Is it safe to feed your bird colored pellets?

[Annb]

I’m getting a macaw and I was searching through food options, i came across a brand that sells colored pellets. I did further research on the product and it says the colorants are natural (chlorophyll, for example) and that it doesn’t contain agrochemicals. Would it be safe to feed (with a well balanced diet, of course)? Please note that the area that I live in has some limitations in food brands.

 

[The_Mayor]

I'm not an expert, but I read a lot and I try to do the best I can for my birds.

Here's the thing: the best pellet for your bird is the one she'll eat and enjoy and that is available to you. I think in a perfect world we'd all give our birds organic, sustainably sourced, fair-trade, cradled in unicorn down, pellets. (okay, maybe not the unicorn down, don't want to encourage nesting)

But, even if I found that, my birds probably would probably be all, "that's not food" and ignore it entirely. So, we make compromises. Maybe something has colorants and we think it'd be better if it didn't. But, lots of birds do fine on diets that include those colorants. So, you kind of need to see how that works for your bird.

Also, if you give some idea of your location, someone might be able to suggest alternatives that are available for you.

 

[Mizzely]

Really the biggest issue is that they can color poops and make it harder to early detect issues. However, I feed artificially colored pellets because that's what my bird eats

 

[Annb]

I'm not an expert, but I read a lot and I try to do the best I can for my birds.

Here's the thing: the best pellet for your bird is the one she'll eat and enjoy and that is available to you. I think in a perfect world we'd all give our birds organic, sustainably sourced, fair-trade, cradled in unicorn down, pellets. (okay, maybe not the unicorn down, don't want to encourage nesting)

But, even if I found that, my birds probably would probably be all, "that's not food" and ignore it entirely. So, we make compromises. Maybe something has colorants and we think it'd be better if it didn't. But, lots of birds do fine on diets that include those colorants. So, you kind of need to see how that works for your bird.

Also, if you give some idea of your location, someone might be able to suggest alternatives that are available for you.

Thank you for your advice! I will try and see what my *future* parrot likes best.

 

[expressmailtome]

Macaws and most parrots can have colored pellets. Eclectus parrots are the exception.

 

[flyzipper]

I agree with everything @The_Mayor wrote, except this...

unicorn down

Clearly, unicorns -- lacking wings -- do not produce down, but please do avoid pellets containing Pegasus down.

 

[honkwee]

Not an expert. The best pellet for a bird is the one they eat, if they only eat colored pellets then that's what you feed them!