Parrots love to share their meals with their human companions. The problem is, some of the food you eat isn’t good for your parrot. Half of your parrot’s daily diet consists of fruits and veggies which should be supplemented with the other half of dry foods to have a balanced diet. For your parrot to stay happy and healthy, you should provide him with a good, varied, and balanced diet. Each type of parrot has its own unique needs and to ensure that you’re giving him the right diet and care, you should know the specific requirements. A diet that doesn’t include fruits like pineapples and veggies can make your parrot less active and increase his risk of getting sick.
Can parrots eat pineapples?
The short answer to this question is yes. Parrots can eat pineapple which is a good source of vitamin C, but just like all sugary fruits, you should be careful with the amount you feed your parrot. A diet that contains lots of sugar is not healthy for your parrot in the long-term. If you have a large parrot, you can serve him fresh pineapple that has been cut into wedges or slices, but for the smaller parrots chop the pineapple into fine pieces together with other fruits.
You also have the option of serving your parrot dried pineapple that is available in pet stores. Before serving your parrot, you need to check if sulfur dioxide has not been used to dry the pineapples which are mostly used in dried fruits. It can be hard to determine if your dried fruits are free of sulfur, so to be on the safe side don’t give your parrot dried pineapples.
Why are fruits important in your parrot’s diet?
Fruits are good and necessary for your parrot which is good for his health and a great help in maintaining the color of his feathers. Fruits also keep your parrot happy and active throughout the day. However, not all fruits are good for your parrot that’s why it’s important to check the fruits you’re giving him because some contain high levels of sugar. This can negatively affect your parrot’s health if given in large quantities. It’s recommended that you give your parrot a variety of fruits so that he can get different nutritional needs his body needs. You should feed your parrot at least three different fruits per day and don’t forget to clean the fruits thoroughly to remove pesticides.
Some of the fruits your parrot can eat every day include pineapples, kiwi, pomegranate, strawberries, watermelon, cranberries, cherries, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, etc. Those that you should give 2 or 3 times a week include grapefruit, figs, grapes, oranges, cantaloupe, mangoes, etc.
Learning how to feed your parrot
Feed your parrot twice a day
How much food you give your parrot will depend on his species, age, and overall health. If you’re not sure when and what to feed him, talk to your vet to give you a guideline on your parrot’s dietary needs. Feed him small amounts of birdseed, fruits, and veggies, grains, nuts, etc. in the morning and evening. Give him an hour to feed then remove the leftovers so that it doesn’t spoil. Don’t feed your parrot more than 2 teaspoons of bird seeds and fresh food and once he has eaten give him pellets in the morning only, but don’t remove the pellets as he will snack on them the whole day. Large parrots can only eat half a cup of pellets a day while small parrots eat a quarter cup, so you can distribute them in small portions throughout the day.
A large parrot’s diet can comprise of one tablespoon fruit, one tablespoon veggies, and one and a half tablespoon protein source. For small parrots is one teaspoon of fruit, half spoonful veggies, and half tablespoon protein source per day.
Encourage your parrot to foliage
Parrots in the wild spend most of their time foraging for food so they’re always active. You don’t want your parrot to become lazy when eating his food, so to give him a little push to work for his food, mix his food tray with some gravel and pellets. Another option would be to get foliage toys and put his food in them. This will keep him busy and stimulate his mind which can help to reduce some behavioral problems like self-mutilation.
Check your parrot for obesity
Obesity is a huge problem with parrots especially if they eat foods high in fat. Obese parrots can also get fatty liver disease, a serious disease that can affect the Amazon parrot, budgies, and cockatiels. If your parrot starts to look pudgy, take him to the vet and reduce his food portions to help him lose weight, but keep his diet healthy and balanced.
Check your parrot for vitamin A deficiency
Vitamin A gives your parrot’s body a fighting chance against infections, so when he has a deficiency in this nutrient he can become very sick. His respiratory system bears the blunt if his body lacks enough vitamin A which means your parrot can develop respiratory problems like sneezing, problems breathing and nasal discharge. This deficiency can also affect his digestive organs and kidneys. So, if you notice these signs take him to a vet for treatment and make sure you’re giving him a healthy and balanced diet so that he can get enough vitamin A to keep him healthy.
Conclusion
Fruits help to keep your parrot healthy and active throughout the day and keep his feathers looking healthy and shiny. There are some fruits you can feed your parrot every day like pineapples while others you should give twice or thrice a week. Pineapples are fruits that are part of your parrot’s diet that is safe for him to eat in his daily diet. They are delicious fruits that contain lots of vitamin C which contributes to his overall health. Like all sugary fruits, you should control the quantity you feed your parrot so that it doesn’t affect his health.
