Safe Vegetables For Parrots
- Artichoke
- Beans, cooked only
- Bell Peppers
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Celery stalks
- Chinese Cabbage
- Corn (milky & soft)
- Cucumber
- Eggplant (fruit only)
- Endive
- Fennel
- Green Beans
- Hot Peppers
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Parsley
- Peas
- Potato (cooked)
- Pumpkin (and seeds)
- Radish Red Beet (fresh)
- Radicchio
- Romain Lettuce
- Spinach
- Sprouts
- Squash
- Sweet Potato
- Turnips
- Watercress
- Yams
- Zucchini
Again, make sure vegetables are washed.
SAFE FRUITS FOR PARROTS
- Apple
- Apricot
- Banana
- Blackberry
- Blackcurrant
- Blood orange
- Blueberry
- Cantaloupe melon
- Cherry
- Cranberry
- Dried dates
- Figs (fresh)
- Gooseberries
- Grape
- Guava
- Honeydew melon
- Kiwifruit
- Lychee (Litchi)
- Mandarin
- Mango
- Melon
- Nectarine
- Orange
- Papaya
- Peach
- Pear
- Pineapple
- Plum
- Pomegranate
- Quince
- Raspberry
- Red Currants
- Strawberry
- Tangerine
- Yellow Plum
Make sure that all apple, orange and other seeds are removed before letting your birds eat the fresh foods. And make sure you wash all fruits and vegetable thoroughly. Apple seeds contain a very small amount of cyanide, and if consumed in large quantities can majorly harm you or your parrot.
HINDI NAMES OF FRUIT & VEGETABLES
BY MOHSIN KHAN
Dry Fruits & nuts
Almonds - Badam
Apricot - Khumani
Cashewnut - Kaju
Currants - Kishmish
Dates - Khajoor
Pistachio - Pista
Raisins - Kishmish
Walnut - Akhrot
Safe Indian Fruits
Apple - Saib
Orange - Santara
Star Fruit - Kamrakh or Carambola
Pomegranate - Anaar
Guava - Amrood or Peru
Pineapple - Ananas
Papaya - Papita
Grapes - Angoor
Sweet Melon - Kharbooza
Sugar Cane - Ganna
Pear - Nashpati or Babbugosha
Banana - Kela
Figs - Anjeer
Jackfruit - Kathal
Plum - Aloo Bukhara
Zizyphus - Bair
Dried dates - Chuarra
Safe Indian Vegetables
Carrot - Gajar
Capsicum - Shimla Mirch
Spinach - Palak
Turnip - Shalgam
Cabbage - Patta Gobhi
Lady finger - Bhindi
Beet root - Chukandar
Tomato - Tamatar
Green Peas - Matar
Sweet Corn - Butta
Sweet Potato - Shakargandi
Pumpkin - Meetha Ghiya
Green Beans - Phali
Eggplant - Baingan
Potato - Aloo
Cauliflower - Phool Gobhi
Hot peppers - Mirch
Cucumber - Kheera or Kakri
Safe Nuts for Your Parrot
If you are wondering what nuts you can safely feed your parrot, here are some good options. Remember to look for unsalted nuts and human grade versions are always better.
- Walnuts
- Brazil Nuts
- Almonds
- Macadamia Nuts
- Pine Nuts
- Pecans
- Pistachio Nuts
- cashews
ziziphus Mauritiana
The ziziphus Mauritiana fruit is nutritiously rich & delicious in flavor. It contains vitamin C much higher than apples or citrus fruit & second only to guava. It is also high in Beta Carotene & vitamin A. It is readily eaten by many native parrots and smaller species of birds.
PALM NUTS - PART OF AN AFRICAN GREY'S NATURAL DIET
The African Oil Palm Elaeis guineensis originates in Guinea, but is now naturalized throughout West Africa. It is a tall flowering plant that's a member of the Palm family. Typically it will grow to 20m in height and bears long pinnate leaves at its crown, each between 3–5m in length. Flowers are produced in dense clusters, with each individual flower being small and bearing three sepals and three petals. The fruit is reddish and shiny (about the size of a Brazil nut) and develops in large bunches (which can weigh up to 30kg in total). The fruit takes five to six months to mature from pollination to maturity; it comprises an oily, fleshy outer layer (the pericarp), with a single whitish seed (kernel), which is also rich in oil.
