How to Feed a Red Rumped Parakeet

The red rumped parakeet is a small, bluish-green parrot, measuring approximately 270 mm in length. Only the male of this species has a dull red rump, while the female has pale blue feathers on its shoulders with green feathers on the rump and tail. Native to southeast Australia, the red rumped parakeet has a tendency to get aggressive and should be housed alone or in pairs. In the wild, these birds enjoy foraging on a wide variety of foods. Feed your red rumped parakeet a nutritionally-balanced diet of seeds, grains, fruits and vegetables to ensure its health and well-being.

Things You'll Need

  • red rumped parakeet
  • Canary seeds, sunflower seeds and hemp seeds, millets, groats and oats
  • Wheat germ oil
  • Raw greens such as spinach, endive, lettuce, chickweed, broccoli tops and carrot tops Green beans, peas, carrots and corn on the cob
  • Apple, pear, orange or any seasonal fruit
  • Oyster shell grit or cuttlebone
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Instructions

    • 1

      Offer your red rumped parakeet a combination of seed and grain as part of its basic diet. Feed it a teaspoon measure of canary seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, millets, groats and oats.

    • 2

      Coat the seed and grain mix with wheat germ oil before feeding. Wheat germ oil serves as a nutritional supplement for your bird, conditions its feathers and prevents egg binding in hens. Mix 1/2 tsp of wheat germ oil with every pound of seed and grain mix that you serve.

    • 3

      Feed small shreds of raw greens such as spinach, endive, lettuce, chickweed, broccoli tops and carrot tops. Green beans, peas, carrots and corn on the cob are other vegetables that you can offer your red rumped parakeet.

    • 4

      Offer a variety of fruits as treats. Cut a small piece from fruit such as apple, pear, orange or any seasonal fruit and offer it to your pet bird.

    • 5

      Place 1/2 a teaspoon of oyster shell grit or cuttlebone in a small bowl in your red rumped parakeet's cage at all times. The grit and cuttlebone will help your pet bird digest its food and also provide vital calcium.