What is a healthy diet?
Many pet parrots is restricted to a diet based on mostly seeds but also some fruit and vegetables. Wild birds have access to a wide variety of seeds, fruit, berries, roots, vegetables, insects etc. that can provide the necessary proteins, vitamins and minerals for a healthy diet.
An all-seed diet cannot provide the parrot with all the vitamins and minerals they require as seeds are deficient in calcium and vitamins. Seeds contain a lot of fat and often parrots are very picky and prefer eating only the more fatty sunflower seeds which in the long run can lead to health issues. The seed mixes sold for pets are usually of a very low quality. A diet primarily based on seeds will lead to malnutrition and a shortened lifespan.
Formulated diets or “Pellets” however contains a healthy mix of ingredients that provides all the vitamins and minerals your bird require. Many breeders recommend using pellets as the major part of the daily diet. I personally prefer using Zupreem pellets but you may try other high quality pellets as parrots can be picky about taste and may prefer another brand e.g. Harrison’s, Kaytee, Pretty Bird or Roudybush.