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It is true; the wrong parrot diet can kill your beloved companion parrot. It is also true that the right bird diet can help your parrot live a long, healthy, and happy life. Only in recent years have we learned what foods should and should not be offered to our feather friends.

The main benefit of making sure your parrots diet contains the right foods is longevity. Just as people can live longer when eating a healthy diet, so can your companion parrot. It was only come to light in recent decades that parrots can live long lives if properly fed a wide variety of foods.

Deadly Bird Diet Choices

There are many bird diet selections which humans consume that are great for your parrot. However, there are seven foods that can provide deadly to your pet. These are: chocolate, alcohol, avocado, fruits seeds of any type, uncooked eggs, raw meat, or spoiled or moldy foods. There are some other foods over which there is some debate such as onions or garlic cloves. A parrot is extremely unlikely to eat enough of those items to cause a problem.

Bird Diet Items to Limit

There are also foods which a parrot may consume which should be limited in quantity. Small amounts will not harm the parrot, yet large amounts can cause serious health problems. You may notice that the foods to limit in a bird diet are those foods that people should limit in their own diets.

Any food that is high in fat must be limited in the parrots diet. When living in the wild, parrots consume little fat. Think of your pet bird diet as you would consider feeding a little child of three or four years. Sure, you might allow a young child one cookie or a few chips, but you would limit the quantity. The same goes for your parrots diet. One or two bites of these foods is okay once in a while but do not allow it to become a habit. Foods in this group include: fried foods, any foods with added butter, ice cream, and cake or cookies. Use moderation as your guide.

Salt much also be limited in a parrot's diet. Health-conscious humans also tend to limit their own salt intake. Thinking of the size of a parrot's body compared to your own, you can easily see why a tiny quantity of salt goes a long, long way. When preparing family meals, remove some vegetables prior to adding salt; this way your feathered friend can enjoy these healthy foods safely. Items which are too salty for inclusion in the bird diet include: salted chips, nuts with salt, fruits or vegetables prepared with added salt, and some packaged foods such as entrees for the microwave. Also included are cured or aged meats such as bacon or ham, and popcorn if salt or butter has been added.

Foods with high sugar are also poor choices for parrots. Diet choices can include very small quantities of added sugar, but use prudence, limiting the parrot to only a bite or two. These foods include items such as: soft drinks with sugar, sweetened cereals, fruit juice with added sugar, cookies, cakes, ice cream, and sugar-coated cereals.

Good Choices for your Bird Diet

Many foods do not have to be restricted in your bird diet at all. In fact, everything that is not listed as diet choices to limit are good choices for your bird diet. The more different foods a parrot eats the healthier and happier it will be. The longer the companion parrot will live in most cases as well.

Fruits and vegetables are great parrot diet choices, either raw or gently cooked. Cooked eggs, cheese, pasta, rice, potatoes (except potato chips or fried potatoes), noodles, bits of meat or fish, and other human foods are good for you bird. Parrots only need a very small amount of meat, so offer just a bite or two; some parrots do love a bone with a few bits of meat left on it to chew and to dig out the marrow which is quite nutritious.