The purpose
of this document is to provide education and insight as to the
importance of cooked diets in relation to the health and well being of
exotic parrots. BEAK APPÉTIT foods are created to meet the nutritional
and psychological needs of exotic birds. More than any other type of
caged bird, parrots get special pleasure from eating a variety of food
items. It is very apparent that parrots find cooked foods
psychologically satisfying and nutritionally needed.
Energy
Energy comes from proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
The proper balance of dietary protein, fat, carbohydrate and fiber is
essential for the optimal health and longevity of a bird. Excessive
dietary fat creates too much weight gain, fatty liver infiltration and
other problems. Protein is mandatory for proper skeletal and muscular
development, and is particularly important for baby birds. However,
too much protein can excessively overwork and eventually wear out the
liver and kidneys. BEAK APPÉTIT foods fall within the acceptable
levels for crude fat and protein, as well as providing the necessary
levels of carbohydrates needed for a healthy parrot. BEAK APPÉTIT
foods have the proper combination of grains and fruits needed in order
to provide a highly palatable nutritious maintenance diet for parrots.
Breeding Parrots
Parrots in a breeding situation must have their
nutritional requirements met in order to produce healthy hatchlings.
Four to six weeks prior to breeding season, parrots will seek out
foods that are protein and energy rich. BEAK APPÉTIT will certainly
meet this criteria. Studies have shown that the most successful
breeders include cooked diets as an integral part of their breeding
program. I also recommend that breeding parrots receive a calcium
supplement in their diet during breeding season. BEAK APPÉTIT will
provide breeding parrots with the protein, calcium, and energy needed
to produce healthy baby birds.
Baby
Parrots
After hatching, baby parrots have an enormous appetite
which puts even further stress on adult birds. Just imagine what it
would be like having to feed yourself and babies that are growing at a
rate of approximately 4% per day. Feeding BEAK APPÉTIT during this
time makes perfect sense. BEAK APPÉTIT is an easy to eat, highly
palatable diet that provides essential vitamins and complete proteins
to meet the nutritional demands of growing parrots. Furthermore BEAK
APPÉTIT will prevent the nutritional depletion that is systematic of
adult birds feeding babies.
Weaning Babies
During the weaning process, baby parrots can be very
reluctant to explore new foods. Offering a nice warm serving of BEAK
APPÉTIT mixed with cooked vegetables is an exciting way to encourage a
baby parrot to eat a healthy diet on it’s own. Store owners and
customers alike benefit tremendously, by saving time and money due to
ease and convenience of feeding BEAK APPÉTIT to all of their birds.
Seed Diets
In recent years there have been numerous articles
written by veterinarians as to the dangers of a seed only diet. It has
been proven time and again that parrots on a seed only diet are
experiencing a slow death. A few complications that may result from a
seed only diet would include egg binding, egg yolk peritonitis,
excessive weight gain, fatty liver infiltration, poor muscle tone and
inferior feather quality. Feeding seed in combination with cooked or
raw vegetables can help help to a degree, but will not provide the
much needed carbohydrates, protein and minerals that BEAK APPÉTIT
foods can. A seed diet simply cannot provide parrots with the
nutrition they need to live a long and healthy life.
