Green-Cheeked Conure Diet

Green-cheeked conures require a diet of parrot pellets, fruit and vegetables, with limited seeds and high-fat treats. Inquisitive birds, they enjoy variety, and can learn to accept new foods if their owners have patience. Offer treats sparingly, as a reward for good behavior and to help bond with your conure.

  1. In the Wild

    • Green-cheeked conures are found in Bolivia, Brazil and Paraquay

      Small parrots from the woodlands of South America, wild green-cheeked conures expend significant amounts of energy searching for food, which includes berries, fruit, grains, seeds and nuts. Pet parrots rarely have the opportunity to spend as much energy as their wild cousins, so owners must choose their birds' food carefully.

    Parrot Pellets and Seeds

    • Parrot pellets are an important part of the green-cheeked conure diet.

      Seeds should be offered sparingly to green-cheeked conures, and mixes sold in pet stores typically contain too many calories. A bird fed exclusively on seed can develop significant health problems, and ultimately die from malnutrition, according to Nikki Moustaki at PrettyBirds.net. Fortified parrot pellets contain more nutrients than seed mixes, making them appropriate as one of the main ingredients in a conure's diet.

    Fruits and Vegetables

    • Green-cheeked conures enjoy mango and other fruits.

      In addition to parrot pellets, to boost your conure's health and happiness, add fruits such as apples, banana, papaya and mangoes, and vegetables such as peppers, carrots, corn, sprouted seeds and peas. Don't neglect the green leafy vegetables, either, including spinach and dandelion greens. Avoid lettuce, which has little nutritional value, and never feed a green-cheeked conure avocado, warns GotParrots.com, due to its toxicity to parrots.

    Treats

    • Walnut pieces are a possible green-cheeked conure treat.

      Green-cheeked conures enjoy occasional treats, such as millet seed, commercial seed and fruit balls. Your bird may also like nuts, an occasional sunflower seed or even a little dab of peanut butter on toasted bread. High-fat, high-calorie treats should make up only a small percent of a conure's to prevent weight problems, warns PetParrots101.com.

    Water

    • Green-cheeked conures need a steady supply of fresh water, which they use for more than just drinking. The conure may drop hard food, such as parrot pellets, into water to soften them before eating. The bird will also bathe in its water bowl if no other bath is available. If that happens, offer fresh drinking water after the bird finishes bathing. On a hot day, an ice cube in the water helps keep conures cool.

    Foraging

    • Inquisitive and intelligent, these birds use their wits in the wild to forage for food. Creating opportunities for foraging in a captive situation enriches a pet bird's environment, prevents boredom, and lowers the risk of behavioral problems such as feather plucking, according to veterinarians Race Foster and Marty Smith at PetEducation.com. Hiding treats in parrot toys, covering food bowls with paper the parrot can remove, or even threading leafy vegetables through the birdcage bars challenges conures to work for their food.