feeding macaws

[nicola mulvey]

hi there.

just a quick one can you feed any of the following food groups to a greenwing macaw?

milk and dairy (cheese, yogart, custard)
meats,
fish,
egg
bread, cereals,
potatoes
pastry


things i know/thing that you can not feed are: high sugar/fat foods such as sweets, caffeine, advocardo, carbonated drinks, chocolate.


also aer there any wood or plant types that they can not chew. such as conifer family.


thanks for your help nicola

[sue]

"Its diet consists of ripe and unripe fruits, nuts, seeds, berries and vegetable matter. A green wing macaw loves a seed mix of sunflower, safflower, hemp, wheat, oats, canary grass seed and various millets. Porridge and biscuits are delightful treats for a green wing macaw."
Taken from pet parrots.com

Marvellous thing, Google

I would imagine, not knowing anything about birds, that as near to natural diet as possible would keep them the healthiest. I think custard is pushing it a bit lol!

[Hardwicki]

Pastry is very high in fat!

[AshMashMash]

I think, like with other picky eaters like rabbits, pelleted foods are best. Prevents them picking out only there favourite things (ie, just sun flower seeds), and makes sure they get all nutrients.

Surely a vet or breeder could help you out?

[*mogwai*]

a parrot can eat a wide variety of foods. a bit of cheese, yoghurt or egg is a great way to increae calcuim intake. pastry is too high in fat but they can have a bit of rich tea bicuit, toast or PLAIN sponge. cooked rice & pasta can also be given.

all the above are to be fed occasionally, the main diet must consist of a good quality seed mix, with not loads and loads of sunflowers seeds and not dusty. most pet shops don't supply good quality mix so your best bet is the internet. also fresh fruit and veg must be given daily.

if you ask your vet for advice, they'll recommend harrisons. not saying harrisons is bad but vets get commission from selling it so bare that in mind.

[Magpie]

Don't feed any dairy, it'll clog his crop.

[Ssthisto]

Don't provide fruit tree wood unless you have stripped every scrap of bark off it - inner bark AND outer bark. The inner bark of most fruit trees contains cyanide.

Willow is safe.

[Razaiel]

Originally Posted by Ssthisto

Don't provide fruit tree wood unless you have stripped every scrap of bark off it - inner bark AND outer bark. The inner bark of most fruit trees contains cyanide.

Willow is safe.

I always thought apple and pear were OK - but not cherry. My caique loves stripping the bark off willow (which is mostly what we have available).

I was told years ago that natural yoghurt was good for birds on antibiotics as it replaces some of the gut flora lost when on the drug. (if that's not true please say so as I wouldn't want anyone to think it was gospel - was told this by a reputable bird person)