Parrots are common pets that a lot of people own. These birds are considered smart and can even be taught to speak.Â
There are even a few studies that have shown just how smart a parrot can truly get (1). The best parrot food can help your pet live a longer, healthier, and happier life.Â
We Recommend
Best parrot food
1. ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor Parrot & Conure Bird Food
The ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor Parrot & Conure Bird Food is one of the best options if you are finding it difficult to move your pet over to the best parrot pellets.Â
This parrot food features novel fruit colors, flavor, and shapes, which helps to motivate your parrot to eat.Â
This is a highly nutritious food as well, which provide your parrot with essential nutrients.Â
The pellets for parrots are also fortified with added vitamins, amino acids, and minerals.Â
You can choose between various bag sizes when you buy the ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor Parrot & Conure Bird Food.Â
These range from a small 0.875-pound bag, up to a 35-pound bag. The parrot pellets are low in fat and known to support the bird’s immune system.Â
Check the price of ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor Parrot & Conure Bird Food here
What we liked
- Fruit flavor
- Provides essential nutrients
- Available in different sizes
- Provides a pellet diet
- Low in fat content
- Fruity colors
- Fortified with additional nutrients
Food form: Pellets
Main ingredients: Soybean meal, ground wheat, wheat germ meal, ground corn
Lifestage: Adult
2. Volkman Avian Science Super African Grey Parrot & Amazon Parrot Food
The Volkman Avian Science Super African Grey Parrot & Amazon Parrot Food is an excellent option if you want to offer your pet a balanced diet.Â
The parrot feed provides a mixture of seeds, nuts, and even real fruits and veggies.Â
This offers your parrot the most essential nutrients to keep them healthy.Â
The food for parrots is also fortified with calcium, as well as additional minerals and vitamins.Â
This is a clean food product that does not use fillers or chemicals. Real apples, cherries, plums, blueberries, cranberries, and other dried food are added to this natural parrot food.
Check the price of Volkman Avian Science Super African Grey Parrot & Amazon Parrot Food here
What we liked
- Made for African Greys
- Also appropriate for Amazon parrots
- Available in a four-pound bag
- Clean and pure bird food
- Offers added calcium
- Fortified with minerals and vitamins
- Include colorful seeds
Food form: Seeds, fruits, nuts, veggies
Main ingredients: Safflower seed, oat groats, buckwheat, rough rice, shelled peanuts, pumpkin seeds, dehydrated peas
Lifestage: Adult
3. TOP’s Parrot Food Mariene Mc’Cohen’s Signature Blend Small Bird Food
The TOP’s Parrot Food Mariene Mc’Cohen’s Signature Blend Small Bird Food offers a unique formula that supports the growth and overall development of your parrot.Â
This small parrot food is healthy and nutritional. This particular option is made for smaller parrot species.Â
While the food does come at a higher price than some alternative options, it features USDA organic certified ingredients.Â
The TOPS parrot food is able to provide a range of nutrients for your pet bird.Â
It does not use any type of artificial ingredients, and no peanuts, corn, or soy is added to the formula.Â
Marlene Mc’Cohen is involved in the production of this TOPS parrot pellets. It is a natural food that is safer for your pet.Â
Check the price of TOP’s Parrot Food Mariene Mc’Cohen’s Signature Blend Small Bird Food here
What we liked
- Good for smaller parrots
- 2.5-pound bag
- Blended dry foodÂ
- No artificial colors
- GMO-free food
- Does not contain artificial flavors
- No peanuts, soy, or corn
Food form: Dry food
Main ingredients: Alfalfa, barley, sunflower seed hulled, quinoa whole, buckwheat hulled, rice, carrot powder, dandelion leaf powder
Lifestage: Adult
4. Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Parrot Bird Food
The Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Parrot Bird Food is great if you find that your pet might not be getting enough nutrients.Â
It is a premium parrot food. This is a fortified food that contains all of the minerals and vitamins that a parrot need.Â
It also contains omega-3 fatty acids in the form of DHA – which is why many prefer it when asking what is the best food for parrots.Â
This means the food is able to provide adequate support for eye, heart, and brain health in a parrot.