Palm nuts are a natural addition to the diet for African Greys and many other parrots. They provide a genuinely native food for your birds which can also stimulate the wild foraging instinct lacking with many avian diets. Two or three fruits per day per bird is ample.
.It is the yellow flesh around the kernel that is important although larger parrots such as macaws can crack the actual palm nut kernel as well. They are good for all parrots particularly breeding birds.
Palm nuts are a natural addition to the diet for African Greys and many other parrots. They provide a genuinely native food for your birds which can also stimulate the wild foraging instinct lacking with many avian diets. Two or three fruits per day per bird is ample.
.It is the yellow flesh around the kernel that is important although larger parrots such as macaws can crack the actual palm nut kernel as well. They are good for all parrots particularly breeding birds.
SOYA MILK
Did you know that milk and dairy products can upset your birds digestive system? Well an excellent alternative is Soya milk! It can be warmed and mixed into porridge oats and other healthy cereals such as *Weetabix or given to your bird unheated with other cereals & foods or used as a replacement for cows milk in your favourite parrot treats and meals.
JUICING FOR PARROTS
How to Supplement Your Bird's Diet Naturally
the most powerful way to provide immune boosting nutrients to your bird's diet is by juicing fresh fruits and vegetables. Juicing will help to heal many bird diseases plus strengthen the immune system. Juicing provides a concentrated store-house of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients (complex healing compounds), bioflavonoids (protects the capillaries, keeps them strong), antioxidants (slows or prevents damage to cells) and other complex nutrients that are extremely valuable to your bird's health. Juicing concentrates all these wonderful benefits into a readily digestible liquid.
You can offer juice to a bird in many ways. You can soak dry foods in the juice. Try bird bread, monkey biscuits, dry cereals such as mini shredded wheat squares.
For breeders and baby bird feeders: feed the juice to the parents as part of their diet, don't feed directly to baby birds.
Ideally, fresh juice should be eaten right after juicing, but leftovers can be stored for a short period in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid in the refrigerator. Individual portions can also be frozen in ice cube trays for later use. Some of the nutrients may be lost in freezing, but it still will provide a healthy addition to the diet.
As you experiment with juicing, you will discover the combinations of fruits and vegetables that are most favored by your bird. A good combo to introduce juicing to your bird would be four carrots, one 1/2 apple (seeds removed), and a quarter-inch slice of raw ginger.
Only your imagination will limit you to what you can run through the juicer. But here are a few ideas to help you get a shopping list started. Carrots, apples, dark leafy greens, beets, garlic, dark skinned grapes, parsley, celery stalk, oranges, thyme, dandelion, broccoli, pear, cucumber, shiitake mushroom (soaked), apricot
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported "Carrot juice pulls heavy metals from tissues, binds them and helps eliminate them from the body's system." Parrots are subject to heavy metal toxicity from a variety of sources, from metal cookware, drinking water, air pollution, and pesticides used in farming food crops, so adding carrot juice to their diet as a detox agent could be very important to their health.
We recommend that you take the pulp from the juicer and feed that to your birds as well, adding it to the "soft foods" you feed in the evening meal. just mix it together in the same bowl. You can even offer it to wild birds outside.
Below are juice recipes for birds that are beneficial to specific conditions that affect our avian companions. Note: Always use spinach, dandelion, garlic and parsley sparingly because they are very concentrated and need only be used in small amounts.
Juicing Recipes for Birds
Arthritis
Calcium Deficiency
Candida
Cancer Prevention
Cataracts
Healthy Feathers, Skin and Nails
Parsnips - To improve the taste, mix it with apple and carrot juice, source of silica
Fungal Infections
Garlic - contains potassium and sulfur, kills fungus and bacteria. Very concentrated, only use a small amount and dilute with other juices (apples and carrots will help mask the flavor.)
