Ask Lafeber

How Much To Feed My Conure

I have an eleven year old Blue Crown Conure. In August I was able to switch him from a high seed (junk food) commercial diet to Nutriberries and Avicakes. He’s always been a good eater, but now I don’t know how much to feed him. On the high seed diet, I would refill his bowl every 3 days and he was happy. Now I give him 4 – 5 nutriberries and 3 squares of avicakes each morning. He is done with them in about 2 hours and “begs” for more food during the rest of the day. A lot of the nutriberries and avicakes end up on the bottom of his cage, but he does not eat them. With his high seed diet, he would reach between the bottom cage bars and munch on what was left on the bottom of the cage. Should I feed him more? Am I feeding him enough times during the day? I am leaving him with a pet sitter for a week at the end of November and I’m not sure what to tell her his feeding schedule is. I would appreciate your ideas or advice?

Thank you.

Hi Laurie,

Now that he is eating the Avi-Cakes and Nutri-Berries, he can learn to eat them more efficiently. If you understand his instincts better, then you will understand why he is wasting so much. In the wild, if food is abundant, parrots eat their favorite bits and drop the rest. You can start giving him fewer at a time, and then give him more when those have been eaten. Any that are dropped can be put back in his dish as long as they haven’t gotten wet or soiled with poop. ?

It sounds like the amount you are giving him is probably enough for a day, except do not give them all at once. Appetites vary by bird, but generally 8-10 Avi-Cakes/Nutriberries total will be enough each day. If he can reach the dropped food, and you already know he knows how to retrieve those, then don’t worry too much. If he is hungry enough, he will go down and get them if you haven’t already placed them back in his dish. It sounds more like he is picking out his favorite parts and asking for more, so he can pick out his favorite parts again! Very typical – so you need to show him you will keep putting the partial berries/cakes back in his dish until he eats them all up. He will learn – he is still getting out of the habit of having empty calories to fill up on all day.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda