I've had my African Grey, Cleo, for eleven years. She came to me as a two-year-old rescue and she's been the most demanding, most rewarding, most infuriating, and most beloved presence in my home ever since. African Greys are extraordinary birds — intelligent, sensitive, long-lived — and they require a level of care and attention that most people underestimate when they first get one.
Nutrition is one of the areas where I'd always known I could do better. For the first few years I fed Cleo a standard supermarket parrot mix — the kind that's mostly sunflower seeds and not much else. She ate it, she was fine, but she wasn't thriving in the way I knew she could. Her plumage was good but not exceptional. Her energy was normal but not vibrant. She was healthy, but I had a persistent feeling that I wasn't giving her what she needed.
I started researching African Grey nutrition properly about three years ago. What I found was that the seed-heavy mixes most commonly available are nutritionally incomplete — high in fat, low in the vitamins and minerals that parrots need for long-term health. The ideal diet includes variety: different seeds and grains, dried fruits and vegetables, and fortified pellets that fill the nutritional gaps that seeds alone can't cover.
Why This Mix
I came across the Jolof Store Parrot Food Premium Seed Mix while looking specifically for a blend formulated for African Greys. The ingredient list was immediately more comprehensive than anything I'd seen at a similar price point: white and striped sunflower, safflower, various millets, paddy rice, oats, buckwheat, multiple maize varieties, dried fruits, vegetables, red peppers, raisins, carrot, and expanded pellets fortified with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
That variety matters for African Greys specifically. They're foragers by nature — in the wild they eat a wide range of foods across the day, not the same seed repeatedly. A mix that mirrors that diversity is closer to what their digestive systems and nutritional needs are designed for. The fortified pellets address the vitamin and mineral gaps that a seed-only diet creates, particularly vitamin A deficiency which is common in African Greys on poor diets.
The 5L tub is practical — it's reusable, keeps the mix fresh, and at £28.90 represents good value for the quantity and quality. I ordered it and introduced it gradually over two weeks, mixing it with Cleo's existing food to avoid the digestive disruption that comes with sudden dietary changes.
What Changed
The first thing I noticed was her engagement with the food. With the old mix she'd pick out the sunflower seeds and leave most of the rest. With the Jolof mix she was working through the bowl properly — picking up the different pieces, examining them, eating a much wider variety. African Greys are intelligent enough to be curious about food, and the variety in this mix gave her something to be curious about.
Within about six weeks I noticed her plumage. The grey feathers on her body had a sheen to them that hadn't been there before — a subtle lustre that's a reliable indicator of good nutrition in parrots. Her red tail feathers, which had always been bright, seemed even more vivid. Her vet commented on her condition at her annual check-up and asked what I'd changed.
Her energy levels shifted too. She's always been active, but there was a quality to her activity that felt different — more sustained, more engaged. She started vocalising more, which in an African Grey is a sign of contentment and stimulation. She began working on her foraging toys with more enthusiasm. These are subtle changes, but when you've lived with a bird for eleven years you notice them.
Practical Notes
The 5L tub lasts Cleo about six weeks at her normal feeding rate. I store it in a cool, dry place and the tub keeps it fresh throughout. The mix doesn't have the dusty quality that some cheaper blends have — it's clean and the ingredients are clearly of good quality.
I supplement the mix with fresh fruit and vegetables daily, which is standard practice for African Grey care. The seed mix forms the base of her diet rather than the entirety of it, which is how it's designed to be used. The fortified pellets in the mix mean I'm not relying solely on fresh food to cover her nutritional needs, which is reassuring on days when I'm short on time.
Who This Is For
Any African Grey, Amazon, or Cockatoo owner who wants to move beyond a basic seed mix and give their bird a nutritionally complete diet. If your bird is picking out the sunflower seeds and leaving the rest, or if their plumage isn't as vibrant as it should be, a better quality mix is the first thing to address. This one is formulated specifically for the species that need it most.
You can find the Jolof Store Parrot Food Premium Seed Mix here. If you're exploring more, these collections are worth a look:
Eleven years with Cleo. Three years on this mix. Her vet asked what I'd changed. That's the review.
— Patricia Hennessy, Brighton
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