Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are excellent additions to any bird's diet, but there are do's and don'ts with each. Vegetables supply carbohydrates and vitamins for your bird, but they should not make up more than 40% of your bird's daily diet. Try to avoid celery, lettuce and related vegetables because they are very low in nutritional value.
Vegetables can be fed fresh (cleaned first, of course) or cooked. Remember to remove uneaten cooked foods within 30 minutes to prevent spoilage and disease problems. Some of the most common vegetables used to feed birds are corn, beans of all types, carrots, chili peppers, peas, potatoes, radishes, and squash of all types.
Fruits supply sugars, which are used as a quick energy source, but shouldn't make up more than 10% of the bird's daily diet. With such a high sugar content, fruits can spoil very quickly and also attract bugs. Always remove the uneaten portions within 30 minutes for sanitary reasons. Almost all fruits are safe, but they should be washed thoroughly before being placed in the cage. Some of the most common fruits used as dietary supplements are apples, bananas, berries of all types, melons of all types, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, raisins, and pineapples. Please do not offer your bird avocado or fruit pits. These items can cause severe digestive problems. |
For the maximum nutritional benefit try to vary the fruit and vegetable offerings as much as possible. This will create a sense of anticipation and surprise for your bird as the foods change daily.
There are many table foods that can be safely fed to your bird as long as they are fed in moderation. It is important to keep in mind the amount you are offering your bird. The following is a quick discussion of the various table foods that can be fed.
Vegetables are a great source of vitamin, calcium and iron. Remember the darker vegetables have a higher nutritional content. Try offering broccoli, spinach, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, and corn. Try offering these in different shapes or assortments. Your bird may not like bell pepper strips but adores them cut into small cubes or mixed with corn. Every bird is different and you may need to experiment to find the most palatable vegetables for your bird.
Fruits provide a variety of vitamins as well as a natural energy boost. As with vegetables, the darker the color the higher the vitamin content. Almost any fruit can be offered, but do not feed any fruit that still contains the pit. Most birds enjoy oranges, apples, bananas, grapes, pears, mangos, or kiwis. With the wide variety of fruits available in every season you are sure to always keep your bird guessing what's for dinner tonight.
Carbohydrates are the fuel that your bird's body runs on and are found in starches and simple sugars. A good starch source includes cooked and uncooked pasta. Try to avoid the sauces that are usually added to pasta. These generally contain fatty creams, butter, or more salt than your bird should have. Other carbohydrate sources include rice, unflavored and unsalted popcorn and whole wheat, natural grain breads. |
Protein sources most commonly used are legumes or very lean meat. We prefer feeding legumes, but if you are going to offer some meat make sure it is thoroughly cooked. Again, you may have to experiment to find the legumes that your bird likes. Some suggestions include green or yellow peas, garbanzo, kidney, red or other beans. Two other protein sources include nuts and cooked eggs. Keep in mind that nuts are very high in fat and should be fed in moderation. We know your bird loves them, but your job is to keep them healthy as well as happy.
Remember that variety is the spice of life. This goes for birds, too.
|
FAVORITE VEGGIES | FRESH FRUITS | PROTEIN | CARBOHYDRATES |
RAW CARROTS | APPLES (No Seeds) | WELL COOKED BEEF | WHEAT TOAST |
RAW CORN ON THE COB | GRAPES | WELL COOKED CHICKEN | PASTA |
BROCCOLI | KIWI | TUNA
(Packed In Water) | MACARONI & CHEESE |
ASPARAGUS | BANANAS | LOW FAT CHEESE | OATS |
ZUCCHINI | PLUMS | BEANS | WARM OATMEAL |
SQUASH | TANGERINES | HARD BOILED EGGS | CEREAL SUCH AS: |
BELL PEPPERS | BLACKBERRIES | | CHEERIOS |
FRESH JALAPENOS | PEACHES | | LIFE |
CUCUMBERS | SOME CITRUS FRUIT | | KIX |
CAULIFLOWER | | | POTATOES |
TOMATOES | | | PEAS |
RAW SPINACH | | | LIMA BEANS |
BRUSSEL SPROUTS (Cooked) | | | |
PEAS IN POD | | | |
FRESH GREEN BEANS | | | |
GREENS
(Mustard/Turnip/
Collard/Dandelion) | | | |
POTATOES (Cooked) | | | |
SWEET POTATOES (Cooked) | | | |
YAMS (Cooked) | | | |
RADISHES | | | |
|
|
|