Hi. . . I have 8 birds (7 rescued), which I think I mentioned in my last email to you. I have learned so much about diet for these guys from my very knowledgeable exotic vet and I would like to share the information with you. Some of my parrots have medical problems due to poor diet in their past lives. Parrots should be fed a diet that is consistent with their medical needs. They should have annual exams yearly by an Avian/Exotic Vet, not just a general veterinarian, and this way you can keep track of any problems they may have. I rarely feed fruit to my birds - once in awhile as a treat, but my birds with heart/liver or other major problems never get fruit, as there is just too much sugar in it. The only pellets I use for my guys are Roudybush Rice Pellets, or Zupreem (Natural, NOT fruit flavored). Supplements aren't needed when birds eat pellets. Also, birds are lactose intolerant so they should not be fed dairy products - soy milk (PLAIN) is okay, although if you have a bird with a high uric acid content, proteins should be cut back. Seed should only be given to parakeets and cockatiels ONCE IN AWHILE (these species should also get the pellets I mentioned above and soft, nutritional food). Seeds have no nutritional value and very high fat content and should be avoided. All birds should eat, in additional to the pelleted food, grains, dandelion greens, collard greens (both of these greens are very high in Vitamin A, which birds are prone to be deficient in), legumes, radish, home-grown organic sprouts. Calcium is very important (I shave a cuttlebone and sprinkle it on their soft food). Spinach, beets and kale deplete calcium in birds. Lettuce has no nutritional value at all. Peanut butter should be avoided (use Almond butter instead once in awhile for a little treat) because of the mold content in the peanuts, which can cause serious problems in birds. Peas, carrots and corn should be avoided also because of sugar contnt.Sweet potatoes have a high Vitamin A content, but do have some sugar, also, so be careful. Some birds like them raw - I steam them and put them in their rice/bean/quinoa mix. If your bird doesn't seem to like the greens, I juice them in a Vita-mix - which doesn't throw out any nutritional content - and mix it into the bean/rice mix. Yes, I use organic as much as possible - if you can't find certain organic foods, use Organic Apple Cider Vinegar to wash them. I hope this info is helpful.

I used basic pet-store bought food until I visited a menagerie in California and they recommended Hagen Tropican Lifetime pellets for parrots. I saw the coloring of my cherry-headed conure change from a pretty red and green to a vibrant red and green. I feed this to my Alexandrine too and his coloring is gorgeous! Very happy with it and it smells great!