You have an adorable Quaker parrot that entertains you with its small mischief, little tricks, and magnificent human mimicking. Every caretaker would wish to provide his little friend with every sort of comfort, their personal space, balanced diet, and the best care. There are many food pellets that you could simply provide to your feathered friend, but do you think they provide enough nutrition to your parrot? Should you add other food items to their diet? What is the safe and best food for Quaker parrots?
Well, you will get detailed answers to your questions in this article. The summarised answer to the above question is yes; you should add other food items to keep your Quaker parrot healthy. However, many food items are not safe for your bird, while others are the best food for Quaker parrots. We are going to discuss both healthy and toxic food items that you might consider before feeding your bird.
Quaker Parrot Diet and Nutrition
Quaker parrots, commonly known as Monk parakeets, are very fond of eating, and hence their meal should include vegetables, nuts, and fruits they munch on in their natural habitat.
Like every pet bird, a seed-based diet lacks many vital nutrients, such as calcium and Vitamin A, and they have high-fat content, which may lead to obesity in birds. That does not mean that diet based on seeds is bad, but it should be the only diet your bird should have. Hence, seeds are something that is equivalent to junk food to your Quaker parrot. Although parrots love eating seeds, they should be only 10%-15% of their diet, as they are unhealthy for them.
Quaker Parrot Pellet Diet
Pellet diets for Monk parakeets are specially formulated and include grains, seeds, fruits, and vegetables that are enriched with vital minerals and vitamins. You can find different these pellets in lots of variety and different shapes and flavors. However, if your parrot has been on a seed-based diet since the beginning, then it might not like a pellet diet so easily. In addition to this, a pellet diet is considered a well-balanced diet, but it can not provide all the nutrition and different food items that your bird might crave in their diet.
Also, having the same meal every day is quite boring for everyone. Therefore, a pellet diet should be considered as the “base” diet for your pet, and it should be 50-60% of their total diet.
Quaker Parrot Food
We all know that a bird’s diet consists of a standard pellet diet, but you would want to add some fruits and vegetables to your pet’s diet. Fruits are the best source of nutrition, and your Quaker parrot should have in their diet. If your bird is on a seed-based diet, then you should provide them fresh fruits as their primary diet lacks nutrients. Therefore, fresh fruits, vegetables, and some other greens should be around 20-25% of your Quaker parrot’s diet.
However, you may want to know that not every fruit or vegetable is safe for your parrot.
Safe Fruits
Before we dig into the details, here is the disclaimer: You should remove all the seeds from the fruits as they are toxic for your pet.
- Apples
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Cherries
- Dates
- Gooseberries
- Figs
- Grapes
- Honeydew
- Litchi
- Nectarines
- Papaya
- Pears
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Tangerines
- Watermelon
- Apricots
- Blackberries
- Cranberries
- Guava
- Kiwi
- Mangoes
- Oranges
- Peaches
- Pineapples
- Pomegranate
- Strawberries
- Melon
- Coconut
- Grapefruit
Safe Vegetables
- Artichoke
- Bean sprouts
- Brussel sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Endive
- Green beans
- Parsley
- Peppers
- Pumpkin
- Radish
- Sweet potatoes (cooked)
- Yams
- Zucchini
- Beans (well cooked)
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Cabbage
- Corn
- Eggplant without greens
- Fennel
- Lettuce
- Peas and pod
- Potatoes (cooked)
- Pumpkin seeds
- Spinach
- Turnips
- Yams
Other Healthy Treats
- Whole grain bread
- Nuts (walnuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios, and pecans)
- Cereals and grains
- Low-fat cheese and yogurt
- Fresh sprouted seeds
- Kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, black beans, and navy beans
- Quinoa
Toxic and Unsafe Foods
- 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
- Processed foods
Fresh Water
You need to make sure that you are giving your parrot fresh and clean water every day. You should also make sure that the water bowl is kept at a higher level or a dispenser/bottle is used, as the water may get contaminated and cause bacterial infections.
Quaker Parrot Diet Care
You must understand that the Quaker parrot is prone to obesity, and it could easily get overweight if you feed them fattening food items like nuts, seeds, millet, and peanuts. If you are feeding them a seed-based diet, make sure that the diet is providing a good mix of different fresh seeds. Sunflower seeds are a big NO for your parrot, as it consists of high-calorie content. If you want to switch your parrot’s diet, then make sure to gradually mix up their diet until they get used to their new diet.
What is the Best Food for Quaker Parrots?
In the end, we would say that no matter what kind of bird you have, you must take good care of them. Like we take care of our health; similarly, we need to provide a balanced-diet to our pet bird.
Let us know what food you provide to your Quaker parrot.