Improving Nutrition in Companion Birds

Despite the large number of macaws, Amazon parrots, cockatoos and other large psittacine birds kept as pets, little is known about their nutritional requirements. Nutritional problems are the most common health problems facing captive parrots today. In particular, hand-reared chicks suffer from nutritional deficiencies, aspiration due to the finely ground texture of the feed and slow digestion that causes dehydration and malnutrition. Researchers will analyze the nutrient content of wild-chick diets living in Peru, Mexico, Brazil and Costa Rica and use these measurements to formulate new hand-rearing diets for captive parrot chicks. Researchers anticipate these new formulas will improve nutrition and reduce acute and chronic health problems. If so, this research would revolutionize hand feeding and improve the health of companion parrots worldwide.

D09ZO-015
Dr. Donald J. Brightsmith, Texas A&M University

Co-sponsor: ZuPreem®