Nutrition & Diet

[BaxtersMom]

I have researched several sources about what a good nutritional african grey diet should be. Of course this is the basics and you can always get more detailed for your own greys specific needs but here is what I found.

 

It is a large VARIETY made up of vegetables, fruits,nuts, seeds and pellets and people foods (not in any particular order) in most cases will give you a healthy grey with a sufficent diet.

 

Fresh Vegetables are best or Frozen Vegetables such as string beans,spinach, peas, broccoli, snow peas other green veggies, peppers, zucchini, corn, carrots, cooked pinto, lima and other beans provide a good source of protien. Green veggies have the most nutrition in them. (This is just a small basic list but you should get the idea)

 

Pellets provide alot of vitamins, minerals and proteins that your grey may not get otherwise if your bird is a picky eater or doesn't like veggies.

 

Fruits are high in sugar and water and should not be subsituted for vegetables. It is better to offer your grey vegetables than fruits. Fruits can be offered (and enjoyed by many greys) but do not need to make up a significant part of your greys diet and do not need to be fed daily but is a good treat. The sugars can make your grey hyper.

 

Healthy People Food is good to offer your grey. Products like pasta, whole wheat breads, brown rice, oatmeal, well cooked chicken or turkey (red meat should be avoided) and other healthy people food will offer your grey other nutrients it will not get with pellets and seeds mixes alone.

 

Nuts & Seeds can be a controversal topic it seems because they do not have as much nutritional value and are high in fat and can cause obesity. Many nuts also have a lot of protein in them, too which is good. My own opinion is that seeds are okay but don't give so much that they ignore the rest of their daily foods. Organically grown and Sprouted seeds are the healthiest and have the most nutritional value.

 

Junk food is a no no and if you do give your grey junk food it should be done in moderation. The salts and preservatives are not good for us and they are not good for our small pets either and can cause health issues over a period of time.

 

When you offer your grey fruits and vegetables make sure they are washed to get off any pesiticides/chemicals that are still on the food.

 

There is no one food that will be good for your grey as it's only diet but it takes a variety of all the foods mentioned above so they get the nutrients they need. A diet of pellets, veggies, people food, nuts, seeds & fruits should be a good diet and keep your bird healthy.

 

This is the diet I give my grey and feel good about it. This is a compilation of several sources of books, avian veterinary opinions, my bird food store opinions and online websites that I refered to when deciding on a diet for my grey.

 

Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2009/01/06 05:17<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2009/01/06 22:28

[casper]

Erika, thankyou for taking the time to write this informative thread for everyone!

 

Im sure everyone will find the advice you have given us really useful with our greys daily diets.

 

Karma to you:)

[dennisandholly]

hello BaxtersMom

 

i'm lucky with my grey she is a baby and i can set up her Diet. but with my amazon i got him at 25. he won't eat any greens. i have tried them all. so i give him the dark fruits in hopes to make up for it. he eats very lil pellets should i be worried? the vet said i should get him on all pellets but he just won't do it.

[BaxtersMom]

I have had a couple older parrots that weren't used to eating pellets when I got them so I know how hard it can be. It took my eclectus about 5 months to finally start eating pellets but I was persistant because I do think it is important for them. I would encourage you to keep trying and keep on trying.

 

There are a few other threads here in the bird food room on tips for the "picky eater" and Tips on how to get them to eat pellets that are worth reading. Some of the things I have tried was soaking pellets in apple juice, mixing them in with cooked oatmeal and scrambled eggs, corn bread, pancakes and other table foods and noticed that they don't realize they are in there and go ahead and eat them and finally accept them dry. It may takes several months but persistance is the key. And don't give in to them like I have done so many times:laugh:

 

All my birds loved seeds and was their main diet:( when I got them and I think that was the problem. When I went to offer them pellets, They would eat the seeds and leave the pellets. Try giving them mostly pellets in the morning and just pinch of seeds or what ever they usually eat. Mine would of course eat the seeds first but I didn't give them alot so they had to go to the pellets if they wanted to eat more. If you put a lot of seeds in, they will get full on those and leave the pellets.

 

Even your vet said he should be on pellets so I think your vet has already answered your question. If they don't get proper nutrition, just like people they can get vitamin deficiencies, lack of energy and poor feather condition & other health issues.