The parrot foods contain added prebiotics, as well as probiotics—this helps to promote a healthier gut flora in your parrot.Â
The healthy food for parrots helps with digestive function. It is also a clean food that combines a range of natural ingredients for a high-quality diet.Â
Check the price of Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Parrot Bird Food here
What we liked
- Fortified food
- Contains omega-3
- Good for eye and brain health
- Improves skin and feather health
- Support a parrot’s immunity
- Contains a variety of seeds
- Prebiotics and probiotics added
Food form: Mix
Main ingredients: Safflower seed, corn, millet canary grass seed, oat groats
Lifestage: Adult
5. ZuPreem Natural with Vitamins, Minerals & Amino Acids Medium Bird Food
If you prefer to feed your pet the best pellets for parrots, then the ZuPreem Natural with Vitamins, Minerals & Amino Acids Medium Bird Food is a good option to consider too.Â
This is a Zupreem natural parrot food formula that is fortified with a large range of nutrients.Â
The nutritional content of the food includes minerals, amino acids, and vitamins. This is often also considered the best parrot food for African Grey.Â
The parrot bird food is also relatively affordable when compared to some of the other options that are available.Â
ZuPreem also produces all of its products locally in the United States, which helps the company have strict rules and ensure the overall quality of its bird foods.Â
Check the price of ZuPreem Natural with Vitamins, Minerals & Amino Acids Medium Bird Food here
What we liked
- Affordable option
- Contains amino acids
- Fortified with minerals
- 2.5-pound bag
- Makes up 80% of parrot’s diet
- Wholesome diet
- Natural foods included
Food form: Pellets
Main ingredients: Ground corn, ground millet, ground barley, soybean meal, ground wheat, wheat germ meal
Lifestage: Adult
6. Lafeber Tropical Fruit Nutri-Berries Parrot Bird Food
Next is a cheap parrot food, but also a food that many people tend to use as a treat instead of a daily meal for their parrots.Â
The Lafeber Tropical Fruit Nutri-Berries Parrot Bird Food offers a high-quality formula, with the food offered in a fun shape – this helps to encourage the bird to eat their food.Â
The food provides balanced nutrition for your parrot – which is essential in parrot diets.Â
The parrot seed mix contains added omega 3 and 6, which are essential for promoting a healthier brain, heart, and eyes.Â
Real fruits and vegetables are used in the production of this food. The company also does not use any type of artificial substances in its formula, making it the best parrot food brand for many bird owners.
Check the price of Lafeber Tropical Fruit Nutri-Berries Parrot Bird Food here
What we liked
- Good for low budget
- Available in different sizes
- Premium-quality ingredients
- All-natural food
- Balanced nutrition
- Fun shapes to encourage eating
- Provides a crunchy texture
Food form: Pellets, parrot seeds
Main ingredients: Corn, Safflower, red millet, papaya, hulled white proso millet, soybean meal
Lifestage: Adult
7. Lafeber Classic Nutri-Berries Parrot Bird Food
The Lafeber Classic Nutri-Berries Parrot Bird Food is a premium food product that contains a range of mixed parrot seed varieties, along with some extra ingredients to ensure your pet gets the nutrients their body requires.Â
The company uses a special hulling technique to provide the parrot with a better nutritional profile too.Â
The food contains added omega 3 and 6, which gives your parrot the fatty acids their heart, brain, and eyes need to stay healthy.Â
This is also considered large parrot food, great for some of the bigger bird species.Â
The food is naturally flavored, and the company avoids using synthetic ingredients in its formulas – natural flavors are great when asking what to feed parrots.Â
The Lafeber Classic Nutri-Berries Parrot Bird Food is created by veterinarians, ensuring it provides a balanced diet that is just right for parrots.Â
Check the price of Lafeber Classic Nutri-Berries Parrot Bird Food here
What we liked
- Mixture of different seeds
- Contains omega 3 and 6
- Made in the USA
- Developed by a veterinarian
- Provides adequate nutrition
- Can be used as a treat
- Hulled seeds are used
Food form: Seeds
Main ingredients: Oat groats, hulled canary seed, peanuts, millet, cracked corn
Lifestage: Adult
8. Higgins Safflower Gold Parrot Bird Food
If you want something affordable that can still provide your parrot with all the nutrients they need to maintain their health, then the Higgins Safflower Gold Parrot Bird Food is an option to consider.Â
This is a high-quality food product that combines different types of parrot bird food.Â
The combination includes seeds, real veggies and fruits, and some nut variants.Â
The food is high in antioxidants and also provide your parrot with DHA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid that is crucial for several organs in their body.Â
