Here are some delicious Parrot food recipes from Hagen.

Recipe One: Foraging Peanut Butter and Tropimix Pine Cones

Birds love foraging and food! No better way to offer it up than in pine cone recipes.

It can be one of the messiest bird-treat projects but also one of the most successful. It combines two things birds love most, foraging and food. Birds will be attracted to the Tropimix bits that are hidden deep inside the pine cone.

Ingredients:

1 medium to large sized pine cone
¼ cup (32g) Tropimix (Small Parrot works best) Buy it here.
¼ cup (32g) unsalted natural peanut butter
1 to 12 inches of twine or sisal string (no polyester blended string)

Directions

It is best to choose pine cones directly from the tree (select trees that have not been treated with pesticides or other chemicals). Avoid pine cones that have deterioration or have been on the ground as they could be contaminated with fungus.

To clean a pine cone, place in a baking dish and pour boiling water over it and let steep for about 15-20 minutes. This will help destroy any insects or bacteria that might be lurking in the cone. Drain the water and then bake the cone in oven at 120°C (250°F) for 30-40 minutes.

After cooling, take twine or sisal string and tie around the tip of the cone, or at the bottom – whichever you prefer. Leave enough string length to tie to your bird’s cage.
Spread a layer of peanut butter on a baking sheet. Pour Tropimix in a shallow, medium size bowl.

Roll the clean pine cone in the peanut butter, then in the Tropimix. Try to push the larger Tropimix ingredients in between the pinecone sections so your bird will have to work a little to get his favorite nibbles. Once your bird is finished with his Peanut Butter and Tropimix pine cone, cut the string and remove uneaten remnants from the cage.

For variation in your recipes, try using almond butter as an alternative to peanut butter!

Don’t have a pine cone handy? Use a cardboard paper towel tube and punch holes on either side. Pull string through holes in the tube, then spread peanut butter all over the tube. Roll it in the seed and there you go!

Recipe Two: Banana Cone

The Flock says WE WANT Peanut butter!

There is nothing better than a peanut butter “ice-cream” cone. Except maybe a Tropimix peanut butter banana cone that is!

Ingredients

½ cup (64g) of unsalted natural creamy peanut butter (room temperature)
½ cup (64g)of Small Parrot Tropimix
1 banana (smashed)
3 to 4 small ice-cream cones.

Directions

In small mixing bowl, combine the Small Parrot Tropimix, smashed banana and peanut butter. Scoop about 1 to 2 tablespoons into the cone. Warning-your bird will love it!

No cones: Take wooden popsicle stick (wooden tongue depressors – for large birds, the bigger the stick, the better) and scoop up about a tablespoon and offer to your bird.

Beta-carotene booster: Skip the crunch-cut a pepper (hot or sweet) in half and scoop in mixture to make an edible serving bowl that’s loaded with Vitamin A!

Recipe Three: Quinoa and Buckwheat Tropimix Bites

Quick ‘n Easy Healthy Snack for Your Parrot

Quinoa (pronounced “keen-nwa”) is a South American grain that is high in protein, calcium, and phosphorus. And buckwheat contains all 8 essential amino acids and a high-quality protein. Quinoa and buckwheat are very nutritious and are excellent foods for Parrots.

Ingredients

1 to 2 cups (128-256g) Small or Large Parrot Tropimix (be sure to stir the Tropimix so you get a good variety of ingredients)
1 cup (128g) of drained cooked Quinoa
1/3 cup (43g) buckwheat flour
1 banana
1 tbsp. real maple syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 160°C or 320°F

Line baking sheet with aluminium foil. In a food processor or grinder, pulverize the Tropimix ingredients to a coarse powder consistency. Add cooked quinoa and the buckwheat flour. Mix until well blended. Then add banana and the maple syrup. The mixture will be a bit sticky. Form mixture into 1-1½ inch balls (a bit smaller than a walnut).

Place on aluminium covered baking sheet. Bake until Tropimix Bites are firm-usually about 25 minutes. Oven temperatures will vary so be sure to make a note of temperature and time for the next go around. Serve when cooled.

Quinoa and Buckwheat Tropimix Bites for Parrots can be frozen in small freezer bags for future treats.

Recipe Four: Cornbread

Birds Love Cornbread

What better way to serve some up some cornbread for birds than with a healthy serving of Tropimix baked right in?

Ingredients

6 cups self-rising cornmeal mix
½ cup (64g) Small Parrot Tropimix
3 eggs
1 small can crushed pineapple or blueberries (optional)
Water as needed
Paper cupcake liners (if baking as cupcakes)
9″x13″ pan (if baking as a cake)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl, including the juice of the pineapple or blueberries. Add water while stirring until mixture is a soupy consistency, and ingredients are well blended. Fill paper cupcake liners 3/4 full, (alternatively pour mixture into cake pan sprayed with non-stick spray).

Bake at 350°F for one hour. Ovens may vary so check after 45 minutes. Cornbread is done when inserted toothpick or knife comes out clean. Serve to your bird when cooled.

Yields: 24 regular sized or 48 mini cupcakes

If you make any of these recipes for your Parrot, leave a comment below.

See all of Hagen’s recipes here.

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