 

I give my flock about 60-70% pellets and the other 30 to 40% is small amount of seeds, as much veggies as they will eat and some cooked human foods. Sometimes they get fruit, too but they like the veggies better.

 

Just keep on trying, eventually it will happen. When I wasn't happy with the amount of pellets they ate I tried as hard as I could to give them more veggies, which sometime was a chore too cuz they would throw it out. They can be so stubborn:angry: But eventually, I got all my older adopted birds on the pellets. Don't give up;)<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2009/01/30 23:50

[Lyric]

Thanks for putting this great information in the bird food room. I think a lot of new bird owners find themselves confused about just what to feed their new companions.

I would like to add that vegetables high in vitamin A are very important for the health of our greys. Vitamin A is an important part of keeping their immune systems healthy and it is found in carrots, sweet potatoes and the orange squashes. Try offering your birds baked sweet potatoes and see what happens, my birds love it! Also, if you offer baby food, check the label and get the kind with the most vit A.

And, yes, as BaxtersMom said, don't give up on getting your birds to try pellets. Our greys can be stubborn, hardheaded, and set in their ways. Sometimes they fear trying something new. If you keep offering pellets eventually they will try them. And their lives will be better because of it.

[BaxtersMom]

When I brought Baxter home I think one of the things I stressed over most was his diet. I read through so many threads and what people fed their greys, then seen so many things people said not to feed them and I got more confused than ever and that is why I thought this thread would be useful especially for the New grey owners out there that might be overwhelmed like I was:blink: I thought a basic diet plan to start off and refer to could be helpful to some and hopefully relieve a little stress. As time goes by, I know everyone gets thier food routine down but in the beginning I was lost and just wanted some simple and basic foods to give Baxter. I was told to only feed Baxter a seed mix from Walmarts by his previous owner and not untill I joined this website did I know any different:ohmy: Luckily I found this site right away. So I do hope this thread helps. Thanks for your input.

[cf737]

Thanks so much for the information! Like you said BaxtersMom it is all so overwhelming! I've been taking notes as I read things but then people disagree on a lot of diet options and it just gets more confusing. I can see myself bookmarking this page

[lovethatgrey]

Thanks so much for compiling this info and sharing!

[rosidragon_98]

i have a 4 month old african grey she's eat seed diet and i also feed her fruits and vegetables and i also feed her what i make for dinner but i'm afraid that there are things that she might be missing in her diet and i don't want her to start developing bad habits. i confuse on what to feed her i would like to put her on a pellet diet but does it have everything in that pellet that they reguire for there diet like protein, caluium fruits and vegetables i just want to make sure i am feeding her the right food can anyone please tell me

[Lex]

just got my guys from tidy mix (seeds) to pretty bird had to add orange juice to make them eat it but going great so far! also they have veg and fruit most of it goes on the cage floor little swines!

[danmcq]

Thought I would add some actual nutritional values and percentage of Vitamin A and Calcium sources of human daily requirements each of these natural sources contain:

 

 

Vitamin A

 

Carrots (835 μg 93%)

Venttani (817 μg 91%)

Broccoli leaves (800 μg 89%) – broccoli florets have much less

Sweet potatoes (709 μg 79%)

Red Chili Peppers (613 μg 77%)

Kale (681 μg 76%)

Butternut squash (684 μg 76%)

Spinach (469 μg 52%)

Pumpkin (369 μg 41%)

Collard greens (333 μg 37%)

Cantaloupe melon (169 μg 19%)

Eggs (140 μg 16%)

Apricots (96 μg 11%)

Papaya (55 μg 6%)

Mango (38 μg 4%)

Broccoli (31 μg 3%)

Peas (38 μg 4%)

 

Calcium

 

Collard greens, cooked1 cup 357

Tofu, processed with calcium sulfate 4 ounces 200-330

Calcium-fortified orange juice 8 ounces 300

Turnip greens, cooked1 cup 249

Tofu, processed with nigari 4 ounces 80-230

Tempeh 1 cup 215

Kale, cooked1 cup 179

Soybeans, cooked 1 cup 175

Okra, cooked 1 cup 172

Bok choy, cooked 1 cup 158

Mustard greens, cooked 1 cup 152

Figs (dried) 144

Tahini 2 Tbsp128

Chicory 100

Broccoli, cooked 1 cup 94

Almonds 1/4 cup 89

Filberts 1/4 cup 53

Pistachios 38

Walnuts (English) 26

Edited July 4, 2010 by danmcq

[msasser]

