What do Quaker Parrots Eat? (Vet’s Guide)

Last Updated on November 8, 2023 by Ali Shahid

Quaker parakeets are small in size, easy to handle, fun-loving, and energetic parrots known for their excellent talking ability. If you are planning on getting a Quaker parrot, you will need to know: What do Quaker parrots eat?

Wild Quaker parrots eat a variety of diets including seeds, fruits, vegetables, insects, larvae, leaf buds, and flower buds. In Captivity, you can provide a well-balanced diet including seeds and nuts (10%), fruits and vegetables (20%-0), and pellets (60%-70%) to Quaker parrots.

For Baby Quaker parrots you can use a hand-feeding formula specialized for baby parrots. The ideal diet for female Quakers during the breeding season includes commercial egg food and cooked eggs with crushed shells, as well as pellets, fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts.

The lifespan of a Quaker parrot can reach more than 20 years if it is provided with the appropriate nutrition and care. In the absence of a well-balanced diet, it may suffer nutritional deficiencies, which will ultimately lead to a weak immune system and a shorter life expectancy.

So, continue reading to learn everything about the best Quaker parrot food for a healthy and long life.

What do Quaker Parrots Eat in the Wild?

According to research, Quaker parrots eat seeds, fruits, and vegetables in their natural habitat. Additionally, they eat grass and foliage buds.

Additionally, their wild diet consists of blossoms, thistles, pumpkin seeds, nuts, and even crops such as citrus and corn. It should be noted that these parrots are not entirely herbivorous, as they also eat insects on occasion.

What do Quaker Parrots eat in Captivity?

Quaker parrots eat an extensive range of foods, including insects, seeds, crops, fruits, and vegetables. But it is impossible to provide the same diet in captivity. Now you must be wondering, “What should I feed my Quaker parrots in captivity, and how much should I feed them?”

You should feed pellets, fruits, vegetables, and seeds to Quaker parakeets for a healthy and longer lifespan. The ratio should be:

• 60-70 % Pellets
• 20-30 % Fruits and Vegetables
• 10 % Seeds

Pellets

A pellet diet is a formulated diet designed specifically for the specific needs of a particular bird species. The diet contains a combination of grains, seeds, fruits, and vegetables, as well as vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, and other nutrients.

Commercially available pelleted diets come in a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes to meet the nutritional requirements of all birds. Recommended by several avian vets, pellets are the best diet for most birds, so it is advisable to gradually wean seed-eating birds off seeds and switch to pellets.

In my opinion, the bird’s diet should contain at least 70% pellets. Changing from seed to pellet diets may be challenging for mature birds who have been raised on seed diets. Therefore, it is best to feed baby birds pellets from the beginning.

Fruits and Vegetables

The number of fruits, vegetables, and greens that should be consumed daily should be approximately 20%. There is little nutritional value in pale vegetables, which contain a large amount of water. These vegetables should not be offered to your pet birds.

During the preparation of fruits and vegetables, they must be thoroughly washed to eliminate chemicals. The pieces should be very small so that your bird can easily eat them. To encourage your bird to eat other foods, reduce the volume of one food item it seems to particularly enjoy.

Fruits and Vegetables for Quaker Parrot
Fruits	Vegetables
Blueberries Kiwi Litchi Strawberries Tangerines Watermelon Mangos Blackberries Cherries Apples Cranberries Apricots Dates Figs Gooseberries Bananas Peaches Pears Pineapple Nectarines Oranges Pomegranate Raspberries Plums Grapes Guava Honeydew Papaya	Corn Yams ArtichokeBean sprouts Cauliflower Peas Cabbage Broccoli Celery Brussels sprouts Cucumber Eggplant Carrots Endive Parsley FennelGreen beans Peppers Lettuce Potatoes Turnips Pumpkin Pumpkin seeds Radish Spinach Sweet potato cooked ZucchiniBeans

Seeds

During the changing seasons of the year, wild Quaker parrots consume a wide variety of seeds from different plants. Mixes of seeds and nuts that are commercially available are often composed of two to five different types of seeds.

