What Else Do Parakeets Eat Besides Seeds?

Besides seeds, pellets are the other main staple in a parakeet’s diet. Choose a high-quality bird pellet from your vet or pet store. Stay away from grocery store varieties, artificial coloring or flavors and preservatives.

There are a wide variety of fresh fruits and veggies that you can give your parakeet. Leafy greens, such as kale or romaine lettuce, are choices your birdie will enjoy. Just rinse them thoroughly and hang them, still wet, inside that cage. Melon, tomato, pineapple and apple or pear slices are some fun fruit choices. Steam or shred carrots, broccoli, zucchini and squash and put it in with her next meal. Be aware of the bacterial growth potential. Take the fresh produce out after an hour or so and throw it away to avoid potential food poisoning.

Since your parakeet would be snacking on protein-rich foods (such as bugs and worms) if she was still in the wild, you should give her small amounts of protein to make up for it. Try adding a bit of scrambled eggs, small slices of turkey or shreds of chicken in with her next meal. The protein should be cooked and in small, workable pieces for the bird. As with produce, remove the protein after an hour or so to avoid getting her sick.

Cuttlebone is not just a beak and claw trimmer. As your birdie works away at that cuttlebone, she will be also be ingesting small amounts of it. Cuttlebones are a good source of calcium, so let her gnaw away at it.

There are some foods you should never give to your parakeet. As for liquids, never serve your bird alcohol, coffee, or caffeinated or carbonated beverages. Never feed her chocolate, avocado, dried beans, tomato leaves, garlic, onions, rhubarb or mushrooms. Don’t put fruit seeds or pits in with her food, either. Also stay away from salty or sweet treats. All these can make your parakeet sick, if not prove to be fatal.