What NOT to feed your Parrot.

Foods you shouldn't be feeding

Below is a list of foods and drinks your bird should not eat:

1.) Alcohol: There's NOTHING funny about getting your bird drunk, it's cruel, unnecessary, and harmful to a creature that looks to you to provide for him and keep him safe. In addition to it just being stupid, birds' livers can't metabolize alcohol, so there's a good chance you'll kill the little guy if you think it'd be "funny" to see him Tipsy!!

2.) Avocado: Most often feeding this to a bird is fatal.

3.) Caffeine: Coffee beans, grounds or coffee, tea and soda. Caffeine can cause cardiac distress, hyperactivity and possible cardiac arrest.

4.) Soda: Never feed your bird any kind soda, tea, milk or juices that are not 100% juice.

4.) Chocolate: Chocolate will induce vomiting and diarrhea in a bird, but more importantly, it will affect the central nervous system and eventually cause death.

5.) Dried beans: Uncooked beans can be a choking hazard but they also contain a toxin called hemaglutin.

6.) Fruit seeds: The seeds from apples, cherries, peaches, apricots and pears can contain trace amounts of cyanide.

7.) Mushrooms: Mushrooms are a type of fungus and can cause digestive upset and even liver failure. There is also the risk of an allergic reaction.

8.) Onions, garlic and chives: Very small amounts are ok, but excessive consumption can cause vomiting, diarrhea and other digestive problems.

9.) Salt: Too much sodium can eventually result in death due to dehydration and liver malfunction. Never give your bird any kind of salt and be careful of feeding table foods that are high in salt or that you have added salt to.

10.) Tomato Leaves: Do not feed Stems, leaves and vines of a tomato plant.

11.) Raw Cabbage: Cooked cabbage is ok in small amounts.

12.) Eggplant: Do not feed any part of a Eggplant.

13.) Potato: Do not feed any part of a potato that is green.

14.) Rhubarb: Do not feed the leaf blade of Rhubarb

Things that should only be feed in moderation:

1.) Grapes: In the past few years, there has been information coming forward that Grapes in large amounts are causing renal failure. So it is wise to limit grapes to 1 a day for large parrots and less for smaller parrots.

2.) Dairy products: All birds have a hard time digesting dairy products so it is recommended that you do not feed them to your bird.. However, sometimes an Avian Veterinarian will recommend that you feed yogurt to your bird to help with certain health issues.

3.) Sunflower seeds: Sunflower seeds are like candy to your bird and most will eat as many as possible. Eating high quantities of them can cause renal failure as well as make your bird more anxious and aggressive. When used as a treat in small amounts they are just fine.

4.) Peanuts: Peanuts are high in fat and large amounts of them can cause obesity. Peanuts also a common source of Aspergillosis and Aflatoxin. Aspergillosis is the most common infection in birds. Aspergillosis is a respiratory fungal infection caused by aspergillus spores that become airborne. The spores can be ingested and spread throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Because peanuts grow in the ground they are considered to be a common source of aspergillus, which can kill or make your bird sick. People can also get Aspergillosis. Peanuts are also often contaminated with aflatoxin, a fungal toxin. Aflatoxin is carcinogenic and causes liver damage in birds and other animals. Caution is advised when feeding peanuts.. If you choose to feed peanuts a simple way to help in keeping your bird healthy is to go through your birds food and remove any peanuts or other nuts that have black on the shell and keep your bird cage clean and remove wet food and change water daily.

5.) Soybean: In the last few years there has been more and more disturbing data coming forward about soybeans and soybean products. Soybeans in their natural state contain large quantities of natural toxins and there is data that shows that soy is cumulatively toxic when fed to animals. For example, The Parrot Society in New Zealand claims that soy products in bird foods have caused problems such as immune system breakdown, failure of organs and multiplication of the birds' own benign bacteria... So be careful when feeding your bird a pelleted diet that contains the soybean or soybean products.