I have a 14 year old Grey that I enherited from my Sister about two years ago. At the time that I adopted her she had never been to an avian vet, I promptly took her to one and he told me to switch her from seed diet (which was all she had ever been on) to Harrisons high potency pellets. He said that the pellets are a complete diet, however I do supplement with veggies, fruits and some nuts and seeds in moderation. Because Greys are prone to calcium deficiencies,the high potency pellets are a good fit. I also take Rose yearly to her avian vet for blood work which is very important (which I would have never known) to make sure everything is ok with her.

Good luck, I hope maybe this will help you.

[bezzina]

Hi could you tell me what you mean by pellets as I feed Gozo on what they call a fruity Mix this I buy from are pet shop My friend and I go half on a big bag but it would been good to know more about the pellet side of things.

[judygram]

That fruity mix is probably a pellet blend, we feed our greys some kind of pellet, a lot of us use Harrison's for it is recommended by a lot of vet's, it has a lot of nutrition that adds to what we feed them as fresh foods, some should be available at all times in their cage for snacking during the day or night. It doesn't take the place of fresh foods but it supplements it. I use the Harrison't High Potency blend for Josey.

[bezzina]

Thank you for that I am going to look online ;

[Spock]

To compliment what Dan has posted: http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww22eii.htm

 

 

Thought I would add some actual nutritional values and percentage of Vitamin A and Calcium sources of human daily requirements each of these natural sources contain:

 

 

Vitamin A

 

Carrots (835 μg 93%)

Venttani (817 μg 91%)

Broccoli leaves (800 μg 89%) – broccoli florets have much less

Sweet potatoes (709 μg 79%)

Red Chili Peppers (613 μg 77%)

Kale (681 μg 76%)

Butternut squash (684 μg 76%)

Spinach (469 μg 52%)

Pumpkin (369 μg 41%)

Collard greens (333 μg 37%)

Cantaloupe melon (169 μg 19%)

Eggs (140 μg 16%)

Apricots (96 μg 11%)

Papaya (55 μg 6%)

Mango (38 μg 4%)

Broccoli (31 μg 3%)

Peas (38 μg 4%)

 

Calcium

 

Collard greens, cooked1 cup 357

Tofu, processed with calcium sulfate 4 ounces 200-330

Calcium-fortified orange juice 8 ounces 300

Turnip greens, cooked1 cup 249

Tofu, processed with nigari 4 ounces 80-230

Tempeh 1 cup 215

Kale, cooked1 cup 179

Soybeans, cooked 1 cup 175

Okra, cooked 1 cup 172

Bok choy, cooked 1 cup 158

Mustard greens, cooked 1 cup 152

Figs (dried) 144

Tahini 2 Tbsp128

Chicory 100

Broccoli, cooked 1 cup 94

Almonds 1/4 cup 89

Filberts 1/4 cup 53

Pistachios 38

Walnuts (English) 26

[craftsmaster]

Without a doubt, you’ll discover that keeping Polly well-fed –satisfying her taste buds as well as her overall health – is the greatest challenge of owning a parrot. You’re entering this venture fully armed with all the necessary information to keep your parrot healthy. Unfortunately, if you ask three different experts on parrots what you should be feeding your new family member, you’ll receive three different opinions on what foods create the ideal diet. That’s not only frustrating, but it’s extremely confusing for you. And ultimately, the one who suffers is your parrot.

 

What’s more, your parrot often doesn’t help the situation either. As you’re about to learn, your parrot can be a finicky eater. If you discover, once you bring Polly home, that she resists trying new foods, don’t be surprised. This is a common trait among parrots.

[Jayd]

Without a doubt, you’ll discover that keeping Polly well-fed –satisfying her taste buds as well as her overall health – is the greatest challenge of owning a parrot. You’re entering this venture fully armed with all the necessary information to keep your parrot healthy. Unfortunately, if you ask three different experts on parrots what you should be feeding your new family member, you’ll receive three different opinions on what foods create the ideal diet. That’s not only frustrating, but it’s extremely confusing for you. And ultimately, the one who suffers is your parrot.