Gout
Infections
Liver Rejuvenator
Intestinal Support
the most powerful way to provide immune boosting nutrients to your bird's diet is by juicing fresh fruits and vegetables. Juicing will help to heal many bird diseases plus strengthen the immune system. Juicing provides a concentrated store-house of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients (complex healing compounds), bioflavonoids (protects the capillaries, keeps them strong), antioxidants (slows or prevents damage to cells) and other complex nutrients that are extremely valuable to your bird's health. Juicing concentrates all these wonderful benefits into a readily digestible liquid.
You can offer juice to a bird in many ways. You can soak dry foods in the juice. Try bird bread, monkey biscuits, dry cereals such as mini shredded wheat squares.
For breeders and baby bird feeders: feed the juice to the parents as part of their diet, don't feed directly to baby birds.
Ideally, fresh juice should be eaten right after juicing, but leftovers can be stored for a short period in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid in the refrigerator. Individual portions can also be frozen in ice cube trays for later use. Some of the nutrients may be lost in freezing, but it still will provide a healthy addition to the diet.
As you experiment with juicing, you will discover the combinations of fruits and vegetables that are most favored by your bird. A good combo to introduce juicing to your bird would be four carrots, one 1/2 apple (seeds removed), and a quarter-inch slice of raw ginger.
Only your imagination will limit you to what you can run through the juicer. But here are a few ideas to help you get a shopping list started. Carrots, apples, dark leafy greens, beets, garlic, dark skinned grapes, parsley, celery stalk, oranges, thyme, dandelion, broccoli, pear, cucumber, shiitake mushroom (soaked), apricot
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported "Carrot juice pulls heavy metals from tissues, binds them and helps eliminate them from the body's system." Parrots are subject to heavy metal toxicity from a variety of sources, from metal cookware, drinking water, air pollution, and pesticides used in farming food crops, so adding carrot juice to their diet as a detox agent could be very important to their health.
We recommend that you take the pulp from the juicer and feed that to your birds as well, adding it to the "soft foods" you feed in the evening meal. just mix it together in the same bowl. You can even offer it to wild birds outside.
Below are juice recipes for birds that are beneficial to specific conditions that affect our avian companions. Note: Always use spinach, dandelion, garlic and parsley sparingly because they are very concentrated and need only be used in small amounts.
Juicing Recipes for Birds
Arthritis
- Broccoli and kale, sources of pantothenic acid
- Kale, parsley and spinach, sources of vitamin C
- Spinach and carrot, sources of vitamin E
- Carrot, ginger root, apple, sources of copper
- Cherry and blueberry, sources of bioflavonoids
- Pineapple, source of bromelain (anti-inflammatory)
Calcium Deficiency
- Kale, mustard greens, carrots, kohlrabi, watercress, cabbage, turnip and beet tops, good sources of organic calcium.
Candida
- Kale, spinach and turnip greens, sources of vitamin B-6
- Red Swiss chard, turnip, garlic, and radish, sources of selenium
- Parsley, beet greens, dandelion greens, and broccoli, good sources of organic iron
Cancer Prevention
- Beet juice, contains the sulphur amino acids
Cataracts
- Carrot, kale, parsley and spinach, high in beta-carotene
- Garlic, a source of sulfur and vitamin B1
- Spinach, currant, asparagus, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, contains vitamin B2
- Kale, parsley, green pepper and broccoli, high in vitamin C
- Spinach asparagus and carrot, good sources of natural vitamin E
- Red Swiss chard, turnip, garlic, and orange, sources of selenium
- Carrot, garlic, and ginger root, sources of copper
- Spinach, turnip greens, beet greens, and carrot, sources of manganese
- Ginger root, parsley, garlic and carrot, sources of zinc.
Healthy Feathers, Skin and Nails
Parsnips - To improve the taste, mix it with apple and carrot juice, source of silica
Fungal Infections
Garlic - contains potassium and sulfur, kills fungus and bacteria. Very concentrated, only use a small amount and dilute with other juices (apples and carrots will help mask the flavor.)
