I don't consider myself an expert on parrot nutrition. I have belonged to several groups dedicated to parrot nutrition and learned enough to know that no one really agrees about parrot diet! One group recommended a balanced pellet only diet, another ws against feeding pellets. One discouraged me, because while they were very knowledgeable, the feeding regimine they set for their birds was impossible for me to keep. Everything came from the health food store, and the birds ate better than our family! I researched the area that Amazon parrots come from, and it is an area rich in nuts and seeds, an area with a lot of variety of fruits, etc.
I have settled for what I feel is a balanced, healthy diet for my birds based on what commercially prepared foods are available in our area. I feed pellets (Zupreem Avian Maintenance Fruit Blend) for about 1/4 of their diet, a good quality seed mix (Kaytee Fiesta Macaw) that has a lot of nuts, dried fruit & vegetables for 1/4, and the remaining 1/2 consists of fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables and grains. Make sure the seed mix is not too heavy into sunflower seeds. If the mix has peanuts, be sure they are clean, free from mold or spoilage.
Fresh Foods: I give the fresh foods in small amounts throughout the day, and find they eat far more that way than if I give it all to them at once. Cut up the fresh fruit/vegetables into small cubes. If too much is ending up on the cage floor, feed less at a time and more frequently. I like to feed mine fresh foods 3-5 times a day and give them different things each time.
Some of the things that they love to eat are: fresh cut apples (cored), pears, bing cherries, strawberries, plums, apricots, carrots, beets, baked potatoes, squash, yams, broccoli, asparagus, rhubarb, corn, peas (they love fresh green peas in te pod), fresh spinach, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, bean sprouts, beans, brown rice, oranges, tangerines, nectarines, grapes, peaches, mangoes, bananas, cantaloupe, papayas, and pineapple. I also give them some dried fruit, but they do not like it as well as fresh They seem to really enjoy their vegetables cooked and served while still warm. They also like cooked pasta, but make sure you are feeding a healthy pasta and not just empty calories.
If I am feeling especially energetic, I will cook some of the 7 or 13 beans and mix with rice. They also like hard boiled egg (chopped). For a very rare treat, I give them a chicken bone, or rib bone with a little of the meat on it. To see how they devour this convinces me that Amazona are at least partially carnivorous! They really like corn on the cob, which I feed to them cooked. I have heard of some who have had problems with the bird eating the cob and experiencing digestive problems. I have never had a problem with that, but it would be food to watch the bird carefully to see how they react. Mine also love to eat the warm handfeeding formula for baby parrots and when I have a new batch of babies, the older siblings and parents eat the extra mixture with great enjoyment.
For a training treat, I buy unsalted, shelled sunflower seeds or chopped nuts in the baking section of the grocery store. Small pieces make great treats.
What not to feed: I avoid giving them "junk food" which they can become addicted to just like people. I don't give them food that is highly processed with a lot of preservatives. Parrots should never be given avacado, chocolate, alcohol or caffeine. Most authorities recommend that you avoid letting them have the seeds from apples, or the pits from peaches, etc. I have to admit that for a special treat I do let them have a little pizza crust or bit of bagel when we have it.
I think the key to a healthy diet for your Amazon is variety, variety, variety. Amazons usually have a great appetite, and when started on fresh food from babies, they enjoy trying new things. The amount they eat and the fat content of their diet needs to be monitored in conjunction with their weight. A bird that is active can handle more to eat than a bird that is more sedate and quiet. My Amazons are very active and I've never had a problem with obesity!
