Ask Lafeber

Question:

May 26, 2021

Picky Parrot Webinar – toxic foods/weaning Amazon


is it true avocado can kill an Amazon parrot? what other fruits/vegetables are forbidden?
how do i teach a 2 months and a half Amazon to eat pellets and other seeds? i am trying to teach her how to drink water and eat the formula by herself


Answer:

Hi Simona,

Avocado can be toxic and should not be offered. There are a lot of lists online with toxic and safe foods. I’ll also give you the link to the most common foods that are toxic.

Foods Toxic To Pet Birds

As for weaning, Google the term “Abundance weaning”. This is basically allowing the bird to wean at his pace, by offering a variety of foods for him to explore. Eventually you want his diet to be 80% a nutritionally balanced daily diet such as pellets or our foraging diets, and 20% fresh greens, fruits, veggies, nuts and healthy table foods. You really should not offer any loose seeds – our Nutri-Berries, Avi-Cakes and Pellet-Berries are nutritionally balanced the same as a pellet, and they contain whole seeds without the hull, so this is the only type of seed product that is balanced as a daily diet. To begin weaning, make some brown rice and add some mixed veggies. First thing in the morning, before you hand feed, put a dish of this soft food, warmed, where he can reach it. Also give him some pellets – you can even soak the pellets. And you can mix some of his formula thicker than usual, and put a small dish of that in the cage. You can also have some fruit, greens, other veggies and fresh water. You will be throwing a lot of food away every day, but this is the best way to wean a parrot so that they are confident and not stressed. Once he has these foods, leave the room and make sure he can’t see or hear you for about an hour. This gives him time to stop begging, and explore the foods. Then go back and hand feed him. Repeat this about an hour before each feeding, leaving the room so he focuses on the food and not begging you for formula. Once he learns to eat on his own, he will start to refuse his formula. Most likely he will go down to only 2 handfeedings a day, and then one, and finally none. Here is the link to our bird food guide with more food information.

Bird Food Guide

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda

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