Can parrots have strawberries, cherries and dandelions

Do strawberries or cherries cause allergies? Is it normal for a bird to refuse berries? Is it necessary to feed a parrot with dandelions, as recommended on the forums? Veterinarian Vladimir Karpov helped to find out the answers to these questions.

In addition to dry food, it is useful to feed parrots with seasonal vegetables, fruits, berries and herbs. Cherries and strawberries are no exception. They are rich in vitamins, antioxidants and carotenoids, and they enrich the diet. In order not to harm your pet, remember three rules:

• Remove pits from cherries 

Cherry pits contain hydrocyanic acid, which is toxic to birds. There is an opinion that in a small amount it cannot harm. But I recommend not to take risks – especially if the parrot has not yet grown up or is weakened due to illness. It is safer not to experiment with the pet’s health: cut the berry and remove the stone.

• Rinse and treat the berries with boiling water

You can feed a parrot only with clean fresh berries, without traces of mold. First, I recommend that you thoroughly rinse them under the tap and pour boiling water over them.

• Cut the berries into pieces

Birds love to forage for food and dig into pieces – this is how they realize their genetic potential. According to this principle, so-called “tedders” are placed in zoos for birds. Pieces can be placed on a feeding plate or fastened between the bars of the cage so that the parrots get them on their own. Please note: birds do not eat whole berries, but only suck the juice out of them. Therefore, do not forget to remove the remnants of berries from the cage after the meal.

• Give berries in small quantities

Berries are an addition to the main diet, not a replacement. Do not try to fill up the parrot with so many berries for the parrot to eat like a standard portion of food. A small berry of strawberries and a couple of cherries per day is enough for a budgerigar.

If you give a parrot too many berries, it will get an upset stomach. You will hardly like to clean the cage after that.

Each pet is individual. It is perfectly normal if the neighbor’s “wavy” loves strawberries, and your “lovebird” does not look in her direction. Strawberries and cherries are not common food for parrots, and they may well ignore them.

Uneaten berries must be removed from the cage after 2-3 hours. Giving a parrot a cherry and leaving for work is a bad idea. During this time, the leftover treats will deteriorate and become unsuitable for food.

Dandelions can indeed be added to a parrot’s diet. You can give them whole: leaves, stem, flower. The main thing is to collect plants outside the city, away from roads and highways. Doing this in a city yard is dangerous. Plants absorb heavy metals and toxins – they are dangerous as food. In addition, other pets walk in the yards, and helminth eggs and infectious agents may be on the plants.

Process dandelions. Pour boiling water over them. Only after that they can be given to the parrot.

Finally, one more rule. If in doubt about whether the food will be healthy for the parrot, ask your veterinarian. If this is not possible, then do not risk it. A parrot will not tell you about feeling unwell in words, and it can be difficult to recognize malaise in time. Take care of your pets and have a great summer!