Nutritional Levels of Diets Fed to Captive Amazon Parrots: Does Mixing Seed, Produce, and Pellets Provide a Healthy Diet?

Abstract

Poor nutrition is a serious problem in captive psittacine birds. Seed-based diets are known to contain excess fat, low calcium:phosphorus ratios, and other nutrient deficiencies, whereas many consider nutritionally superior, formulated diets to be monotonous. As a result, many bird owners feed a mixture of seed, produce, and formulated diet. However, the nutritional contents of such mixed diets have rarely been evaluated. In this study, we describe the nutrient contents of diets consumed by 7 adult (>6 years old), captive Amazon parrots offered produce (50% fresh weight), formulated diet (25%), and seed (25%). Diets consumed were deficient in calcium, sodium, and iron and contained more than the recommended amount of fat. In addition, the birds chose foods that exacerbated these imbalances. Birds offered low-seed diets (60% pellet, 22% produce, 18% seed, wet weight) consumed diets with more fat than recommended but acceptable levels of calcium and all other nutrients measured, as well as acceptable calcium:phosphorus ratios. This suggests that small quantities of seeds may not result in nutritionally imbalanced diets. Birds fed 75% formulated diet and 25% produce consumed diets within the recommendations for nearly all measured nutrients, demonstrating that owners of psittacine birds should be encouraged to supplement manufactured diets with low energy-density, fresh produce items to provide stimulation and foraging opportunities without fear of causing major nutritional imbalances.

Novel Nonsurgical Approach to Stabilization of Bilateral Pathologic Femoral Fractures in an Egg-laying Maroon-bellied Conure (Pyrrhura frontalis)

“…[31][32][33] In a study evaluating medullary bone density in laying hens during induced molts, hens fed deficient diets had significantly reduced midshaft femur cancellous bone densities when compared with birds fed full-laying pellet diets. 25 The conure also lacked exposure to direct sunlight or UV-B lighting (290-315 nm) for vitamin D 3 acquisition.…”

Advancing avian nutrition through best feeding practice

“…Given the differences in nutrient composition between domestic produce items and plant parts eaten in the wild, and those between farm‐raised and wild prey items, together with our limited understanding of the factors affecting food choice in the wild it should be evident that feeding ‘natural’ items is no guarantee of meeting estimated nutrient requirements and combinations of feed types are more likely to provide ‘balanced’ nutrition (Ullrey et al ., ; Werquin et al ., ; Kirk Baer et al ., ; Brightsmith, ).…”

“…Feeding of manufactured (pelleted or extruded) diets induces animals to consume a diet with a nutrient profile designed to meet ‘recommended’ nutrient requirements. While a manufactured diet can provide the bulk of the nutrition, most are formulated to allow quantities of suitably nutritious other, more‐natural food ingredients (see Ullrey et al ., ; Werquin et al ., ; Brightsmith, ). Increasingly, bird‐food companies are working with zoos to develop working relations to improve the quality of diets available and fill niches where diets are not currently available.…”

“…Avian nutrition integrates anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, behaviour and ecology to understand the interactions between a bird and its food supply, and understanding avian nutrition is central to securing the survival of all birds. In captivity, providing an appropriate diet is vital for successful management, reproduction and conservation of rare species (Dierenfeld, ; Brightsmith, ; Fusté et al ., ; Walker et al ., ). Most of the scientific understanding of avian nutrition comes from somewhat independent disciplines: nutritional ecology, zoo biology and poultry production.…”

Cardiovascular parameters in capitive blue-fronted amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva, Linnaeus, 1758) with varying body condition scores

“…Blue-fronted Amazon parrots ( Amazona aestiva , Linnaeus, 1758) are popular pets and are often kept in captivity [1,2], with characteristics such as an attractive appearance, interaction with the owner and a long lifespan helping to explain such popularity [3]. In captivity, it is common for these birds to have diets based on oilseeds, which are rich in fat and low in minerals and vitamins, and may potentially lead to nutritional and cardiovascular disorders, compromising the quality of life of the birds [4,5].…”