Abstract
When I purchased my pair of
Edward's fig parrots from Aves International
in February 1987, I had absolutely
no knowledge of the pitfalls
that had already been encountered in
both the keeping and rearing of their
young. Perhaps, had I known, I
would have been dissuaded. I had
seen a picture of a male Edward's fig
parrot on a Nekton calendar and was
fascinated by his beauty and uniqueness.
When I found the birds available
in this country, I did not hesitate to
purchase a pair. Since I could find
little if any information about fig
parrots, I contacted the San Diego
Zoo where Wayne Schulenburg was
kind enough to discuss their diet with
me. I also learned that there was a
tendency for them to hemorrhage
and that I would have to supplement
them with vitamin K to avoid this
possibility.
They arrived healthy and in beautiful
condition. I was delighted with
them, but also apprehensive about
my ability to keep them alive and
thriving. I had acquired a good supply
of dried Calamyrna figs and a
large bottle of Nekton Q and decided
to offer as wide a variety of fruits as I
could find available. No expense was
spared in this endeavor. The diet I fed
and still feed them consists of soaked
figs , soaked light and dark raisins,
chopped kiwis, grapes, apples, vari-
ous green, leafy vegetables, broccoli,
cauliflower, carrots, frozen and
thawed corn , peas , string beans ,
cooked lentils, split peas and soybeans,
pear, raspberries (fresh if possible
or frozen), Zupreem soaked in
water from the figs, and pulverized
Ziegler Frugivore pellets sprinkled
over the fruit.