Gout
- Kale, beet greens, and broccoli, sources of folic acid
- Kale, parsley, sweet pepper, and strawberry, sources of vitamin C
- Pineapple, source of bromelain (anti-inflammatory)
- Green vegetables, sources of omega-3 fatty acids
- Cherry and strawberry, help to neutralize uric acid (remove pits)
Infections
- Blueberry and black currant, antibacterial properties
- Grape, apple, and cabbage, antiviral and antibacterial compounds
- Garlic, a natural antibiotic
- Pineapple, the fresh juice contains bromelain an anti-inflammatory
- Celery, carrot, and Swiss chard are high in potassium and sodium
- Ginger, parsley, and carrot are sources of zinc
- Kale, red pepper, and collard greens contain vitamin C
- Tomato, cabbage, and sweet pepper contain bioflavonoids
- Carrot, kale, and spinach are sources of beta-carotene
Liver Rejuvenator
- 1 carrot, calcium, high in beta-carotene
- 1/3 of a beet, blood purifying properties
- 2 sprigs of dandelion, diuretic, a bitter, good source of minerals
- 2 sprigs of parsley, diuretic, source of zinc
- 1/4 of a celery stalk, high potassium and sodium
Intestinal Support
- 1/2 apple (with skin) Pectin, helps firm loose droppings
- 2 Tablespoons of yogurt (with live cultures) supports friendly intestinal flora
- 1 teaspoon aloe vera juice, cleansing and healing to the intestinal system
- 2 leaves of spinach
- 1 Tablespoon of cooked rice (mixed with 1 tablespoon of water. Let soak overnight in the refrigerator before using.)
- 1 teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar
SMOOTHIES FOR PARROTS
Smoothies are a great way to get your parrots eating more fruit! Fruit smoothies can be made with fresh berries, soya milk , fruit juice, hemp seed, flax seed, and wheat germ. The pet parrots get excited when they hear the blender as they know they will be sharing in the fresh fruit and the resulting smoothie! This is a delicious and nutritious way to start the day! Darkly-colored fruits are a wonderful addition to your parrot's diet as they are chock-a-block full of nutritious vitamins!
HERBS AND SPICES FOR PARROTS
- *Alfalfa Leaf helps assimilate protein, calcium and other nutrients. Contains chlorophyll. Richest land source of trace minerals. Very rich supply of Beta Carotene, Vitamins K and D. High in Calcium and contains Phosphorus, Iron, Potassium and eight essential enzymes. It is also high in fructo-oligosaccarides which fertilize healthy bacteria in the gut and neutralize bad bacteria overgrowth such as Candida.
- *Parsley is used as a preventive herb. High in Vitamin B and Potassium. It is said to contain a substance in which cancer cells cannot multiply. Rich in iron, chlorophyll and Vitamins A and C. Contains sodium, copper, thiamin and riboflavin, silicon, sulfur, calcium and cobalt.
- *Flaxseed supplies the body with essential fatty acids. Not only are flaxseeds richer in these fatty acids than fish oil, but they also taste much better. Flaxseed also promotes strong nails, bones and healthy skin.
- *Bee Pollen contains 35% Protein, 55% Carbohydrate, 2% Fatty Acids, 3% Minerals and Vitamins. High in B-Complex Vitamins A, C, D and E. Also contains Lecithin, Beta Carotene and Selenium. It is rich in vitamins and contains almost all known minerals, trace elements, enzymes and amino acids. It contains the essence of every plant from which bees collect pollen in combination with digestive enzymes from the bees. This combination of elements make bee pollen an excellent source of antioxidants. Bee pollen is rapidly absorbed into the blood stream and stimulates immunological responses.
- *Chickweed contains Vitamins A, C and some B, Flavonoids, Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc. It is used for skin problems, to treat blood disorders, gout and arthritis.
- *Dandelion Leaf benefits liver function. Contains nutritive salts, protein, and is a rich source of Vitamin A. Also high in Vitamins B, C and E. Rich in Potassium, Calcium and sodium. Contains some Phosphorus and Iron as well as Nickel, Cobalt, Tin and Copper.
