What Does a Quaker Parrot Eat?

The Quaker parrot, or Monk parakeet, is small parrot; it is about the same size as a cockatiel. Quakers make quite quirky pets since they are mischievous but sociable. Looking after any pet requires careful consideration of its diet to ensure it is balanced and nutritious. Quakers can live beyond 20 years, so feed it properly to give your pet a long life.

  1. About Quaker Parrots

    • A Quaker parrot is a small, green bird measuring between nine and 11 inches when fully grown. It has patches of grey feathers on its chest, throat and cheeks. You can train a Quaker with proper reinforcement and patience, and the bird has the ability to talk. It builds up a trusting relationship with its owner, so it is important that all members of the family or those that come in contact with it handle the bird regularly.

    Diet

    • A Quaker parrot feeds on a varied selection of fruit, vegetables, seed mixture and commercial pellets. The special bird pellets provide the main bulk of the Quaker's diet, making up between 60 and 80 percent of the total food supply. The rest should consist of fresh produce and seeds or nuts. Give the vegetables every day and removed them from the cage if the bird does not consume them with a 24 hour period.

    Recommended Food

    • Apple slices, grated carrot, raw broccoli and green, leafy vegetables are ideal for feeding to a Quaker parrot. The parrot can nibble on them across the course of the day, plus they provide important nutrients. Do not forget to provide clean, chlorine-free drinking water at all times in the cage. Change it twice a day and more often it becomes contaminated.

    Food to Avoid

    • Avocados are toxic to Quaker parrots, so do not feed them to the bird at any point. It is also important to minimize the sodium (salt) and saturated fat it eats, since birds are vulnerable to fatty liver disease and hypertension. Only give high fat seeds such as sunflower and pumpkin as treats to avoid excess fat intake. Furthermore, don't give seeds bought for human consumption to the bird as they tend to be processed with additional salt. Also, keep chocolate, caffeine, alcohol and fruit seeds out of its diet.

    Tips

    • The Quaker parrot is a sociable bird so feeding it fresh produce during your mealtimes will allow it to eat at the same time as you. If it already on a seed diet, the parrot will benefit from being gradually weaned off it and fed pellets instead. These are healthier for Quakers. Finally, if the bird has diarrhea, change its diet as the produce could be causing the problem. Vary the vegetables you feed it, but make sure you still avoid those which are toxic, such as fruit seeds and chocolate.