However, seeds are deficient in nutrients and high in fat, unlike seeds eaten by wild birds. Often, seeds are fed exclusively, which can harm the health of the animals and potentially shorten their lives.

The Quaker parrot selectively consumes one or two of its favorite types of seeds when offered a mixture of seeds, especially sunflower seeds. However, they are highly fattening and lacking in calcium, vitamin A, and other nutrients.

This often leads to malnutrition, and a weak immune system leading to fatal diseases. So, I recommend seeds only make up 10% of the Quaker Parrot Diet.

Water

Water should always be available in a clean and fresh condition. Additionally, bottled water may be a good option depending on the source of your tap water. Ensure that the dishes of your pet are thoroughly cleaned daily.

How Much and How Often You Should Feed a Quaker Parrot

Quaker parrots require different amounts of food depending on their age, molting cycle, breeding season, and health status. If you are unsure of how much to feed him, speak to your veterinarian. 

Feed him pellets and fresh food in the morning and evening (twice a day). Remove any leftover food within an hour to prevent spoilage. You should limit your parrot’s seed intake to one to two teaspoons per day.

The pellets should be given to him only in the morning following his consumption of birdseed and fresh food. He will eat them in small portions throughout the day rather than eating them in one sitting. Therefore, if he did not finish his pellets in the morning, you do not need to remove them.

A quarter cup of pellets per day can be fed to small parrots such as Quaker parrots. Adding pellets in small portions at a time is better than putting the entire amount in his cage at once.

There is no need to feed the other components of the diet in large quantities. For example, he will require approximately

• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of fruit (per day)
•  1/2 spoonful of vegetables (per day)
• Approximately 1/2 teaspoon of nuts, and cooked meat (per day)

What Do Baby Quaker Parrots Eat?

The diet of baby parrots is based on what their parents regurgitate. The main components of the diet are fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds. Normally, I do not recommend my clients hand-feed baby birds as it is best to leave this task to their parents.

But, in case of unwanted circumstances, or if you want to tame a bird, you have to hand-feed a baby parrot. So, what kind of food should you feed a baby Quaker parrot?

During their captivity, baby parrots are fed formulas that include fruits, vegetables, and seeds. Combined with water, they are easily digestible. A variety of hand-feeding formulas are available on the market.

Preparation of the formula involves boiling the water up to 80 degrees Celsius, mixing the powder, and mixing it thoroughly. Once the temperature has cooled to 30 to 35 degrees Celsius, you can feed your baby parrot. It is recommended to feed baby Quakers 3-5 times a day after every five hours when their eyes are closed.

When their feathers grow, feed them twice per day (every six hours). Once they have finished their food, their crops are expected to appear full.

What do Egg Laying Female Quakers Eat?

The diet is the same as mentioned above (Pellets, fruits, vegetables, and seeds). It is simply a matter of adding cooked eggs with crushed shells, and she will be perfectly fine.

Quaker Parrots Food to Avoid

Dairy products Alcohol Caffeine Onion Avocado Fruit seeds and pits Garlic Scallions Chocolate Peanuts Meat Uncooked beans Cassava Mushrooms

How to Make Quaker Parrots’ Feed Interesting

Generally, enrichment refers to activities that your Quaker performs in the wild to enhance his or her quality of life. The act of foraging plays a significant role in enriching the lives of birds. All birds have the instinct to search for food, so searching for food exercises both their mind and body.

All species of birds can benefit from foraging toys that keep them entertained while you are away. Rotate the foraging toys in the cage every couple of weeks so that there are several different types available.

Furthermore, natural branches should be available in a wide variety of lengths, shapes, and thicknesses. Your Quaker can chew on the bark perches and exercise their feet and beak in this manner.