- *Red Clover Blossoms and Leaf contain Vitamins A, C, B-Complex, calcium, Chromium, Iron and Magnesium. Ed Clover has also been used effectively as a blood purifier and antibiotic.
- *Red Raspberry Leaf contains Vitamins A, C, D, E, and B. It is very high in available Calcium.
- *Rose Hips is abundant in Vitamin C and helps combat stress.
- *Milk Thistle Seeds supports the liver's ability to maintain normal liver function. Milk thistle works due to its ability to inhibit the factors responsible for liver damage, coupled with the fact it stimulates production of new liver cells to replace old damaged ones. Milk thistle is also an antioxidant that is more potent than Vitamins C and E.
- *Barley Grassis rich in Beta Carotene, B Vitamins and Vitamin C, the minerals Potassium, Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Chlorophyll, 8 essential amino acids and enzymes, including antioxidant and superoxide dismutase. In total, it contains 92 minerals and 22 vitamins.
- *Dill Weed is high in Calcium and soothing to digestion.
- Dulse is rich in Protein. It contains 22% more than chickpeas, almonds or whole sesame seeds. Very high in Vitamins B6 and B12. Relatively low in sodium and high in Potassium. Rich in trace minerals.
- *Garlic Powder fights bacteria like an antibiotic. Garlic's sulfur compounds, in addition to Selenium and Vitamins A and C containing compounds, make it a potent antioxidant, protecting cell membranes and DNA from damage and disease. Garlic directly attacks bacteria and viruses and stimulates the bodies natural defenses against foreign invaders.
- *Ginger Powder is an absolute favorite taste of parrots. It is an excellent herb for the respiratory system as well as an effective cleansing agent for the digestive system. It contains Protein, Vitamins A, C and B Complex, Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, Sodium, Potassium and Magnesium.
- *Wheat grass contains to many nutrients to mention them all. It is especially high in Fiber, Protein, Chlorophyll, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin B Complex, C, E and K, most minerals and contains 18 Amino Acids. High in Fructo-Oligosaccharides.
- Astragalus Powderis an immunomodulator. It contains Glycosides, Polysaccharides, Choline, Betaine, Rumatakenin, and Beta-Sitosterol. It activates the immune system, thus enhancing the body's natural ability to fight disease and protecting the body against a number of toxins.
- *Chili Flakes is a digestive aid. This flake acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and aids in controlling pain.
- *Cinnamon is a favorite taste of parrots. It is a digestive aid and recent studies have shown it may help to eliminate E. Coli in food.
- *Turmeric Root has five times more antioxidant power than Vitamin E. Contains curcumin and many other phytochemicals. Makes foods more digestible and possesses anti-fungal and antibacterial properties and protects the liver by detoxification and scavenging free radicals. It also breaks down fats.
- *Cayenne is rich in the vitamins A, C, iron, potassium and calcium. It also contains some B complex, magnesium, phosphorus and sulfur. It has an antioxident effect that in very high doses can increase the risk of some cancers but in moderate doses can help to heal other cancers.
Tea varieties suitable for parrots
Although tea and coffee containing caffine are toxic for parrots there are some varieties that you can give your bird safely!
Decaffeinated black, green or white tea in small quantities (check the information on the box to make sure it is decaffeinated using CO2 or/and water method, rather than using ethyl acetate. Organic teas are decaffeinated using the CO2/water method so best stick with those)
Decaffeinated black, green or white tea in small quantities (check the information on the box to make sure it is decaffeinated using CO2 or/and water method, rather than using ethyl acetate. Organic teas are decaffeinated using the CO2/water method so best stick with those)
- Chamomile tea
- Calendula tea
- Dandelion tea
- Fennel tea
- Ginger tea
- Hibiscus tea (make it weak or give in small quantities, can lower blood pressure).
- Linden tea
- Nettle tea
- Peppermint tea
- Raspberry leaf tea
- Rooibos tea
- Rosebuds tea