Parrot seed
A parrot seed mix is a blend of different seeds — typically sunflower, safflower, millet and various other seed types — sized and mixed for parrot species rather than the smaller finch or budgie seed blends. Seed should form part of a varied diet rather than the whole of it, alongside fresh food and, ideally, a pelleted diet formulated to fill the nutritional gaps seed alone leaves.
What a good parrot seed mix contains
A parrot-specific mix like Bucktons Parrot Seed No 1 or a tropical blend such as Bestpets Tropical Parrot Mix is formulated with larger seed types and a wider variety than a budgie or canary mix, reflecting the bigger beak and different nutritional needs of parrot species. Variety within the mix matters, since a bird that only eats its favourite seed types out of a mixed bag ends up on a much narrower diet than the bag suggests.
Freshness matters more with seed than with a pelleted diet, since seed can go stale or lose nutritional value if stored too long or kept somewhere warm and humid. Buy in an amount you will get through in a reasonable time rather than the largest bag available.
Why seed alone is not enough
Seed is naturally high in fat and lower in some vitamins and minerals a parrot needs, which is why avian vets and welfare organisations generally recommend seed as part of a varied diet rather than the sole food source. A diet of seed alone, over time, can lead to nutritional gaps that are genuinely harmful to a parrot's health.
A pelleted diet, formulated to be nutritionally complete, alongside fresh vegetables and a controlled amount of seed, gives a more rounded diet than seed on its own. Introducing pellets or fresh food to a bird raised entirely on seed can take patience, since parrots can be reluctant to try something new.
What we stock
Our cage-bird-food range includes parrot-specific seed mixes suited to the larger seed types and variety a parrot needs, rather than a generic small-bird blend. Pairing a seed mix with fresh food and, where possible, a pelleted diet gives a more complete overall diet than seed alone.
If you are unsure what proportion of seed is appropriate for your specific parrot species, an avian vet or a specialist parrot welfare resource is worth consulting, since needs vary between species.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Beaphar XtraVital Parrot Complete Bird Food
A complete seed and fruit food for parrots, with echinacea and a real egg component
£10.99
Vitakraft Australian Parrot Food
A seed-based feed for Australian parakeets, with grit and trace elements
£7.05
Johnston Jeff No 1 Parrot Food
A traditional seed, nut and grain mix for parrots, with a dozen named ingredients
From£5.59
Johnston Jeff Premium Parrot Fruit
A broad seed, fruit and nut mix for parrots, with no fixed percentage breakdown
From£9.99
Vitakraft Amazonian Parrot Food
A seed-based feed for South American parrots, with grit and trace elements
£7.05
Vitakraft African Parrot Food
A seed-based feed for small parrots, with essential vitamins and minerals
£7.05
Johnston Jeff Parrot Lean Fit
A low-fat seed and grain blend for parrots on a maintenance diet
From£8.65
Johnson's Cockatiel/Parrot Nut & Honey Bar
A 50G seed, nut and honey bar treat for cockatiels, parrots and similar birds
£1.89
Beaphar Egg Food for Parakeets & Parrots
A seasonal egg-food supplement for parakeets and parrots, scaled to breeding, moulting and quiet periods
£9.99
Bestpets Tropical Parrot Mix
A tropical seed, nut and dried fruit mix for parrots, including peanuts in shell
£40.99
Johnston Jeff Low Sunflower Parrot
A low-sunflower, 26-ingredient seed and fruit mix for large parrot species
From£11.29
Common questions
- Can parrots live on seed alone?
- They can survive on it, but seed alone tends to be too high in fat and short on certain vitamins and minerals for a genuinely healthy long-term diet. Most avian welfare guidance recommends seed as part of a varied diet alongside fresh food and pellets, rather than as the sole food source.
- How much seed should I feed my parrot each day?
- This depends on the species, size and the rest of the diet you are feeding alongside it, so there is no single figure that applies to every parrot. A specialist avian vet or care guide for your specific species is the best source for an appropriate amount.
- Why does my parrot only eat some of the seeds in the mix?
- Parrots often develop preferences and pick out their favourite seed types, leaving the rest, which can leave them on a much narrower diet than the mix itself contains. Offering a wider variety of foods, including fresh vegetables and pellets, helps reduce reliance on any single favourite.
- Should I switch my parrot from seed to a pellet diet?
- Many avian vets recommend pellets as part of the diet because they are formulated to be nutritionally complete, but switching a bird used to seed can take time and patience. Introduce pellets gradually alongside the existing diet rather than removing seed suddenly.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.