Trying some spinach

[wingman]

:23_11_52:Bought some spinach leaves in a bag for the birdies to try today . Gonna wash it good the get the chopper out..I guess that would be the best way for them to eat it? they are small birds 2 budgies and 3 lovebirds. Does this sound right on the prep? also how long should i leave it in their cages 4-6 hrs?

[spiritbird]

Spinach is a nutritious food for our birds, however it should be fed in moderation because it is one of the greens that contains oxalates.
Oxalates interferes with the uptake of calcium. Parsley is another one.

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Spinach has oval-shaped, dark-green leaves with a slightly spicy taste. Spinach is the highest source of fiber, calcium and Vitamin A of the leafy greens, with minerals and vitamin C as well. An extremely nutritious food, it also is a good source of iron and potassium. Although it contains oxalates it can be fed in moderation without a problem. Medicinal benefits: Blood builder and beneficial to feather health. Contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which prevent damage to the eyes from sunlight and free radicals.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Yeh, but its green. Casper doesn't eat green. *apart from stripping the peas out of pea pods.
On a human note, I hated spinach as a kid because of the way they ruined it in the school canteen. I love it now.

[spiritbird]

I love spinach also and my female budgie Daisy will really eat it over any other green. I seldom feed it to my birds. Love spinach dip or quiche.

[kendrafitz]

I understand Casper not eating green foods. He is a beautiful green himself and he may consider it cannibalism to eat anything green. :)

[plax]

I understand Casper not eating green foods. He is a beautiful green himself and he may consider it cannibalism to eat anything green. :)HaHa!

[jtbirds]

I personally Love spinach, but my birds won't touch it ether. They prefer broccoli, pea's, etc..

[wingman]

the only broccoli i have at the moment is the frozen florets which would thaw by rinsing them , would that be ok for my birds to eat?

[Lady]

Is it organic?

[jtbirds]

It would be ok for them to have, the only issue is usually canned food is high in salt and past its peak ripeness. Frozen is frozen at peak ripeness and keeps fresh throughout the process until cooked.

The organic debate is one I recently found maybe false, As a vegan i am often asked do I consume much organic produce, my answer is whatever I can find and afford reasonably yes. I recently watched/ have read a few things that purpose organics may or may not be better for you. That organics may cause similar problems as they still use pesticides and such in organic food.

The only food free from that stuff is if you where to grow it yourself and not to anything to alter the yield:).

[plax]

The organic debate is one I recently found maybe false, As a vegan i am often asked do I consume much organic produce, my answer is whatever I can find and afford reasonably yes. I recently watched/ have read a few things that purpose organics may or may not be better for you. That organics may cause similar problems as they still use pesticides and such in organic food.I have to say that I don't quite agree with your reasoning on this, Justin. USDA organic certification for produce is not an easy thing to obtain. My information is that the soil has to meet specific standards for a certain number of years and pass necessary and ongoing testing in order to gain the ability to sell as "USDA Organic". Organic farmers must meet and maintain stringent requirements stipulated by the USDA before they are allowed to label their product as such (i.e., "USDA Organic").

Here's the thing... even if certain pesticides are permitted by the USDA to be applied to produce that will be labeled USDA Organic when marketed, it's important to remember that there are many dangerous pesticides which, if used by a USDA certified organic farmer, will result in the loss of that farmer's organic certification. So any way one may wish to slice this issue, certified organic produce will not contain certain dangerous chemical residues that may be harmful to our birds, as well as ourselves. And disturbingly, some of those dangerous chemicals are cumulative. That means they will either not purge naturally from our tissues, or that they purge so slowly that we can never eliminate as much of them as we take into our bodies. They simply accumulate through the years to greater levels within our organs and other tissues. Why would anyone want to chance absorbing the more dangerous chemicals when one can instead consume foods that are produced by farmers who are not allowed to use those particular dangerous chemicals? I can't think of a reasonable answer to that.

One thing I've found to be a huge problem in this country -and I imagine in others- is that corporate interests have such a handle on our politicians (through their lobbyists and their wealth) that they tend to literally *buy* the deregulation they are seeking in order to maximize their profits. And they use various underhanded measures as well that help keep said *ball-playing* politicians in office. Such corporate interests frequently purchase propagandistic advertising that's designed to convince the public that harmful practices are not harmful at all, and that proven safe practices are some sort of conspiracy from the far left. And politicians that cater to those interests embrace these methods. It's all done so said corporations can maximize their gains. It's actually quite sickening, and many folks will dispute that it's true because they themselves have been propagandized to some degree and are unaware of the genuine facts :(

Here is the USDA pdf on organic certification: [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]


The only food free from that stuff is if you where to grow it yourself and not to anything to alter the yield:).Maybe. But that really depends upon the soil that it's grown in. If the soil contains contaminants and/or dangerous chemicals, so will the food grown in it.