of owning one...)

 

[Kiwibird]

1. Research, research, research! Everyone has an opinion on the best diet for birds, and you need to gain a comprehensive understanding of the dietary needs of the specific species your interested in getting, then research different diets and brands.

2. Again, this really depends on species. I have never heard the 1/5th ratio thing before, but that doesn't mean it's not right. Obviously, a budgie will eat a lot less than a macaw volume-wise, but most birds are offered a dish full of fresh dry food in the morning, and allowed to eat as much as they like throughout the day. Some species, however, are prone to obesity/overeating, and must be given carefully measured portions to maintain a healthy weight. Again, this will have a lot to do with the species you're interested in.

3. ALL birds need to eat a variety of fresh fruit and veg. every day. There really isn't a "set" ratio I know of, but it should be a significant part of their diet. In fact, fruit is the bulk of almost all parrots diet in nature. Most people offer a dish of fresh produce in the morning and then another in the evening. Most parrots LOVE table food, and you can offer them (small) bites of things like egg, cheese, yogurt, pasta, bread ext... when you're eating it. Table food should not be a big part of their diet, but it is healthy to get them variety. They CANNOT have chocolate, anything with caffeine, alcohol, avocado, onions or mushrooms, and should not be fed things with refined sugars or that are fatty often, if at all (like fast food or cake).

 

[MikeyTN]

Kiwibird made some good points there! I don't get into nitty gritty of how much they should or shouldn't eat as I don't usually measure. Unless I'm mixing or switching diet. They will stop once full!