Are you planning to buy or adopt an African grey parrot? Are you confused about the African grey parrot’s health, diet, and feeding procedure? Do you know what the best food for African grey parrots is? We will provide you will all the necessary information you need to have regarding your pet’s diet.
It is great to provide your parrot a good mixture of different varieties of food items for their optimal nutritional requirements. A balanced diet consists of a specific proportion of every food item that can keep your pet healthy and happy.
To start off with their base diet, we would recommend chopped and fresh fruits and vegetables. If you are having difficulty in finding fresh fruits, it is best to provide them a pellet diet (without additives). Another great option is to feed them seeds, but if only fed in a moderate quantity, else your African grey parrot is more likely to gain excessive weight. In addition to this, you can provide them Vitamin supplements, but consider consulting the vet before feeding them.
How to Choose the Best Food for African Grey Parrot?
It is not that difficult to keep a balanced diet for your parrot. Here is an interesting fact; African grey parrots are not picky or choosy when it comes to food. They are, in fact, omnivores and can have meat, vegetables, and fruits. Our main goal is to provide a perfect and balanced blend of essential food items to keep your adorable feathered friend healthy.
African Grey Parrots Diet and Nutrition
Palm fruit oil seeds are generally the basic diet many people provide to their African grey parrots. Your parrot’s digestive system and metabolism are habitual to this food item as it helps in boosting their required calories. When these birds are kept in captivity, they can hardly get obese.
Seeds are the perfect source of giving them essential oils, but they also contain a high amount of fat. Giving them too many seeds could be hazardous to their health, and it should never be considered their only diet. Only 10-15% of seeds are advised by the vets, and this amount is not only healthy but is essential to keep them healthy.
The best way to make a balanced diet is to mix some fruits, seeds, and vegetables. Make sure you chop the fruits and veggies into smaller pieces; so it gets easier for your pet to eat. However, some veggies or fruits might not provide enough nutrients as compared to others. Therefore, a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits is great for them.
Make sure you are not feeding them artificial flavored packed foods as they could be extremely toxic.
Fresh Water Need for African Grey Parrots
Along with a balanced diet, African grey parrots also require a lot of freshwaters. Make sure you are giving them plenty of fresh and cool water as it is essential for them just like us. These parrots often drink water after having their meal. You need to make sure that their water bowls are getting changed after every meal. You should keep the water bowl or dispenser/bottle at a higher point to avoid any dirt getting into it. In addition to this, you may also want to keep the water away from any heavy metals or traces, as they contain toxins that are harmful to your pet.
Vitamins for African Grey Parrots
A lot of fruits and vegetables have got essential vitamins that your African grey parrot requires in its diet. So, providing them freshly cut fruit or veggies is much better than an external vitamin source. Vitamin A is considered the most important vitamin. Therefore, beta-carotene vegetables are very beneficial for them.
Calcium Requirement in African Grey Parrots
African grey parrots require more calcium as compared to the other parrot breeds. So, their diet must contain a specific amount of calcium. The best way is to place a calcium block in their cage, or you can simply add a bone dry powdered block for their calcium intake. You need to understand that calcium is very important for nerve and heart function, blood clotting, healthy bones, and muscle contraction. In addition to this, he also requires Vitamin D3, which helps in absorbing the calcium in their body. The best alternative for Vitamin D3 is natural sunlight, and you do not have to worry about the extra supplements.
List of Fresh Vegetables and Fruits for African Grey Parrot
Providing fresh and organic fruits and vegetables is the best you can do for your little friend. However, it could be a challenging task to get your parrot to eat all the vegetables and fruits, as they might not like every food item your feed them. You might have to do lots of hard work to get them to eat everything.
Safe Vegetables
- Kale
- Basil
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Celery
- Chard
- Turnip greens
- Artichoke
- Bean sprouts
- Brussel sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Cucumber
- Endive
- Green beans
- Parsley
- Peppers
- Pumpkin
- Radish
- Sweet potatoes (cooked)
- Yams
- Zucchini
- Beans (well cooked)
- Carrots
- Cabbage
- Corn
- Eggplant without greens
- Fennel
- Lettuce
- Peas and pod
- Potatoes (cooked)
- Pumpkin seeds
- Turnips
- Yams
- Butternut squashes
Safe Fruits
- Fresh Washington apple
- Sliced mangoes
- Kiwis
- Passion fruit
- Ripe bananas
- Papaya
- Peaches
- Figs
- Apples
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Cherries
- Dates
- Gooseberries
- Grapes
- Honeydew
- Litchi
- Nectarines
- Pears
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Tangerines
- Watermelon
- Apricots
- Blackberries
- Cranberries
- Guava
- Oranges
- Pineapples
- Pomegranate
- Strawberries
- Melon
- Coconut
- Grapefruit
Healthy and Natural Fats
- Walnuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Pecans
- Almonds
- Sunflower seeds
Other Healthy Treats
- Whole grain bread
- Cereals and grains
- Low-fat cheese and yogurt
- Fresh sprouted seeds
- Kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, black beans, and navy beans
- Quinoa
Toxic and Unhealthy Food
- Chives
- Coffee
- Cumin
- Salt
- Chestnut
- Cigarette and tobacco
- Leeks
- Nutmeg
- Mushrooms
- Lettuce
- Caffeine
- Garlic
- Chips
- Fast food
- Alcohol
- Onion
- Crackers
- Processed foods (white bread, sugar, etc)
- All fruit seeds and pit
- Apricot pits
- Avocado
- Carbonated beverages
- Chocolate
- Dried fruits with preservatives
- Gatorade
- Olives
- Raw peanuts, salted peanuts
- Tomatoes (minimum to no seeds)
- Asparagus
- Butter caffeine
- Cherry pits
- Apple seeds
- Dry, uncooked, or hard beans
- Eggplant
- Milk or dairy products
- Raw or cooked onions
- Rhubarb
What is the Best Food for African Grey Parrot?
A balanced diet for your African grey parrot is essential to keep it happy, healthy, and disease-free. They are great pets, and their feeding habits are similar to humans.
What food does your African grey parrot like the most? Let us know your suggestions or homemade recipes.