30% of bird behaviour problems can be solved by diet alone.
BIRDTRICKS world-renouned parrot trainers and bird behaviour experts
Structure of a Quality Diet
Approximately 15-20 years ago seed was the primary diet for almost all pet birds. Commercial pellets had not yet been invented, and little research had been done on the long-term results of a seed-only diet. Today it is generally well accepted that while a little bit of seed is okay as a treat, an all-seed diet lacks the nutrition parrots of all sizes need to grow and thrive throughout their lifespan.
At Welcome Wings Aviary our birds are fed a diet that includes the following four components:
- Daily fresh vegetables (see how I prepare them here!)
- Cooked Lentils and Cooked chicken egg (sources of protein)
- Cooked Whole Grains
- A quality commercial pellet (we use this one!)
Our baby birds are weaned right onto all of the above, giving their new owners a great start for nutritional success. Learn more about the hand-raising and weaning process here!
How do you prepare and store fresh vegetables for your birds?
Approximately once per month we do a big shopping trip to purchase fresh veggies for the birds. I come home and dice everything up into what I call “chop” (see which veggies I use and how I mix my chop here!). Portions are divided into Zipper freezer bags and frozen for later use. I thaw each portion as needed.
How do you prepare and store pellets?
Pellets do not require any special preparation — they are commercially made and packaged, ready to serve from the moment they arrive at your doorstep. When we receive a new bag of pellets we divide it into portions using freezer-safe Zipper bags. 75% of the bag is frozen to maintain freshness, while 25% of the bag is stored on the counter and used for daily serving. We remove portions from the freezer as needed, placing a new order for pellets when we have 25-50% remaining of the previous bag.
Do Birds Need Extra Vitamins?
Welcome Wings Aviary recommends your bird’s diet be supplemented with a quality multi-vitamin (we recommend this one!) and calcium with vitamin D (this one!). Supplements give the owner peace of mind knowing that even if their bird is a little picky one day they are still receiving the nutrition they need. That said, supplements are — well — supplements. They are not intended as a replacement for a healthy diet but rather an addition to already nutritious food.