Birdie Bread

Do you happen to have an exotic bird for a pet... a pet parrot? I do. I have a green-cheeked, yellow-sided conure.

His name is Picasso and he's a picky eater. He loves his seeds, millet sprays, apples, almonds, grapes and strawberries... and birdie bread. One way I have been able to introduce a greater variety of foods into his diet and improve his nutritional intake is by cooking him birdie treats.

Birdie Bread

2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix
2/3 cup applesauce
1 jar baby food carrots or sweet potatoes
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen corn (optional)
1/2 cup pellets

Mix together and bake at 400-450 degrees for 15-30-minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Cool. Freezes well.

Birdie French Toast

2 eggs
1 jar of fruit baby food (any kind)
1/4 cup milk
bread slices (use a nutritious bread that is full of nuts and seeds)

Mix all the liquid ingredients together and dip the bread in. Pan fry until golden brown. Cool.

Corn Cake

1/2 cup milk
4 cups corn
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup yellow corn meal
6 tablespoons peanut oil

Combine all of the ingredients, pour into a greased 8X8 baking dish. Bake at 350-degrees for 35 minutes. Cool. Freezes well.

Banana Nut Oatmeal

2/3 cup old-fashioned oat meal
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/3 cup apple sauce

Cook all of the ingredients together for 5 minutes. Cool. Freezes well.

Beans & Rice

1-1/2 cup bean mix
1/2 cup split peas
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup cracked corn or corn grits
1/2 cup dried bell peppers

Soak beans overnight, drain, rinse, cover with water again and boil for 2 minutes. Cool 1 hour. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer 1 hours. Freezes well.

Be sure to completely cool cooked treats before giving to your bird.

Basic bird diet for parrots - the three-bowl system:

• Fresh water
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Pellets, nuts and seeds

The mainstays of a parrot's diet:

• apple
• banana
• berries
  
• grapes
• mango
• melon
  
• orange
• papaya
  
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• chilies
• corn
  
• green beans
• kale
• peas
• spinach (limit - binds calcium)
  
• sweet potatoes
• cooked chicken
  
• cooked eggs
• pasta (raw or cooked)
• cooked rice
  
• whole wheat bread
  
• yogurt (limit - birds are lactose intolerant)
  

Do NOT feed your conure: alcohol, avocado, cabbage, chocolate, fruit pits, iceberg lettuce, parsley, sweets or salty snacks. Read What Not to Feed Your Conure.