Protect your budgie's well-being by understanding which foods are harmful
Parakeets (also called budgerigars or simply budgies) are not any large than other parrot species🦜 kept as pets in homes. However, this does not make them any less formidable.
Equipped with the intelligence of their bigger sisters, a playful attitude, mimicry, and colorful feathers, budgies have dominated the aviculture world for years.
They are the best beginner parrots for new owners and kids keen to have a feathery friend.
However, a-whole-lot of them die in captivity each day due to improper care, including consumption of unfit or toxic foods.
So, as I educate you on everything birds and parrots, it’s only fair that I dedicate some time⌚ to these tiny but ever grateful critters.
In this post, we’ll see what is unsafe (and safe) for your lovely budgies.
Please read through.
What Food is Not Safe (Bad) for Budgies
While birds (parakeets to be specific) will consume a varied diet, constituted of all kinds of seeds, grains, fruits, nuts, veggies, and even meat, there is a lot more they can’t consume.
Certain foods and beverages are toxic and may kill your bird, while others, though not dangerous, will cause your birdie digestive issues, such as constipation.
By far, the most common culprit is avocado (mentioned in almost all bird forums I participate in).
Drug items, like alcohol🍺, tobacco🚬, and caffeine, make quite the appearance as well, but that should be obvious, yes!
Your birdie should not be a party to your somewhat questionable🧐 choices😁.
Avocado pit and skin are the most toxic parts of the fruit to parakeets. However, even its flesh is dangerous; Pet Moms, quoting the Bird Channel.
Avocados🥑 contain persin, which is toxic to the heart of birds and a few other pet animals, but not humans. All parts of the fruit, including the skin, flesh, pit, and leaves, contain the toxins and are fatal if your bird consumes a significant amount.
A parakeet with persin poisoning will be lethargic and breathe heavily. Shortly after, the birdie may collapse and die if you fail to take the necessary measures.
Away from avocados, you also do not want to feed your parakeet seeds and pits from most fruits, more so apples🍏, apricots, cherries🍒, nectarines, peaches🍑, and plums.
Seeds from these fruits contain a cyanide-like substance, another potentially poisonous substance to birds.
Moving on to veggies, although mostly safe and nutritious to budgies, some are a little off for them to consume.
It might only be in my head, but I feel like Pickles (my GCC) does not love any veggie with a strong taste and smell, such as Onion-like greens.
Anyway, away from my feeling, I know onions and rhubarbs should not be on your budgie’s menu, whether cooked or raw.
Onions🧅 contain sulfur compounds that result in ruptured red blood cells causing Anemia. Rhubarb contains Oxalic acid, which is usually not toxic in decent amounts but not as much as in these greens.
Rhubarb leaves contain a significantly toxic amount of Oxalic acid and should not be fed to budgies (and other birds) at any time.
Mushroom🍄🍄 is another vegetable that rubs budgies the less desirable way. The stem and cap contain amatoxin, a poisonous substance linked to liver failure.
Now, garlic🧄, cabbage, and kale are not toxic per se but may cause some individuals an upset stomach, more so hand-raised parakeets.
Other leafy greens🥬, such as lettuce, spinach, and what have you, are mostly fit for budgies, but you want to be cautious of the stingy part of celery when feeding them to your bird, but away from that, they are safe.
What Food Should You Feed Your Budgie
There is plenty of different food your budgie will accept, but with heightened awareness, the importance of nutrition cannot be overlooked. Essentially, you will need a proper balance of carbs, proteins, vitamins, fats, and minerals.
Now, a quality staple of pellets will cover about 60 percent of your birdie’s energy and health needs without a hefty price on his weight, but you must augment it with fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and minerals, such as cuttlebone.
Fruits and veggies, responsible for your bird’s vitamin needs, should make up about 25 percent of every meal. Fortunately, there are many different fruits a budgie will accept.
