Update on What to feed your Green Cheek Conure

A while ago I left lists of what your bird can and cannot eat. This is the update

so according to this http://www.justanswer.com/bird-vet/5xsod-23-year-old-african-grey-parrot-just-ate-chocolate-chip.html

dark chocolate is really bad for them and lighter chocolates not so much, still not a chance I'm willing to take.

Madcap (my green cheek) has eaten a little bit of coffee, milk, whipped cream...basically he's tried dairy and birds aren't supposed to...and he seems fine..I only gave him a little bit mind you. Actually dived bombed off my head into my food..sort of. He tries to eat anything I eat. He drinks soda, kool-aid, small bits of whatever I have. His main food is water and harrison food http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/ I get it on Amazon.com though. I also heard roudybush is good http://www.roudybush.com/.  They both have all the vitamins and healthy stuff that bird seed doesn't give them. 

Yes Madcap does get some birdseed, because junk food is delicious. 

DO NOT LET THEM EAT THIS

No matter how much they look at you shocked that you aren't sharing, no matter how cute they look when they bob their head up and down and jump at you,

DO NOT FEED THEM
Chocolate
Dairy
butter
milk
cheese
sourcream
icecream
avocado-not the flesh, skin, or pit
Rinds and seeds of melons
fried foods
seeds of most fruits and veggies
probably shouldn't use grapeseed oil
anything cooked on teflon
salt
garlic
onion
caffiene
alcohol
heard mushrooms and parsley

What can Green Cheek Conure's eat

well its a bird. so, it must eat bird...seed!  NO...and yes.

if you only ate one kind of food you would be malnourished and maybe starving probably sickly.
Birds need more than just seed. (seed is bird junk food) You can give them fresh fruits and veggies. There's even recipes for home-made bird treats. Different birds have different tastes and it may take them a while before trying the food.

You'd be surprised to know that many common health problems can be prevented by a good diet, nutrition and routine health care. Conure bleeding syndrome, vitamin K deficiency, may occur on an inadequate diet.


Most people say go with pellets and offer fruits and vegetables on the side, with seeds for rewards. Madcap eats Harrison's bird food. 

List i've gathered of what you can feed them-DON'T FEED THEM THE SEEDS OF THE FRUITS OR VEGGIES
Always wash food before feeding them to bird (pesticides and stuff)
remove the roots, pits, and seeds of the food you give them. It takes a small amount of poison from any of these to kill a bird


Don't cook these on teflon, its bad for birds. Steam or microwave are good options. 


Try different mixes and chopping in different sizes. Mash up anything stringy-like sweet potatoes really well or the stringy part may stick in their system. Fresh every day, don't leave them there to attract flies and rot.


Apples-nothing too near the core
Pears,
peaches,
oranges,
bananas,
melons-NOT THE RINDS or seeds
berries,
kiwi,
scrambled or boiled eggs
pomegranate,
heard people feed their birds babyfood
carrots,
sweet potatoes,
beets,
broccoli,
legumes,
frozen mixed vegetables,
kale,
chicken-make sure it doesn't have seasoning they shouldn't eat like garlic
greens (not lettuce),
greenpeppers,
zucchini and other squash,
asparagus,
ripe tomatoes,
dried hot peppers,
sprouts-bean or
alfalfa,
spinach, and
brussels sprouts.
Bean sprouts
potatos-NOT RAW


recap: JUST SEED IS BAD. Pretty much what you eat BUT WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW THEN JUST DON'T FEED IT TO THEM.

Didn't think it would be this messy

There are messier birds. I get that. Madcap's tail is like a broom that sweeps his seeds and pellets everywhere! I should vacuum at least every other day and I can no longer walk around barefoot without getting some type of bird food on my feet. I think its cute when he takes a bath but he splashes pretty far for a small bird. While reading about GCC I thought that people were exaggerating about vacuuming every day, changing water three times a day, even newspapers twice a day! It really is that bad though. They really do chew on everything. EVERYTHING. However don't let them chew on everything because chances are whatever they are chewing on is bad for them. That being said, they really do need lots of toys. Currently Madcap has five chew toys and one coconut hut. He likes to dangle upside down on his toys. No, that's not lots of toys, but he spends LOTS of time out of the cage. Four or five hours. He also has a bird gym. (I wanted to make my own but didn't have time. I think it could have had more stuff and been less expensive. Oh well, he loves it.) http://www.birdgymsrus.com/80.htm

I pretty much love him to death. I ruffle the feathers on his neck and he closes his eyes and makes a little quacking sound. 

Recap: If you want to adopt a GCC REMEMBER they are really messy, needs lots of attention, ARE expensive-not just the initial cost, but the vet cost, cage, toys, food. I've probably spent close to $400.00 on him already. Takes lots of patience to teach them manners.

Very endearing, irresistible, birds but be responsible when considering one for a pet.