Birds make excellent pets. They can live for many years, and bring an owner much happiness. Being flock animals, they will bond with their owners, making them part of the flock.
Birds need more than seeds to be healthy. Birds can eat almost anything that humans can, with a few exceptions. There are foods that are safe for most humans that can actually kill birds. It's important to know which foods are not safe for domesticated birds so that you can avoid harming your pet unknowingly.
Unsafe Sweet Treats for Pet Birds
Fruit pits and seeds from the rose family, which includes pears, peaches, apricots and cherries, contain Cyanide. The fruit flesh itself is fine and actually healthy, but be sure to take out all seeds and pits before serving.
Chocolate is fatally toxic to birds. The first symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea, and the poisoning then progresses from the digestive system to the nervous system, causing seizures and death.
Fruits and Vegetables Toxic to Birds
Avocado skin and pits have caused heart failure in pet birds. While there is debate on the exact amount of toxicity, it's better to be safe than sorry, and keep avocados away from your pet birds.
Tomatoes are a healthy treat for your birds, but because they are part of the nightshade family, all green parts of the plant are toxic to pet birds.
Onion or garlic powder used in small amounts as flavoring is safe, but too much of anything in the onion family can cause digestive symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. Excessive consumption over a long period of time can cause hemolytic anemia, respiratory distress and death.
Toxic Beverages for Pet Birds
Caffeine has been known to cause tachycardia, hyperactiviity, arrhthmia, and even cardiac arrest. It's best to stick to water and fruit or vegetable juice to quench your bird's thirst.
Alcohol is a depressant which can be fatal for birds, so keep the avian family members in their cages when alcohol is being served.
Other Toxic Pet Bird Food
Dried beans contain hemaglutin, a poison which can be deadly to birds, so be sure that any beans you feed your bird are thoroughly cooked.
Mushrooms are a fungus, and birds are very susceptible to fungi. There are mushroom varieties that cause liver failure in pet birds. In fact, all moldy foods are potentially toxic to birds, so make sure to change all fresh food after 30 minutes to avoid contamination.
Salt, which necessary for all living things, can actually cause kidney failure and death to pet birds when consumed in excessive amounts, so it's best to keep the salty treats away from pet birds.
Different foods may be toxic to different birds, so research is necessary before feeding a pet bird anything new. Being sure that what a bird is being fed is safe for it will give it long life and its owner joy for years to come.
