Africa is rich in animal life.
The African lovebird is a type of parrot that originates from Africa and Madagascar. There are nine different species of this bird, which is characteristically noisy but highly intelligent. For this and many reasons, African lovebirds make ideal pets. These birds also have easy diets to maintain that consist of fresh fruits and vegetables or birdseed mixes.
Birdseed
Birdseed blend is good for African lovebirds.
In order to fulfill the nutritional needs of an African lovebird, you will need a birdseed blend. A small hookbill seed mix contains canola for soft, moist feathers and buckwheat and feed wheat for whole grain nutrients. Safflower, sunflower and canary seed are also a part of this mix and offer necessary phytonutrients to keep your African lovebird healthy. Other ingredients include white proso millet and cracked corn. You can purchase mixes such as this at a hardware or pet store.
Also, you can purchase the ingredients at your local health food store and create mixes. For example, you may want to increase the canola intake during the winter to help prevent dry scalp. Any seed mix that is geared toward finches, wild birds or parakeets can also work for African lovebirds.
If you choose to feed your animal a seed mix, it is important to either also feed them fresh fruits and veggies or vitamins to ensure that they are getting all necessary minerals.
Fresh Vegetables and Fruits
Be sure to chop the fresh fruits and veggies finely.
The skins of many vegetables contain high vitamin levels that will benefit your bird's overall health. Vegetables such as celery, red and green peppers, and corn sprouts can be found at your local grocery store or farm stand. Broccoli, silver beets, snow peas and corn kernels are other ideal choices for bird food. When preparing your birds meal, it is important to chop up all foods as small as possible to make them easy to eat and digest.
Fruits are also packed with nutrients and vitamins to help your bird thrive. Apples and bananas are two of the best options. With apples, they must be deseeded first; the apple seeds are harmful to your African lovebird. Avocado and rhubarb leaves are also toxic to these birds.
When shopping for fruits and veggies it is imperative to purchase ones that are organic or clearly labeled insecticide-free. These chemicals otherwise will quickly kill your bird.
Grains
Whole grains are important for health.
African lovebirds also need whole grains. These nutrients help keep your bird full as well as keep its digestive system at an optimum level. Cuttlebone, silver millet, flax and oats are ideal choices. Dry baby food mix will also work well for this type of bird. Consider preparing oatmeal or cream of rice as a suitable meal.
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