Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 2/25/2008

Question
hi, I am from India.
I bought a Alexandrian parakeet 2 and half months old.The vendor told me it is baby parakeet and will eat only boiled cereals. i don't have any idea that the parakeet is really a baby or well grown as it has plenty of plumaged. By what month we can say the parakeet is well grown and what should be the diet for it.


Answer
Hi, Alka,

I realize you live in India and perhaps baby parrot handfeeding formula might not be available, but if this baby is only on boiled cereals, its diet is lacking in a lot of vitamins and minerals.  

Normally, birds are called "young" birds if they are less than 1 year old.  However, this also depends on the type of parrot.  For example, a parrot that can live to be 60 years old can be considered a "young" bird for many years.  I call a bird a "baby" if it is still being handfed and isn't yet weaned.  At 2.5 months old, your bird is still a baby because s/he isn't yet weaned.  I'd consider this bird an adult once it has reached 1 year of age.  

At 2.5 months of age, this bird needs to start being weaned to a variety of foods.  Keep providing the boiled cereals or whatever you are feeding this bird, but start offering other warm foods as well, such as cooked brown rice with veggies mixed in, warm baked potato, corn bread/other nutritious breads, etc., basically, anything nutritious for humans is also nutritious for parrots.  However, avoid citrus seeds, chocolate, anything with caffeine in it, sugar, salt, prepared/packaged foods, foods cooked in fat/grease, avocado.  Your bird needs healthy, nutritious foods.  Start off providing warm foods because the baby is used to eating warm food, then gradually start providing room temp foods.  You should also provide pelleted foods and keep seed to an absolute minimum.  You can find much information on these parrots on the internet.

Visit www.birdchannel.com for lots of good information on parrots.

Chrys