Healty Foods for our Parrots

[spiritbird]

SOME GOOD THINGS FOR YOUR BIRD TO EAT:

Aloe Vera: Aloe stimulates the immune system.

Can add to the drinking water occasionally (one part aleo juice to three parts water) Aloe is a natural antihistimine and may help prevent feather destruction. Aloe spray helps alleviate itching and irritated skin. Parrots can eat thin slices of fresh aloe as a preventive or curative remedy. It is known to draw out infecton of wounds and regenerates healthy tissue.

SESAME SEED - UNHULLED

High in calcium and minerals. Unhulled is much higher in calcium than hulled. Unhulled is 88 mg. of calcium vs. hulled at 37 mg. This is about the same amount of calcium as a tsp. of crushed

ALFALFA

Leaves are rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and carotene. Also A, K, and D. Alfalfa alkalizes and detoxifies the body, especially the liver. It is known to be an appetite stimulant. Do not feed the seeds as they are slightly toxic.

DANDELION

Natures richest vegetaable source of beta carotene (more than carrots). High in calcium. Helps with prevention of arthritis and reduce gout and uric acid. Excellent for liver disorders.

GINGER

Anti-inflammatory, may help with arthritis. Helps to reduce nausea for parrots with motion sickness.

MILK THISTLE

Protects and shields the liver. Can even rebuild the liver cells. Very helpful after a course of antibiotics. Parrots do enjoy the seeds. I get mine from Nuts.com and add it to herb salad along with hemp seed.

CINNAMON

Has several benefits: lowers cholesterol, helps yeast infections, helps with arthritis pain. Great source of mangeanese, fiber, iron and calcium.

GARLIC

Contains 18 anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacerial substances. Stimulates the immune system and kills paracites. Helps to protect the liver. It is a natural antibiotic which is safe for parrots. Lowers cholesterol and aids to neutralize aspergillus fungus. Be aware you bird will smell like garlic if you feed a clove or two. You can give your bird a clove and let him or her peel it.
　

reference: Nourish to Flourish - A cookbook for Parrots by Phoenix Landing
　
　
　
　

[spiritbird]

:bump:

[94lt1]

I didn't know our birds could have garlic...hmmm..starburst is gonna have smelly breath(just kidding) ..good write up

[spiritbird]

They really do get garlic mouth and I can't stand that smell.

[Lady]

I have read that onions, garlic and chives are not good for birds. Now I'm a bit confused. Here's the link I read recently.

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[spiritbird]

Yes it is confusing about garlic. I was using only one source from Phoenix Landing cookbook. Some web pages say garlic is OK and others say it is not. The final say would be your avian vet on this one.

[King Parrot]

Almost every kind of parrot love to eat the fruit most. All type of ripped fruit is their favourite food to take from trees. Vegetables are secondary choice of parrots in all over the world. Some parrots eats insects very foundly. Pasta is also one of their choice to take for more detail visit my blog [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

[Mare]

Good info, Dianne, thanks for sharing that. I had also read that garlic was a no-no..but then again, I've also read that oak is poisonous to our parrots. My birds are living proof that sometimes what you read, doesn't mean it's true.

[PlaxMacaws]

My information is that cooked onions are safe in moderation (i.e., small amounts). But exactly what constitutes a "small amount"? If we can determine that, the implication is that slight amounts of cooked onions are probably safe for our birds.

However, there are sources that claim neither raw nor cooked onions may be perfectly safe to feed our feathered friends. The topic seems controversial at best. Below is an excerpt from: [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]


Excessive amounts of Cooked and Raw Onions can be toxic to your bird. Onions contain the chemical n-propyl disulfide which denatures hemoglobin. This will in turn destroy Red Blood Cells. Causes: Anemia, Jaundice, Bloody Urine. Note: Be cautious if feeding cooked onion in small amounts.

