Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Are mixed seed, produce, and pellets diets healthy for captive Amazon
By Brightsmith, Donald J·Published in Journal of avian medicine and surgery·2012·Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Nutritional levels of diets fed to captive Amazon parrots: does mixing seed, produce, and pellets provide a healthy diet?
- Species:
- bird
Plain-English summary
A group of 7 adult Amazon parrots was studied to see how their mixed diet of seeds, fresh produce, and formulated pellets affected their nutrition. The birds that ate a mix of 50% produce, 25% pellets, and 25% seeds had deficiencies in important nutrients like calcium and iron and too much fat. However, when the diet was adjusted to include 75% pellets and 25% produce, the parrots had better nutrition overall. This suggests that feeding a mostly formulated diet with some fresh produce can keep your parrot healthy while still allowing for variety in their meals.
People also search for: Amazon parrot diet · healthy food for parrots · what to feed my parrot · nutritional needs of parrots · best diet for captive birds
Abstract
Poor nutrition is a serious problem in captive psittacine birds. Seed-based diets are known to contain excess fat, low calcium:phosphorus ratios, and other nutrient deficiencies, whereas many consider nutritionally superior, formulated diets to be monotonous. As a result, many bird owners feed a mixture of seed, produce, and formulated diet. However, the nutritional contents of such mixed diets have rarely been evaluated. In this study, we describe the nutrient contents of diets consumed by 7 adult (>6 years old), captive Amazon parrots offered produce (50% fresh weight), formulated diet (25%), and seed (25%). Diets consumed were deficient in calcium, sodium, and iron and contained more than the recommended amount of fat. In addition, the birds chose foods that exacerbated these imbalances. Birds offered low-seed diets (60% pellet, 22% produce, 18% seed, wet weight) consumed diets with more fat than recommended but acceptable levels of calcium and all other nutrients measured, as well as acceptable calcium:phosphorus ratios. This suggests that small quantities of seeds may not result in nutritionally imbalanced diets. Birds fed 75% formulated diet and 25% produce consumed diets within the recommendations for nearly all measured nutrients, demonstrating that owners of psittacine birds should be encouraged to supplement manufactured diets with low energy-density, fresh produce items to provide stimulation and foraging opportunities without fear of causing major nutritional imbalances.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23156977/