Best Food for African Grey Parrots
African Greys are smart, sensitive birds, and what they eat shows in their feathers, energy and mood. A good daily diet for a Grey combines a quality pellet base with nuts, fruits, vegetables and enough calcium.
What African Greys need
- Calcium. Greys are known for being prone to low calcium, so calcium in the diet matters more for them than for many parrots.
- A pellet base. Seed-only diets are too high in fat and too low in vitamins and minerals for long-term health.
- Variety. Greys are intelligent foragers. Different shapes, textures and flavors keep mealtime interesting.
- Fresh produce. Dark leafy greens and orange vegetables add vitamin A.
Our pick: Grey/Eclectus Paradise Ultimate Blend
We built this blend for African Greys and similar-sized parrots. It starts with our original Ultimate Blend and adds:
- Calcium from cuttlebone chunks
- Mixed nuts and almonds
- Dried fruits, dried vegetables and fresh herbs
- Hot peppers and cinnamon sticks for flavor and foraging
- Fortified, non-colored pellets
It's made fresh daily in our store and is a great way to move a Grey off a seed-only diet.
Shop: By the pound · 5 lb bag · 10 lb bag · 20 lb bag
Switching your Grey to a new food
Greys can be cautious about anything new. Mix the new blend with your bird's current food and increase it gradually over two to four weeks. Watch that your bird is eating well and holding a normal weight during the switch.
Because our blends are made fresh, keep about two weeks' supply at room temperature in a sealed container and refrigerate the rest. Don't freeze it.
More species guides
See food guides for every bird we carry
Every bird is different. If your bird has a health condition or you're making a big change to its diet, check with an avian veterinarian.