My Anonymous Blog

Parrot Care: Seed vs. Pellet Diet

It seems I've once again slipped into the quirky mindset of Bird Lady status. I'm not ashamed of it, however, as my love for animals, nature and the preservation of the earth is too strong to care what my fellow neighbors and friends in NYC think.

I stumbled upon a series of helpful videos for bird owners that tackles a variety of issues plaguing pet parrots, including biting, feather plucking and, in the example video below, converting your pet parrot to a healthier and more varied diet that includes pellets, fresh fruits & vegetables instead of purely seed. Imagine if you were to eat a diet comprised entirely of peanuts - that is essentially what it is like for a parrot faced with bowl after bowl of seed during its entire life span.  Not only is it uninteresting or stimulating for the parrot, but it also contributes to avian obesity and can drastically cut their lives short. Behavior and overall mood can also show marked improvement with a healthier diet put in place.

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Bird Care Guide - How to Convert Your Bird From a

Chickpea is Not a Peep

I adopted an American Yellow Pacific Parrotlet on February 25, 2010. Her name is Chickpea and she's adorable (or at least I think so - you'll have to judge for yourself). Here are a few photos of the beast in action.

 
She loves getting her head scratched!

 
Hanging out in the windowsill is a favorite pastime of hers - she has full view of the neighborhood and can spy on passersby.

 
This morning, she stopped waiting around near her cage for her food to be delivered and has decided that the kitchen counter is where she's going to be from now on, so that she can sample the offerings as they're cut up and put into her dish. No patience! 

 
Finally, a lot of people think she resembles a Peep. Maybe it's due to Easter drawing near and those garishly spray painted Peeps are just on people's brains right now, or perhaps it's the fact that she looks a bit chick-like from a distance. Whatever the case, I just hope nobody tries to eat her.