If you decide to have a feathered pet, you should first find out what exactly it eats. It is a big mistake to think that you can just buy ready-made feed, and your bird will no longer need anything. So, what to feed the budgerigar.
How to feed a parrot properly
The main rule in feeding any animals and birds is that the products must be of high quality and fresh, without the addition of chemicals. In addition, you must remember to wash your pet's dishes and change the water every day.
There is no single answer to the question of how often to feed a parrot. These birds have a fairly fast metabolism, and therefore do not leave them without food for more than three hours. It is best to give your pet the entire daily amount of grain feed every day at a certain time. Put slices of vegetables or fruits into the cage grid. In addition, it should be remembered that it is necessary to introduce new feeds into the diet gradually. Wait for your bird to get used to the new food.
What food should you feed your parrot
The basis of nutrition for parrots is a grain mixture consisting of oats (about 10%), millet of various types (about 70%), as well as 20% of the remaining seeds - canary, linseed and hemp, wheat, etc. Purchase ready-made mixtures that are intended for the species your parrot. Mixes for other species may contain, for example, sunflower seeds and peanuts, which are overly fatty foods for the budgerigar. However, in small quantities, nuts and seeds can be given.
As a supplement to the main food, it is useful to give the parrot sprouted grain, which contains a large amount of vitamins. It is best to germinate millet or wheat.
In addition, a parrot's diet should include fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs every day. It can be various berries and fruits: apples, pears, citrus fruits, cherries, cucumbers, carrots, etc. it is advisable to give them in large pieces. Put greens in your pet's cage - lettuce, dandelion, spinach.
If necessary, feed the parrots with animal feed, such as hard-boiled chicken eggs.
What can not be fed to a parrot
Parrots should not be fed with the following foods:
- avocado, mango and papaya;
- potatoes;
- spicy herbs (dill, parsley, cilantro);
- garlic and onions;
- candied fruits;
- meat, fish, cheese, butter, seafood.
In addition, you should not feed the parrot from a common table. Such food contains too much fat and salt for these birds and can harm the health of the bird.
How to feed a parrot chick?
As a rule, a female parrot independently feeds newborn chicks with her goiter milk. However, it happens that the young mother refuses or cannot feed the cubs. Then you will have to take care of her offspring yourself.
It is recommended to feed chicks in the following way. Dilute baby food to a relatively liquid state and heat the formula to 37 ° C. Place the chick with its back down on your palm. Then, dipping a thin, clean brush into the mixture, gently bring it to the side of the chick's beak so that it is convenient for him to swallow the hanging drop. Feed the chick until it is completely full. Such feedings should be carried out every 2 hours.
Gradually, the number of feedings should be reduced, and millet porridge made from crushed millet should be added to the diet. When the chicks reach 20 days old, they need to be transplanted into the cage and little by little taught to spoon-feeding. You can push it through the door.
When chicks can eat from a spoon after a while, cook them a thicker porridge. After that, also gradually begin to introduce the grain mixture into the diet of the grown parrot cub.