Added vitamins and minerals also help to ensure there are enough nutrients to make up the most of your parrot’s daily diet.Â
Check the price of Higgins Safflower Gold Parrot Bird Food here
What we liked
- Provides a mixture of food types
- Offers a great balance in nutrients
- Contains DHA fatty acids
- Made locally in the USA
- No added sunflower seeds
- Does not contain preservatives
- Include real veggies and fruit
Food form: Mix
Main ingredients: Safflower, wheat, flaked carrots, peanuts, flaked peas, corn, cashews, flaked beans, buckwheat, red milo, oats
Lifestage: Adult
9. Kaytee Exact Hand Feeding Formula Baby Bird Food
A baby bird is unable to eat normal seed and pellet mixtures, but rather requires a special diet.Â
The Kaytee Exact Hand Feeding Formula Baby Bird Food is one of the better options to choose if you need to feed a baby parrot food.Â
The formula was designed to be mixed with water, which products a paste for feeding.Â
It contains all of the nutrients that a baby bird needs to grow.Â
Parrotlet food supports the development of the baby bird’s beak, bones, feathers, and muscles.Â
It also contains added omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential to promote heart health, eye development, and ensure the bird has a sharp mind.Â
Check the price of Kaytee Exact Hand Feeding Formula Baby Bird Food here
What we liked
- Made for baby birds
- Safe for all earlier stages of a bird’s life
- Hand-feeding formula
- Mixture of food types
- Exact nutritional profile
- Can be fed with spoon or syringe
- Contains probiotics
Food form: Mix
Main ingredients: Ground wheat, corn gluten meal, wheat middlings, ground hulled sunflower, ground peanuts, soy oil, ground corn
Lifestage: Baby
10. Kaytee Fiesta Variety Mix Big Bites Small Parrot & Conure Bird Food
The next option on our list is good for adult parents that need that daily nutritional boost.Â
The Kaytee Fiesta Variety Mix Big Bites Small Parrot & Conure Bird Food is good if your parrot is particularly picky with what they eat.Â
A variety of food types are added to help promote healthier eating habits in your parrot.Â
The nutritional parrot food also offers a chewy texture, which most parrots tend to enjoy.Â
Real fruits and vegetables are used in their formula. This provides a higher quality source of minerals and vitamins.Â
The added omega 3 fatty acids promote better organ health too.Â
Check the price of Kaytee Fiesta Variety Mix Big Bites Small Parrot & Conure Bird Food here
What we liked
- Four-pound bag
- Relatively affordable price tag
- Chewy food
- Contains omega-3
- Provide peanuts for added protein
- Uses real fruits and vegetables
- Variety of foo types
Food form: Mix
Main ingredients: Dried bananas, coconut, carrots, dried papaya, peanuts, sunflower seeds
Lifestage: Adult
11. Kaytee Supreme Parrot Food
The Kaytee Supreme Parrot Food is a great choice if you have multiple birds that you need to feed.Â
The food comes in a 25-pound bag. This ensures you have a long-lasting supply, even when you have a couple of parrots in your cage.Â
The food provides a balanced nutritional profile, with fortified vitamins and minerals.Â
The Kaytee Supreme Parrot Food combines both pellets and seeds.Â
This not only adds to the variety of nutrients but also adds different textures.Â
The food is free from any type of artificial preservatives. Natural preservatives are used to promote its freshness.Â
What we liked
- Large bag
- Great for multiple parrots
- Well-balanced foods
- Pellet and seed mixture
- Added fiber for better digestion
- Fortified with minerals and vitamins
- Free from preservatives
Food form: Seeds and pellets
Main ingredients: Striped sunflower, oat groats, kibbled corn, wheat, corn, safflower
Lifestage: Adult
12. ZuPreem VeggieBlend with Natural Veggie Flavor Parrot & Conure Bird Food
The ZuPreem VeggieBlend with Natural Veggie Flavor Parrot & Conure Bird Food offers a range of essential nutrients that help to keep your pet healthy.Â
The product also includes several natural foods, including beets, celery, carrots, green beans, and peas.Â
This helps to add to the nutrition and the flavor profile of the food.Â
The food is made locally in the United States. No artificial ingredients are used to formula the food.Â
It is good for both conures and parrots. It was formulated to provide the specific nutrients that a parrot needs during adulthood.Â
Natural flavoring is used to make the food more attractive for the parrot to eat, without exposing them to synthetic agents.Â
Check the price of ZuPreem VeggieBlend with Natural Veggie Flavor Parrot & Conure Bird Food here
What we liked
- Natural flavors
- No synthetic ingredients
- Preservative-free
- Contains antioxidants
- Fortified with essential nutrients
- Good for medium and bigger parrots
- Nugget sized foods
Food form: Pellets
Main ingredients: Ground corn, wheat germ meal, soybean meal, ground wheat
Lifestage: Adult
What Does A Proper Parrot Diet Look Like?
