What should I feed my parrot?
This is one of the most commonly asked questions regarding parrots.
Most people realize that birds require seeds to thrive, but a bird’s diet is about so much more than a good mixture of seeds.
It also requires fruits, vegetables, and pellets.
We’ve written several other posts about different fruits and vegetables that are safe for parrots, so be sure to check them out – but what about pellets?
Pellets are an important part of a parrots diet. Today we will educate you all about the nutritional value that pellets add, and tell you what to look for in a good pellet.
| Our Award | Name | Image | Read Full Review | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Budget | Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro-Health Parrot Bird Food |  |
Read Full Review |  |
| Best For Weight Balance | ZuPreem Smart Selects Parrot & Conure Bird Food |  |
Read Full Review | |
| Best Premium | TOP’s Parrot Food Organic Pellets |  |
Read Full Review | |
| Best Overall | Vitakraft Menu Care Complex Parrot Food. |  |
Read Full Review | |
We will also share some of our top pellet picks! But those of you who don’t have the time to read on, we’ll share our top pellet pick right now – Vitakraft Menu Care Complex Parrot Food.
This pellet has everything you need to help your parrot maintain a healthy and well-balanced diet on a budget.
The best pellets on a budget
If you’re looking for some great pellets but need to stick to a modest budget, look no further than the Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro-Health Parrot Bird Food.
This pelleted food is all natural, made and bagged with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Within the bag you’ll not only find pellets, but also a healthy mixture of grains and natural seeds like red millet, ground corn, and canary grass seed.
This forti-diet food contains 16% protein, helping your parrot to sustain their energy, maintain their feathers, develop their muscles, and stay healthy.
And in addition to that, the Kaytee Forti-Diet parrot food also helps to encourage foraging by providing your parrot with a variety of different shapes, colors, and textures to choose from – all on a budget.
The Best Pellets for Weight Balance
If you have a parrot that is overweight, you’ll want to look for a pellet that is specially formulated with balance in mind.
For weight loss, our top choice is ZuPreem Smart Selects Parrot & Conure Bird Food.
This food provides your parrot with a delicious blend of healthy and nutritious options including wholesome grains, seeds, and dried fruit. But unlike most other pelleted food options, ZuPreem Smart Selects leaves out alternatives that are high in fats and carbohydrates – like sunflower seeds.
These pellets also provide your parrot with what ZuPreem describes as “smart” levels of fat and sodium, as well as probiotics that can help your parrot maintain a healthy digestive system.
If you want the best of the best for your parrot, our premium choice suggestion is TOP’s parrot food organic pellets.
As you probably already know, we always say that organic is the best option for your parrot.
Made by cold-pressing organic, non-GMO ingredients, this pelleted food is certified organic and naturally preserved using things like orange peels and lemon.
Don’t think that just because it’s naturally preserved that this food loses any of its nutritional content.
TOP’s parrot food organic pellets are a great source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and protein.
And measuring only ¼ inch in diameter, these pellets are perfect for feathered friends of any size.
The Best Overall Pellets
If you’re looking for a pellet that has a little bit of everything, look no further than the Vitakraft Menu Care Complex Parrot Food.
Vitakraft Parrot Pellets help to encourage a balanced diet by providing your parrot with a variety of mixed pellets, seeds, grains, and fruits.
The combination of peanuts, bananas, raisins, sunflowers, and other nutritionally beneficial foods provide your parrot with probiotics, Omega 3 fatty acids, and other vitamins and minerals that they require for optimal health and weight balance.
The variety and nature of this pellet mix will also help to encourage exercise and foraging, making it an excellent choice for both meals and treats.
What are Parrot Pellets?
When it comes to your parrot’s health, they require a balanced and nutritious diet – just like we do.
And the best way to provide your parrot with everything that they need to thrive is by giving them lots of variety and options.
For many years, parrot owners focused on providing their parrots with seeds. And while seeds are definitely an important part of your parrots diet, they require a lot more than that to thrive.
In the wild, parrots don’t only feed on seeds.
They also feed on grasses, nuts, fruits, flowers, and vegetables.
A great way to provide your parrot with a good mixture of all these things is with the help of a pelleted diet.
But before we talk about the best pellet diets, let’s first clarify the difference between seeds and pellets.
Let’s start with seeds.
Seeds are an important part of your parrots diet.
The problem with seeds is that most of them are high in fats and low in vitamins and minerals.
In return, they don’t provide your parrot with the nutritional value that they need to thrive.
For this reason, seeds are a better treat option than a meal option.
Pellets, on the other hand, are a formulated diet that contain a blend of seeds, as well as fruits, vegetables, and grains.
They provide your parrot with a mixture of healthy vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, and also provide them with enough variety that your parrot can pick their favorite pieces.
The other benefit of pelleted diets is that they are not a one size fits all solution.
Rather, pelleted diets are made specifically for each bird type.
This means that when you choose the right pellet diet, your parrot is getting exactly what they need in terms of nutritional value.
The Nutritional Value of Pellets
Pellets should be considered as the base of your parrots diet.
According to experts, your parrots diet should consist of between 60 and 80 percent pellets.
The remaining 20 to 40 percent should consist of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other foods.
It’s difficult to give an exact nutritional value for pellets, because each pelleted brand and type is formulated differently.
With that being said, most pelleted formulas are a good blend of fruits, vegetables, seeds, and grains, providing your parrot everything they need to stay healthy.
With a good pellet formula your parrot will receive a healthy intake of protein, fiber, Vitamin A, B vitamins, Omega 3’s, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Calcium, Potassium, Manganese, and so on and so forth.
The more varied the blend, the healthier and more nutritionally beneficial the pellet.
What to look for in a parrot pellet:
When buying parrot food, there are several factors you want to consider:
The Type of Parrot You Own.
When purchasing parrot pellets, the first thing you want to consider is what type of parrot you own.
Pellets are specially formulated for specific parrot types, so what is considered beneficial for an Amazon parrot may not be the same for a budgie.
Pelleted diets are also divided into parrot size, so be sure that you select a pellet brand for small, medium, or large parrots depending on what type of parrot you own.
Your parrots taste preferences
Like humans, parrots each have their own personal preferences when it comes to taste.
In return, they might prefer one type of pellet to another.
You may have to try several different pellet brands before finding one that they take to.
Your parrots behaviors
There are several different pelleted brands out there that are designed to encourage foraging.
Foraging is a natural behavior for your parrot and should be encouraged as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Searching for a pelleted food that will encourage foraging will help to keep your parrots mind and body active, promoting activity while they eat.
Your Parrots Weight
If your parrot is over or underweight, you can look for a diet that is specially formulated for weight gain or weight loss.
Weight loss pellets may exclude seeds that contain a lot of carbohydrates but not a lot of nutritional value (like sunflowers) and weight gain pellets may include more carbohydrate-heavy foods.
Ingredients
Before purchasing a parrot pellet brand, always check the ingredient list.
Is it all natural? Does it contain any preservatives? What about artificial colors or flavors? Does it contain GMO?
Try to avoid pellets that contain anything other than all natural ingredients.
If you can afford it, organic is always the best option.
Budget
Budget is always something to be considered when making a purchase of any kind.
The good news is that most pellets are not expensive to buy, and a little bit of pellet will go a long way in your parrots diet.
Try to strike a good balance between quality and affordability.
In conclusion, parrot pellets should make up the majority of your parrots diet.
When combined with a healthy balance of fresh fruits, vegetables, and seeds, your parrot can intake all of the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that they need to thrive.