What NOT to feed !

Before we go any further, a list of items that SHOULD NOT be fed to your bird. The items in this list have again been taken from a variety of sites. Any form of Chocolate. Avocado. Rhubarb. Mushrooms. Runner beans. Parsnips. Broad beans. Uncooked potato. Any dried pulses or peas. Raw egg. Potato crisps. Apple seeds. Onions. Extra salt. All carbonated or "Fizzy" drinks. Tea. Coffee. All alcoholic drinks.

Menu
	You can read for days on what is best for your bird. Some tell you to feed plenty of seeds, others to feed only pellets, or a mix of both, so who do you listen to ? Well, we think that this depends on your bird. Not only are they are individuals the same as we are, but an imported wild bird will be used to a different diet to a hand reared one.

In the wild, the natural food of the grey are Palm nuts, and although they can't crack the nut itself, they eat the flesh around it. These nuts are now available in the UK and can be frozen until ready for use. Palm nut oil is also available and is offered spread on toast, where it will melt and soak into the bread, or on crackers. Both the nuts and / or the oil have to be good for any greys diet.

Wild caught birds will also have eaten a wide variety of seeds and will never have seen a pelleted food. They cannot therefore be expected to eat it or be immediately converted over to it. There is no doubt that pellets are nutritionally correct and contain the required vitamins and minerals required for health, which is no use at all if your bird doesn't like it ! All pellets have information on how to convert your bird so it is worth trying to see if they will accept this type of food. If they wont, and you must feed a seed mixture, ensure that it is fortified with a vitamin supplement. This is also important if they will not accept fresh fruit and vegetables.

If the bird is hand reared the breeder should have taught it to accept most types of food and you should not have any problems feeding it either pellets or seed. We give our birds both but I have to say that despite the co lour and shape of the different pellets, they seem to get far more enjoyment from eating seed.

The following list of fruit and vegetables are also good for your grey, and fresh food should be offered every day. Please note though that if you feed pellets to your bird, read the instructions on the pack regarding the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables that should be offered. Most vegetables are suitable, but frozen ones should be completely thawed out, peas can be given in or out of the pod, and all root vegetables should be cooked first without adding any salt. Fruits should first have any stones or pips removed first, although melon seeds are fine

Apple. Apricots. Blackberry. Blueberry. Cherries. Cranberries. Grapes. Grapefruit. Kumquats. Kiwi fruit. Mango. Melon. Nectarine. Oranges. Papaya. Peaches. Pears. Pineapples. Plums. Pomegranates. Prunes. Raspberries. Star fruit. Strawberries. Tangerines. Tayberries.

They may also like sultanas and currents and other dried fruit. If they will not eat it dry, soak it for a couple of hours first. Chicken can also be given, as can boiled or scrambled egg, and is often enjoyed. Hanging fresh grass that has gone to seed will provide hours of fun for your bird, as will hanging whole fruits or sweetcorn from the top of the cage or flight.

This is not an exhaustive list but it should provide a starting point if you are unsure what to feed your grey.