Understanding what a parrot should eat is the first step to take before you decide what food to buy. There are different types of diets that you can choose if you own a parrot. It is, however, best to provide this kind of bird with a variety of foods. When you feed a parrot a variety of different foods, it helps to provide them with a more balanced nutritional profile.Â
It is generally advised to prefer foraging foods (2). This helps to promote better mental health in the parrot.Â
Pellets and seeds an make up the majority of a parrot’s diet – but it should not be the only food you feed your pet bird. Adding some fresh fruits and veggies to their diet is very useful.Â
Fruits can include apples, berries, oranges, pineapple melon, and bananas. A few great veggie options include asparagus, broccoli, carrots, leafy greens, peas, celery, and cauliflower. You can serve your parrot some beans, but it is important to cook them before feeding.Â
Types Of Parrot Foods
There are different types of parrot food available. Understand what they offer and ensure you add a variety to your parrot’s diet.Â
- Pellets: Pellets are generally made from the ground up ingredients. They are often also fortified. This helps to provide nutrients to your parrot. Some pellets contain special flavors that help to promote your parrot to eat them.Â
- Nuts And Seed Mixes: Seeds and nuts are important, as they offer essential minerals and omega fatty acids. These foods also contain antioxidants and some important vitamins.Â
- Fruit And Veggies: Some food products contain dried fruits and veggies. This adds rich sources of nutrients to your parrot’s diet and ensures they have a better variety of food types when eating.Â
- Proteins: There are a couple of important protein sources that can also be added to parrot food. Peanuts are very common. This helps to support the health of an adult parrot.
- Wild And Foraged Foods: Foraging foods help your parrot maintain a healthy mind, while also being nutritious at the same time.
What Is The Best Brand Of Parrot Food?
There are different companies that make parrot food. You should familiarize yourself with the different brands that offer parrot food – and ensure you understand which brands are able to offer better quality foods.Â
Some of the most preferred brands among parrot owners include Zupreem, Kaytee, Top’s, Volkman, Lafeber, and Higgins.
These brands produce their food locally and ensure strict manufacturing policies are followed. In turn, this helps to provide you with a higher-quality product that will ensure your parrot gets the nutrients they need, without any added substances that could be harmful to their health.Â
When looking to buy parrot food, do some research on the brand first. The brands we listed above have all built up a reputation for themselves. Customer reviews will often be helpful when determining if buying from a particular brand is a good idea.
What Not To Feed Your Parrot
There are some foods that parrots should never be fed. When setting up a diet for your parrot, always take a look at the list of foods parrots should not eat. This will ensure you do not expose them to potentially fatal problems caused by chemicals in these foods.Â
- Chocolate: This food can cause methylxanthine toxicity in a parrot, which can lead to death (3).Â
- Avocado: Avocado can lead to edema in the hydropericardium and pectoral area (4).Â
- Alcohol: Alcohol has a depressing effect on the organ system and can lead to death.Â
- Caffeine: Causes cardiac malfunction leading to hyperactivity, arrhythmia, a racing heartbeat, and cardiac arrest.Â
- Apple seeds: Seeds of an apple are known to be poisonous to all birds.Â
- Uncooked beans: The hemagglutinin poisons the bird and can cause death.Â
How To Choose The Best Parrot Food?
When buying parrot food, know what to look for. There are a few things to avoid in these foods too.Â
Avoid only providing your parrot with pellets and seeds. These foods can make up to 70% of their daily diet – the remaining should consist of fresh foods.Â
When you buy pellets or bird seeds, make sure the product does not contain artificial ingredients. This includes synthetic flavors, as well as preservatives. Rather look for products that are “naturally flavored” and “naturally preserved.”Â
Peanuts are added to many parrot foods – these should be used sparingly. Peanuts are high in fats, which can be bad if your parrot eats too much of it.Â
How To Store Parrot Food Properly?
Parrot food should be stored in a cool room. If it gets too hot in the room, the food may go bad. Also, ensure the food is stored in an airtight container – or if you store it in a bag, use a clip to seal the bag and avoid letting air in while it is being stored.Â
What Does A Parrot Like To Eat?
There are different foods that parrot-like to eat. They often enjoy having some fresh fruit in the cage. This can include berries, apples, and bananas. Many parrots will also like to eat vegetables.Â
How Much Should You Feed Your Parrots?
About 70% of your parrot’s diet should be pellets unless you give them a wholefoods diet. Feed the parrot about half a cup of pellets every day. If you have a small parrot, then reduce this to a minimum of a one-quarter cup. Add some fresh fruit and vegetables to their diet too.Â
How Many Times A Day Should You Feed Your Parrots?
It is best to feed a parrot twice daily. Their daily food should be divided into two. The first serving is provided in the morning. You then serve the second batch of food in the evening.Â
