The Parrot Seed to Pellet Conversion
The Parrot Seed to Pellet Conversion
How to convert your bird from fattening to healthy foods
Everyone knows… birds love parrot seed. So, it’s no wonder that converting your bird from an all-seed diet to pellets is difficult.
Even though seed is a natural part of a bird’s diet in the wild, it doesn’t even make up half of what they eat. Most wild birds eat leaves, stems, vines, shoots, vegetables, fruits, seed, flowers, insects, and insect larvae. Birds in captivity have the same dietary needs, so feeding your bird an all-seed diet is simply not enough. Seed is high in fat and full of oil. Many birds become obese from seed diets as well as contract fatty liver disease. Seed is low in many vitamins and minerals, so feeding your bird a seed diet can cause all kinds of deficiences as well.
Seed is good for an occasional treat and is great to use as treats during training. Other than that, seed is not good for your bird and you should instead focus on feeding him a variety of the healthy food mentioned on this page.
On that page, you will find that pellets are a better option for your bird’s diet. The tricky part is getting your bird to agree.
This is actually easier than you think. Here are some easy steps you can try in order to successfully convert your bird from a parrot seed diet to a pelleted diet:
- Make sure your bird recognizes that pellets are food. This is important. If your bird thinks pellets are toys and doesn’t eat them, the next tactic isn’t going to work. So, make sure that your bird understands that pellets are food before proceeding.
- Offer the pellets alongside or mixed in with your bird’s current parrot seed. You can even put pellets on top of a favorite treat or wet food to encourage him to try them.
- Once you see that your bird is eating the pellets, gradually increase the amount of pellets and decrease the amount of seed in the mixture you are feeding him.
Remember: Don’t starve your bird into trying a pelleted diet. Continue to feed him a good variety while converting.
This can take up to a month or more, depending on how stubborn your bird is. But don’t give up! Just remember that proper nutrition is absolutely necessary for your bird’s diet and lifespan!
The Best for Your Bird
See the best diet we recommend for your bird’s species:
- The Best X-Small Food
For Canaries and Finches - The Best Small Food
For Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Small Parakeets, and Parrotlets - The Best Medium Food
For Caiques, Small Conures, Large Parakeets, Pionus, and Poicephalus - The Best Large Food
For African Greys, Amazons, Small Cockatoos, Large Conures, Eclectus, Hawk-Headed Parrots, and Mini-Macaws - The Best X-Large Food
For Large Cockatoos and Macaws
Important Food Information
| FOODS TO AVOID | |
| These foods are toxic to ALL birds and should never be fed to them under any circumstance! | |
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