Vitamins and mineral nutrition for a parrot: what to choose?

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In order for a parrot to feel good, it must always have access to mineral components. Food does not contain all the necessary substances, because the need for mineral salts, for example, can increase during molting by 3 times! What can we offer a parrot?

A parrot needs vitamins and mineral nutrition

Sand for a parrot

The digestive system of parrots is designed in such a way that the body is not able to digest food on its own, and small stones and sand are necessary for normal functioning. Their task is to mechanically grind food in the muscular part of the stomach. Result: food is minced and better broken down by enzymes.

If the parrot does not have sand in the cage, the digestive system is disrupted and you will find undigested grains in the litter.

Plain river sand often serves as a breeding ground for parasites and diseases. Therefore, it is better to play it safe and buy special sand at a pet store.

A container of sand should be placed in a cage so that the bird could not dirt it with droppings.

Chalk for a parrot

Chalk consists of calcium for 37%, which means it strengthens bones, and when nesting it also forms an egg shell.

Chalk is given both crushed (added to the sand), and in the form of a briquette (attached to the grate of the cell).

In no case give the feathered friend construction chalk or chalk for rodents: the first contains harmful impurities, and the second contains salt. Both that, and another - poison for birds.

Sepia for a parrot

Sepia is a “product” from cuttlefish shell containing approximately 37% calcium. It is perfectly absorbed by the body of the bird.

Parrot egg shell

This is a valuable storehouse of phosphorus, calcium, iron, magnesium and sulfur. The shell is added to the sand, and served in a separate feeder.

Parrot bone meal

From it, the bird “extracts” phosphorus and calcium. Bone meal is added to sand or to wet food. It is especially useful to give flour during molting, because it provides the body with salts essential for the formation of feathers.

Parrot glycerophosphate and gluconate for the parrot

1 tablet of calcium gluconate contains 0.5 grams of this substance, and in calcium glycerophosphate - an additional 88% of organic phosphorus.

You can buy these drugs in ordinary pharmacies. Tablets of 0.5 grams are enough to provide a daily requirement for phosphorus and calcium for a pair of budgies.

The preparations are ground into powder and offered to pets every other day. The powder is added to the feed mixture or to the sand.

If the bird is severely depleted, molts, feeds chicks or suffers from rickets, the “rate of delivery” is increased to 1 tablet per day.

Charcoal for a Parrot

This substance is made as follows: birch wood is burned to form coal. The substance contains calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, boron and many other trace elements.

Coal is ground to a powder state and is given along with eggshell or sand.

Charcoal absorbs salts of heavy metals, poisons and harmful gases, and then removes them from the body.

Vitamins for a Parrot

In autumn and winter, parrots are in dire need of vitamins, because there are almost no vegetables, fruits and herbs. Vitamins are also needed when a bird sheds or becomes ill.

There are a number of rules for choosing vitamins:

Choose only trusted manufacturers, abandon dubious brands.
Check packaging integrity and expiration date immediately.
Ask the seller all your questions.
Do not get too carried away with vitamins: follow the instructions regarding the dosage and duration of the course.
An open bottle is usually stored for a maximum of 1 month, and then replaced with a new one.

A vitamin supplement may be honey or lemon juice.

2 - 3 drops of lemon juice can be added to the drinker. It is a valuable source of carbohydrates, protein, organic acids, dietary fiber, vitamins C, E, PP, group B, as well as minerals: calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, copper, phosphorus, iron, manganese, boron, fluorine, sulfur , molybdenum, chlorine. Not every juice can boast such a wealth! Lemon juice is involved in redox processes and strengthens even the smallest vessels.

Honey is also added to the drinker (3 - 5 drops per 100 ml). It is an excellent source of vitamins, as well as a laxative, which can help with bowel blockage.