Amazons should be fed a quality large parrot pellet as their primary dietary component — approximately 60–70% of total intake. Supplement daily with a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, including apple, mango, papaya, fig, capsicum, corn, broccoli, sweet potato, carrot, leafy greens and beans. Remove fresh food after two to three hours.
Never feed avocado, chocolate, onion, garlic, caffeine, alcohol, fruit pips, or salted or processed human foods. A small quantity of quality seed mix can be offered as a supplement, but Amazons on seed-heavy diets are highly prone to obesity and associated health problems — pellets must remain the dietary foundation. Nuts — particularly walnuts, almonds and pistachios — can be given sparingly as training rewards due to high fat content. Amazons readily become overweight, so monitor body condition carefully and avoid high-fat foods as dietary staples. Cuttlebone, iodine bells and vitamin supplements (a quality bird vitamin supplement added to water two to three times weekly) complete the supplement programme. Fresh water must be changed daily.
