Instead of a potato chip, give your Amazon a rice cake.
Put some peanut butter and a little bit of jelly on a whole-wheat cracker.
Freeze some soy yogurt in place of ice cream.
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Amazon parrots have a well-deserved reputation for their hearty appetites, often insisting on getting a bite (or two or three!) of whatever their people are eating. And the foods that catch their attention are most often the fattening ones. It is therefore no surprise that obesity is a common concern when it comes to Amazon parrots’ health. Here are some ideas for squelching your Amazon’s snack-attack fit without the added calories. (Keep in mind, however, that even healthier foods fed too often or in large portions can add on extra calories. Although your Amazon might have a big appetite, keep these offerings to single servings and only as occasional treats.)
Deliver this: Instead of stealing bites of your pizza, your Amazon will be better off with a whole-wheat, low-sodium cracker lightly smeared with plain tomato sauce and no cheese! Or make a mini “pizza” for your bird using whole-wheat organic pizza dough without the sauce and cheese.
Betcha it can just have one: If your Amazon parrot squeals in excitement at the site of your bowlful of potato chips, let it reach for miniature rice cake, which is not only lower in calories but just as crunchy and fun to munch on.
Peanut, peanut butter — (less) Jelly!: If you have young kids in the house, no doubt your Amazon parrot has tried to pilfer bites of peanut butter and jelly sandwich from them. Too much bread (high in carbs) and jelly (high in sugar) can be too much of a good thing, so go small. Substitute with a whole-wheat, low-sodium cracker lightly smeared in peanut butter and drop of jelly or, better yet, top with a piece of fresh fruit like strawberry or blueberry.
I scream, your Amazon screams for ice cream: Birds are lactose intolerant, so dairy products should not be on their menu. That’s easier said than done when your Amazon does his “pick me up” wing flutter as you serve yourself a scoop of ice cream. Make him think he’s scored some by substituting lactose-free, organic yogurt (soy yogurt), which you can freeze if he likes the ice texture. You can even make him little yogurt ice pops by pouring some soy yogurt in an ice-cube tray and placing a wooden coffee stir in the middle. When it freezes, your Amazon will have an edible foot toy!