Nuts, seeds, and grains are more for your budgie’s fat need, so they should not be more than 10 percent. Too many of these treats risk making your bird obese.
The remaining 5 percent should be filled with mineral-rich treats like cuttlebone, oyster shells, and mineral blocks, and sweet treats like meat.
Now, concerning what to offer your bird and what not to, below are lists of safe food items from every class.
Vegetables Budgies Can Eat
- Spinach
- Asian greens
- Beans
- Corn
- Peas
- Carrot
- Mint
- Basil
- Parsley
- Rockets
- Asparagas
- Broccoli
- Chicory
- Kohlrabi
- Mustard greens
- Spring greens
- Sweet corn
- Rutabaga
- Turnips
- Pumpkin
- Zuchinni (Courgette)
- Yam
- Tomatos
- Cilantro
- Persley
- Peas
- Cabbage
- Radish
- Cauliflower
- Brussels sprout
- Beetroot
- Aubergine
- Chard
- Cucumber
- Pak Choi
What Fruits Can Budgies Eat
- Banana
- Berries (straw, blue, rasp)
- Apples (avoid the seeds)
- Grapes
- Oranges
- Lemons
- Tangarines
- Peaches
- Pears
- Mangos
- Pineapples
- Melons (all types)
- Nectarines
- Cherries (ensure you’ve removed the stone)
- Kiwis
- Apricot(ensure you’ve removed the stone)
Now…while most fruits on the list above are ideal budgie treats, keep in mind fruits are not a staple and should be fed occasionally. Also, note that some fruit seeds, pits, and stones can be problematic for parrots.
For instance, apple seeds, as well as cherry, apricot, nectarines, plum, and peach stones (or pits), contain potentially lethal doses of cyanide and should never make it to your budgie’s food bowl.
Citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, limes, tangerines), pineapples, and grapes should also be fed sparingly since they are high in acid and can irritate your budgie.
Grains, Seeds, and Nuts Budgies Can Eat
Grains, seeds, and nuts are other food items that make up the extensive budgie diet, but again, not all are safe for your little plummed baby.
Some, like rice, also need to be preboiled or cooked to tenderize them enough for your budgie to consume.
Well…below is a list of the best alternative that perhaps you should consider.
- Boiled rice
- Amaranth
- Barley
- Canary seeds
- Quinoa
- Rye
- Wheat
- Sweetcorn kernels
- Whole buckwheat
- Sunflower
- Flax
- Hemp
- Millet
- Niger
- Pumpkin
- Rapeseed
- Sesame
Having said that, note that any seeds or grains high in fat, such as sunflower, sesame, hemp, flax, and millet, should only be fed sparingly to keep your bird from becoming obese.
Legumes high in proteins, such as peas and beans, should also be fed in a limited amount as they can induce breeding behavior. However, assorted legumes, including black-eyed pea, green peas, lentils, yellow peas, and mung beans, are ideal and should make part of your budgie’s diet.
According to Exotic direct budgies will enjoy assorted herb seeds, including alfalfa, chia, cloves, dill, fennel,coriander, radish, groundsel, and mustard.
Grass seeds are also a budgie’s favorite.
Most parrots will delight in many of them, including…
- Ryegrass
- Orchard grass
- Yorkshire grass
- Soft brome
- Tmothy grass
- Rough bluegrass
In conclusion…
You’ll note that most vets nowadays recommend a pellet staple for captive birds since they are well constituted. They come with balanced vitamins, proteins, and carbs limiting the disadvantage of natural foods.
The case in point, nuts, seeds, and grains contain too many fats, while most fruits are high in vitamins and carbs, but not proteins.
On the other hand, legumes contain plenty of proteins and are not an ideal staple for your budgie.
Long story short…
A budgie pellet made from grains and vegetables, with a balanced amount of proteins, vitamins, and carbs, is indispensable and should perhaps make your budgie’s base meal.
Well, that’s all for this post. See you in the next one.
All the best with budgie🦜🦜.