Do you read the label of the commercial food for your parrot before buying them? To date, most commercial pet food (including commercial seed mixes and pellets) available in the pet store are preserved with a chemical antioxidant called Ethoxyquin. Are you aware of it?

Some of you might have heard about Ethoxyquin, but many still remain ignorant. They are unaware about it and do not know the adverse effects of it on parrot’s health.

So what is Ethoxyquin?

To go more in depth, Ethoxyquin is actually a quinoline-based antioxidant that is used as a food preservative to extend shelf-life. It is commonly used as a preservative in pet foods to prevent the rancidification of fats. Besides using as a preservative, Ethoxyquin is also used as pesticide, herbicide and a rubber stabilizer.

Ethoxyquin can cause great impact to your parrot’s health. Prolong intakes of Ethoxyquin can result in damaged kidneys and livers, and even possibility of tumors and growths.

So why putting your parrot’s health and life at risk when you have the option to prevent it?

Start reading labels printed on the packaging of commercial parrot food before buying them. Avoid anything that is preserved with Ethoxyquin. Opt for parrot seed mixes or pellets that are naturally preserved by natural preservatives (e.g. mixed tocopherols, rosemary or citric acid). Or even better, go organic! By doing, your parrot’s health and life is not in jeopardy. Not only you get a healthier and happier parrot, it also gives parrot owner a peace in mind too!