And next is some information on how onions, garlic, and chives can be conducive to Heinz Body Hemolytic Anemia. The article, by a board certified avian vet, indicates that birds may be more immune to HBHA than various mammals. But it also states that in the author's opinion, it's not worth the risk to feed these foods to pet birds. The article is from: [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]


Heinz Body Hemolytic Anemia from Onions

Onions, garlic and chives are all in the Lily family, Liliaceae. Onions are of the genus Allium, and the true onion is Allium cepa, Allium cernuum, is the wild onion, the shallot is Allium ascalonicum, and the green onion (or leek) is Allium ampeloprasm. Garlic is also in the Lily family, Liliaceae, and is related to onions and has similar chemical characteristics.

Onions, whether cooked, raw or dehydrated, contain sulfur compounds, that when chewed, are hydrolyzed to thisulfinates. Thiosulfinates decompose to a number of of disulfides, inculding dipropenyl disulfide (or n-propyl disulfide) which appears to be the most toxic disulfide. These disulfides are oxidizing agents that can cause hemolysis (rupture) of red blood cells.

The toxicity of onions is based on their disulfide concentration, which is increased when they are grown in soil high in sulfur. Sulfur is a widely distributed element found in abundance in the soil in both free and combined states.

In addition to the compounds found in these plants causing red blood cells to rupture, resulting in anemia, they are also cause irritation to the mouth, esophagus and crop, and can cause ulcers, although this damage is probably more severe in mammals.

The sulfur compounds found in these plants cause red blood cells to rupture in animals, and dogs, cats and cattle seem particularly sensitive to this problem. Because birds have nucleated red blood cells, and mammals do not, it is thought that this somewhat protects them from the affects of Heinz body hemolysis. Heinz bodies are pieces of oxidized hemoglobin that are found on still intact red blood cells (RBCs). If enough RBCs are ruptured from the ingestion of these compounds found in onions and garlic, this will result in anemia. Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen to the tissues and for removing carbon dioxide, as well. As the number of RBCs decreases, the animal becomes weaker and the gums and tissues also become pale.

The good news is that the red cells can be replaced by the body as long as the hemolysis stops. In dogs, it takes several days for the red cell count to reach the lowest point after a single large exposure. In chronic exposure at low doses, the anemic effect is lessened because RBCs, also called erythrocytes, are being regenerated as they are being destroyed.

Allicin, which gives garlic its odor, is also a strong oxidant. In rare cases, this chemical can be dangerous and can cause Heinz body hemolytic anemia, as well.

Although I have not seen any scientific studies performed on any avian species, there is the chance that disulfides could also cause this Heinz body hemolytic anemia in birds. For that reason, I feel that is unnecessary and potentially dangerous to feed onions, leeks, garlic or chives, as they don't contain any nutrients that are vital for the health of our pet bird. Why take the risk?


Copyright © 2008 Margaret A. Wissman, D.V.M., D.A.B.V.P.
All Rights Reserved
ExoticPetVet.net


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[Lady]

I think that why take the risk is a good idea until, (if ever) the answer is clear. I shutter to think how such test would be done.

[PlaxMacaws]

I think that why take the risk is a good idea until, (if ever) the answer is clear. I shutter to think how such test would be done.Alice: did you mean that's why it's a good idea to not take the risk until the answer is clear?

[Lady]

Yes I think it is surely a good idea to avoid what we're not sure of.This in one of those sentences that can read wrong without correct punctuation, or in my case, no punctuation at all :(.

I think that, "why take the risk" is a good idea until (if ever) the answer is clear.

[spiritbird]

Thank you King for that nice link. I bet even avian vets may differ in the garlic issue. I am a huge believer in humans and parrots eating the seasonal foods. I am feeding raw grated pumpkin, pomegranate seeds and raw grated butternut right now.

[PeachyDoll]

Rosie loves cinnamon on her oatmeal, she gets that twice a week with homemade applesauce or fresh banana.

We have a lime and lemon tree and Rosie loves eating a few leaves once a week when she talks afterwards she has citrus breath - I love it!

[spiritbird]

Better than garlic breath.

[PlaxMacaws]

Almost every kind of parrot love to eat the fruit most. All type of ripped fruit is their favourite food to take from trees. Vegetables are secondary choice of parrots in all over the world. Some parrots eats insects very foundly. Pasta is also one of their choice to take for more detail visit my blog [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks] King Parrot! Welcome to Precisely Parrots and thanks for sharing your beautiful parrot website with us :D