Dr Leoti Morkel has spent most of her career in clinical practice, operating her own veterinary hospital and boarding kennels. Leoti has wide-ranging clinical experience including small and large animals, as well as wildlife.
Pet birds are social eaters and love to share a meal with their human flock mates; however, some foods can be toxic to our feathery friends.
Chocolate and chocolate-containing foods might be one of our favourite treats, but we should resist the temptation to share any with our bird buddies. Unfortunately, it’s harmful and sometimes even fatal for pet birds. Instead, offer a piece of sugary fruit like papaya or mango.
Certain fruits such as apples, pears, cherries, peaches, apricots, nectarines, and plums have seeds or pits that contain small amounts of cardiotoxic cyanide. In addition, fruit peels may have been sprayed with pesticides.
Avocado contains a toxic substance called persin that may cause heart damage, respiratory difficulty, and even sudden death in birds. Not all varieties of avocado are equally harmful. It is challenging to know which types of avocados will affect which bird species or how much a pet bird would have to eat to be affected.
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Due to their social nature, many owners let their birds join them at mealtime. Although feeding your bird is a lot of fun and beneficial for the emotional well-being of your pet, there are several common human foods that can be dangerous or even deadly for your bird. Owners must be aware of which foods are safe to share and which provide a significant risk.
4. Onions and Garlic
Similar to how bad for dogs and cats onions and garlic are, they can also make your pet throw up, have diarrhea, or experience a variety of other digestive issues. These vegetables can also cause weakness and anemia (a deficiency of healthy red blood cells) over time.
Just as there are some mushrooms that we shouldn’t peck at, our nosy animal companions should also avoid certain ones. Certain varieties of mushrooms can cause liver failure in birds, as well as upset stomachs. If Lucky is out and about, just completely remove them from the table.
Certain common garden plants, like potatoes, tomatoes, and various other vegetables, have poisonous stems, leaves, and vines that can harm birds. You can feed your pet the fruit with the skin on, but the remaining portion may be poisonous. So, peel carefully, bird-lovers.
Excessive salt is bad for us, and it’s also bad for our pet birds. Excessive salt intake can cause death by dehydration, excessive thirst, and kidney failure. For a small bird, even a tiny quantity of salty chips, crackers, or popcorn could be poisonous. Instead, stick to the unsalted treat varieties.
Caffeine is very dangerous for your bird’s health, so save your barista skills for your human friends. It can cause cardiac malfunction. Therefore, consider giving your feathered companion some fruit or vegetable juice instead.
Additionally, you really shouldn’t serve raw beans to your bird. While cooked beans are a good addition to your bird’s diet, raw beans are highly toxic to birds because they contain a poison called hemagglutinin.
Alcoholic drinks, such as wine and beer, can be fatal to your parrot because they depress its organ systems. Even though it’s not food, you can still keep your bird safe by not giving it any alcohol.
Although the effects of this popular artificial sweetener on birds have not been thoroughly investigated, it is thought that they may be susceptible to the chemical’s harmful effects. Therefore, it is best to avoid this sweet option.
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FAQ
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