Parakeets are some beautiful, talkative, and highly intelligent birds. They are very social, and this is among the reasons most people choose to pet them. Petting them comes with some responsibilities. You have to maintain their charm. This can quickly be done, making the right food choices for them. In this article, we shall be looking at a parakeet’s diet. Some of the foods they can eat and what you should avoid feeding your bird.
So, what can parakeets eat?
Well, a parakeet’s diet mainly consists of seeds. The amount depends on the size of the bird. Seeds are not the only food they should eat. You should include fruits and vegetables in their diet. Just like human beings, parakeets have their favorites. You should treat your bird every once in a while.
Diet is always a broad topic and sometimes hard to follow. This should not hinder you from providing the best to your bird. The good news is that you don’t need to be an expert in the diet to feed your bird a proper meal. What you should just keep in mind is that your pet needs different nutrients in the body, and this can only be gotten from trying different foods. This is the reason I have prepared a list of food that parakeets should eat and some that you should avoid. Let us start with foods that parakeets can eat.
What Foods Can Parakeets Eat?
There are a variety of foods that parakeets can eat. This variety of food is what they need to get all the nutrients they require for a healthy living. The different foods they eat will give them the charm and beauty in their feathers. Some of these foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, nuts, etc. Although parakeets can eat a variety of foods, there are some foods that you should avoid. These are the foods that contain high-fat content, sugar, and sodium. These foods will take away their glow, and some are toxic. Stay tuned to know which foods are toxic to the birds.
Fruits And Their Benefits For Parakeets
Fresh fruits play a crucial role in the diet of a parakeet. They provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Some of these fruits, like mangos and apricots, contain beta carotene. This is processed and turned to vitamin A. This vitamin is essential as it improves the health of the feathers. It makes them glow, makes them beautiful, and enhances the quality, color, and shine of the feathers. Parakeets enjoy feeding on fruits like grapes, oranges, melon, kiwi, berries, apples, and pears. These are among their favorites. Other fruits include pineapples, coconut, bananas, cherries, carrots, etc. Just keep in mind to feed them fruits in moderation.
Vegetables For Parakeets
Just like fruits, vegetables are also crucial. It is boring for birds to only feed on grains and seeds. It is, therefore, up to you to get creative with the foods you give them. Just be careful that you give them the right foods. One of the ways to get creative is to include vegetables in the diet. These vegetables are healthy for the birds, and they provide vitamins such as vitamins A, B, C, and minerals as well. Other veggies such as spinach and alfalfa sprouts contain vitamins A, E and K. Here is a list of vegetables for parakeets. Carrots, potatoes, asparagus, cucumber, celery, zucchini, corn, peas, leafy greens such as kales, spinach, romaine lettuce, dandelion leaves, and sprouted seeds. Leafy vegetables will provide fiber, calcium, and iron. Foods rich in fiber are great for the bird as they help in the digestion of food.
Nuts For Parakeets
Nuts are also an excellent way to implement some changes in the diet. They are nutritious, and most importantly, they love nuts. The only issue with nuts is that they are as big as their heads, and the birds have small throats. This means that before giving it to them, you should chop them into smaller sizes. Some of the nuts include pecans, peanuts, pistachios, almonds, and walnuts. Ensure that you take away the shells of the nuts before giving it to them.
Other Foods Appropriate For Pet Parakeets
Here are some other healthy foods that can make their meals less monotonous. We know that among their staple foods, pellets must be there. Ensure that you get the pellets from pet stores. Avoid the ones with additives, colorings, and preservatives.
Proteins are essential to parakeets. In the wild, they get proteins from feeding on worms and bugs. You can add proteins in their diet by giving them hard-boiled eggs, thoroughly cooked chicken, corn, and tuna.
Parakeets can also feed on bread. Just ensure that the bread is whole grain. Sweetbread may be harmful due to the additives. You should also consider giving your feathery friend cuttlebone. This is a good source of calcium with other minerals included. It is great at trimming the bird’s beaks as well as their claws.
Snacks And Treats For Parakeets
Treats are an excellent way to keep a good relationship with your bird. You can also use these treats to train your feathered friend. These birds do appreciate occasional treats and snacks. Most treats are sweet and sugary, and this is not very healthy. For this reason, snacks such as honey should be kept for those special occasions.
Other treats include sweet peanut butter and a good source of protein, pasta, which is a source of energy for your bird. Pasta is an energy giving food. You can supplement this with some vegetables. Honey is also a tasty treat but contains a lot of calories. Another treat can be millet. The spray millet or the white proso millet are their favorites.
Most Toxic Foods For Parakeets
Below is a list of foods that should be avoided. The first is chocolate, which has theobromine and caffeine. They increase the heart rate and may cause death. Onion and garlic should also be avoided due to their thiosulphate, which can cause hemolytic anemia. Comfrey should also be avoided as it causes liver damage.
Avocado joins the list as it may cause respiratory issues and heart damage due to persin, which is toxic to these birds. An apple is suitable for your bird, but their seeds are poisonous for the parakeets due to cyanide. You should avoid food with high fats, high sugar, and high sodium. You should pay attention to what you feed your bird.
Non-Toxic, But Not Recommended, Foods Parakeets Should Avoid
Some foods are not toxic to the parakeets but are also not the best deal. Foods such as peanuts can get contaminated very quickly and produce fungus. Dairy products with no lactose are also not harmful to the bird, but they should be consumed in moderation. Tomatoes are also in this list because they are acidic, but when dried, they can be fed to the birds, but also, they are not the best deal.
Foods like crackers are not harmful, but they add no nutritional value to the bird. Mushrooms are not suitable for the birds, but when they are cooked, they become less toxic, but it is also not recommended.
Tips For Feeding Your Pet Parakeet
Like I said earlier, you should be keen when feeding your parakeet. The first thing to keep in mind is to ensure that the food you give them is fresh and clean. Cooked food should be left to cool to avoid burning. You should also spice things up to make it attractive for your bird. They do get bored from eating the same food every day. Try changing things up and trying new foods.
Every bird has different preferences, and therefore, you should try different foods as well to know what they like more. Also, when feeding them, ensure that the food is not too large for them. You can chop or dice the food to make it the right size. After they are full, remove all the remains from their cage to avoid rotting, which will eventually cause poisoning. I hear that parakeets do enjoy warm fruits more, so you should place them in a microwave before giving it to them. These are just some tips to help you get along well with your bird.
RELATED QUESTIONS:
Can Parakeets Eat Bread?
Like I said earlier, parakeets can eat bread as long as it is organic. This should be given to the bird in moderation. Bread is not the healthiest food for your birds and is still not the worst, but it may be a tasty treat for your bird.
Can Parakeets Eat Peanut Butter?
Peanut contains proteins and is very healthy for your parakeet. Peanut is great as you can smear some on their foods such as celery sticks, and this can be a very nice treat for your feathered friend.
Can Parakeets Eat Cheese?
This is not that good for the bird as it contains too much fat. This goes to all the dairy products. However, every once in a while, you can try giving the lean curd cheese to the parakeet in moderation.
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