Providing new food for our parrots can be rewarding for both of you. Have you wanted to give your parrot something different to try but are concerned about giving him something harmful? A parrot’s digestive system is very different than ours and there are a number of foods we can eat that are toxic to our pets. Here is a list of some harmful items to avoid. This is not a comprehensive list, but will give you an idea of food to stay away from.
Avocado: Avocado’s can be deadly to your parrot. The causative agent, persin, is found in all parts of the avocado including leaves, stems, seeds and fruit and will cause myocardial necrosis (death of the heart muscle) in birds.
Chocolate: Can cause vomiting, seizures and death.
Onions: Can cause vomiting, seizures and death.
Seeds or pits from apple, apricot, peach, pear, plum, nectarine: Contain cyanide.
Asparagus: Causes digestive upset in parrots.
Foods high in fat, sugar or salt.All of these items are harmful to parrots.
Uncooked Beans: Contain a toxin called phytohaemagglutinin.
Cooked Beans: Cooked beans do not provide significant nutrition for your bird.
Butter: Parrots are lactose intolerant.
Caffeine: Coffee and tea can be hazardous and cause cardiac malfunction in birds.
Soda: Contains carbon dioxide gas, high fructose corn syrup and other additives harmful to your bird.
Chocolate: Contains theobromine which is harmful to a bird’s central nervous system.
Dried Fruit: Contains sulfides and sulphates which are harmful to parrots.
Egg Plant: Can cause stomach upset. Stem and leaves are toxic.
Garlic: Contains allicin which can be harmful to parrots.
Milk (Dairy): Parrots are lactose intolerant.
Mushrooms:A fungus that can cause digestive upset and liver failure.
Olives: Carry very high levels of sodium which can be toxic to parrots.
Peanuts: Carry a fungus that can cause Aspergillus Flavus which can lead to death.
Honey: Can cause botulism in parrots.
Rhubarb: Carries high levels of oxalic acid which is toxic to parrots.
Tomato: Stems and leaves are highly toxic to parrots and the fruit can cause ulcers.
Tobacco: Smoking around your bird or a bird that ingests a cigarette can die from
nicotine poisoning.
