What Fresh Foods Can Parakeets Eat?

New parakeet owners should ensure that their birds eat healthy foods and stay away from harmful substances. Some foods that are normal for humans are toxic to parakeets. Avoid feeding your parakeet lettuce, avocado, chocolate, cabbage, guacamole or anything with caffeine or alcohol. Don't allow your parakeet to roam free because it may eat poisonous houseplants, lead-based items, carpet and other hazardous fabrics. Ensure the health of your parakeet by feeding it fresh foods.

  1. Seed Mixtures and Pellets

    • Pet stores sell prepackaged food for parakeets that consist of seeds, pellets or a combination of the two. The best seed mixtures contain a variety of seeds. You can occasionally create a tasty seed snack by combining seeds with honey to form a seed stick. However, give these treats to your parakeet only once or twice a week to prevent excessive weight gain.

    Vitamins and Minerals

    • Purchase vitamins for your parakeet at a pet store and add them to its water two or three times a week. Some parakeets won̵7;t drink water with vitamins added, so monitor your bird to make sure it will drink the water. Vitamins can be introduced through food or by a vet if the parakeet refuses to drink the vitamin water after a few days. Parakeets can obtain minerals through a mineral block or cuttlebone, which are good for their beaks. Other items that contain minerals include oyster shells, bird gravel and bird sand.

    Fruits and Vegetables

    • While some parakeets only want to eat seeds, they need fruits and vegetables to supplement their diet. Feed your parakeet vegetables such as carrots, peas, peppers, broccoli, spinach, zucchini, corn and sweet potatoes. Parakeets can also eat fruits such as mangoes, apples, peaches, grapes, berries, bananas, melons, oranges and pears. Clean fruits and vegetables thoroughly, and remove them from the parakeet̵7;s cage before they get old and moldy.

    Other Foods

    • To complete the parakeet̵7;s diet and add more variety, give your bird calcium and proteins from legumes, meat and dairy products. The diet can include boiled eggs, cheese and peanuts. Other foods the parakeet might enjoy include plain cooked spaghetti, crackers or bread.