What’s more, your parrot often doesn’t help the situation either. As you’re about to learn, your parrot can be a finicky eater. If you discover, once you bring Polly home, that she resists trying new foods, don’t be surprised. This is a common trait among parrots.

 

I would assume this is from your book! Kudo's, How long have you owned your Grey? What's the baby's name and how old is he/she?

Thank You

Jayd

[GrayGirl]

Hey, all ~ great information on this thread! Thanks so much for sharing. I have a question about fresh soybeans (also known as edamame beans). I've been feeding them (maybe 6-12 per feeding) to my CAG Nickel 2x a day for about a year, along with other fresh and cooked veggies, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, a little fruit, etc. and she loves them. Picks them out of the bowl to eat first, in fact. A friend just told me that soybeans are toxic for birds (and humans), but though I've been researching safe versus toxic foods since I got her, and our avian vet said specifically that they are fine for greys, I'm now freaking out. The last thing I want to do is to harm Nickel while feeding her a diet that is supposed to be healthy. I've checked a number of sites, including Snopes.com, to see what the current word is on soy being toxic to birds, but have found nothing definitive. Do any of you smart folks have any advice for me on this subject? Thanks!

[danmcq]

Soy beans "Cooked" are fine for your Grey and you. Raw beans of just about any type contain carcinogenic glycosides which can cause vomiting in humans.

[Jayd]

These beans, if the are good or not, I prefer not to feed to our fids, Soy is in the peanut family, as such it's high in Sat Fat, so if you feed them, feed very few...Beans that can interfere with proteolytic enzymes are lima, kidney and soybeans. http://www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/index.php/Article_22/92 Thanks Jayd, Maggie, Spock and our Flock!

Note: Never feed RAW...

[Doug]

I hope I won't be ripped to shreds for asking this but as a die-hard skeptic, I feel compelled...

 

Do we know that it is better to feed greys a mix of fresh veggies and grains versus pellets? Why do I ask? I wonder if we can do a better job of meeting our birds' requirements than the scientists at the pellet manufacturer. How often is our best effort to do the right thing, in fact, the wrong thing?

 

A lot of lists talk about each veggie/grain/nut and how they contribute to the grey's health. But is a result of research on GREY'S? Or is this information from the effects on humans?

 

Do we have any way of quantitatively evaluating the impact of any of the recommended diets? (As an engineer, I look for statistically significant data, not anecdotal evidence. As compelling as an individual's story can be, it doesn't necessarily tell the whole story...)

[UndeadMisfit]

Where I live doesn't sell pellets, and bringing them down costs a lot of money, so it's good to know what other foods parrots can eat...Thanks for the info!

 

Also anyone know if there's a pellet substitute? I've heard people say they give their birds dog chow..but I'm not even going to consider it!

[Greywings]

In the wild they forage for leaves, inner bark of some trees,fruits, nuts, seeds, tubers & roots, insects and eggs. I don't believe that eating a dry pellet can encompass all of that variety or satisfy that food search need. Greys are flexible and do well on most balanced diets, as with anything you can have a bird that has food sensitivities you may need to avoid. Pellets have found to be the cause of over vitaminization issues such a Kidney damage and neurological symptoms like toe tapping so in my opinion moderation in all things and a great variety of foods is closer to their natural diet in the wild. Fortunately we have much more knowledge easily available to us now with the internet and sites like this sharing what we experience than anyone with parrots has ever had before. So do as much research as you like then feed what works best for your flock and your food stuff availability and keep that mind open to new information as it becomes available. No dog chow is not a substitute for pelleted bird food, the balance of nutrition is all wrong and some ingredients are suspect.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Greywings has amazing advice! I play it safe and offer a diet of pellets and whatever my bird groomer tells me to get. I also offer fresh fruits and veggies daily. Of course my bird groomer weighs them and tells me if they are over weight. Luckily, they never have been. I know, many are asking why I trust my groomer so much! You have to know him. He is quite eccentric, and lives for birds. He has been part of our life for the past decade. He won't even comment on anything, unless you are screwing up!

Oneday, he asked me my name. I was shocked! I told him. He asked me " how did you manage to get into one travel cage, three birds of different origins?" I told him, " lets go!" He wanted to know the living arrangements, etc. I( couldn't explain, why three birds of different species, have chosen to live together. They just did.) From that day forward, he has helped me with my birds. He is more important to me than a vet. He has ruled over Sophie like a father. Nancy