Behavior/Health Concerns: Severe require a diet that is higher in fat than other parrots, so provide a healthy diet that consists of pellets, fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and the occasional nut.They are prolific chewers and are susceptible to overgrown beaks, so provide plenty of hard toys for them to chew on. They are also susceptible to papillomas, proventricular dilatation disease (PDD), polyomavirus, psittacosis and vitamin-A sensitivity. Severe macaws may bond closely to an individual, so socialize them well in order to keep your bird friendly around a variety of people.