The foods we eat...err, the foods parrots eat

Gussie is like a kid when it comes to food. She will taste a great deal of foods if I coax her into it. I will do that by eating something in front of her and talking about how good it is. And I often times make the customary yum-yum sounds that you would make to introduce toddlers to new foods. Sometimes she likes them. Most times she doesn't. The times she doesn't, she pitches them at me. The times she does, she will make a sound that suggests she is pleasantly surprised. That is often accompanied with a wide eyed look that leads to pins and then a red face. Those instances make it all worth the trouble but I am well aware that her reaction could be completely different the next time around. I introduce her to anything and everything that I think I can get away with. She has a good understanding of many words so I often entice her to try things by using a food word that she routinely responds to.

I happen to be a vegetarian who is interested in health and wellness so my focus is often on natural foods with no preservatives or additives for color, stability or flavor. It is my belief that the best foods for us (people and birds alike) are those God created and makes available to us in His packaging.

When we first got Gussie we had to do some reading about the dos and don'ts of living with a bird. We have not tested the don'ts when it comes to foods that might be harmful to her. I have heard of some instances where bird owners have given their birds some of these items. Below I have listed those foods as we know them. I am sure there are others but these are the foods often found in our house that we don't share with our bird.

-Chocolate

-Avocado

-Cauliflower

-Cabbage

-Brussel sprouts

-Citrus fruits

-Pineapple

The following is a list of bird-approved foods. These results come from trial and error as well as reading and recommendations from other bird owners.

+Grains-rice, kamut, quinoa, bulgur

+Breads, rolls, crackers, tortillas, tortilla chips (without seasonings)

+Vegetables- carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, dark leafy greens, peppers, broccoli

Note: The vegetable listed above help the respiratory system by converting the carotene into Vitamin A.

+Other vegetables- corn, edamame, peas, jicama, cucumber, white or new potatoes, tomatoes

+Fruits- banana (ritual every morning), blueberries, cherries, apples, pears, melons

+Pasta including couscous

+Cheese in small amounts

+Meat, chicken or fish in small amounts

+Nuts and seeds

Favorite Snacks

+peanuts in the shell (every afternoon about 5pm)

+popcorn (no seasoning)

+nuggety things (little health squares with lots of nuts and seeds in them)

Forbidden foods or ingredients

-Junk food of any kind including cookies, doughnuts, fast food, seasoned chips or crackers

-Pop or soda

-Milk

-Salt, spices

-Preservatives in food (watch for MSG or other flavor enhancers)

Gussie, as all birds, has favorites and major dislikes. She will not touch broccoli, except to throw it out of her dish. She only picks up a raw carrot to chomp it into bits like it is a piece of wood or cardboard. She ignores peppers unless they are red but they must be peeled. She loves peanuts but is not interested in peanut butter. She gets excited over almond butter but rarely eats almonds from her dish unless they are cut up. She likes green and orange melon but wont touch watermelon. She gets very excited when I go to the freezer because she knows her corn is in there. Corn on the cob, being a seasonal food, is generally left in her dish unless I re-train her and coax her into eating it and chewing on the cob.

Birds, like you and me, can be very decisive and often times know exactly what they want. I think we manage to communicate quite effectively with her most of the time. It takes trial and error and patience and perseverance and imagination and cajoling and coaxing and understanding.

This bird is persnickety and knows what she likes most days. Paying attention is key.

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