Diet to strengthen nails

[MKparrot]

Nails of my parrot are with poor quality on their back side. The front side of each nail is good, shiny and without any cracks, but the back side of the nails has small cracks. Vet advised me to give beta carotene to the bird and more calcium. Your advice? What food and vitamins should I give more in order to solve the nails issue?

[danmcq]

Beta Carotene (precursor to vitamin A) can be found in several foods:

 

 

• Apricots
  
• Asparagus
  
• Broccoli
  
• Carrots
  
• Chinese cabbage
  
• Chives
  
• Dandelion leaves
  
• Grapefruit
  
• Herbs & Spices - chilli powder, oregano, paprika, parsley
  
• Kale
  
• Peas
  
• Peppers
  
• Plums
  
• Pumpkin
  
• Red Palm Oil - It has a very high concentration.
  
• Spinach
  
• Squash
  
• Sweet potatoes / Yams
  

[MKparrot]

My parrot really likes broccoli, carrots, cabbage, peas, peppers and pumpkin and I give him these foods on a regular basis. He also eat a lot of grape and cherries but does not like spinach at all.

Can you recommend any beta carotene supplement in addition to food in order to speed up the process of nail recovery?

[danmcq]

Red Palm Oil. Just place a few drops and stir in to his veggies or drip some on the pellets and let it soak in. Use it sparingly, it has a super high Vitamin A (Beta Carotene) content. Don't mix things in with the water. You do not know how much they got and it also makes the water spoil.

[Greywings]

Fresh peppers can be a very high source of beta carotene, you can also give him a little treat cup with carrot juice. You can run some spinach through a blender or a food chopper and add to other foods like a scrambled egg.

[GlennMarsh]

I thinks the main thing is that trim your nails regularly to keep them short and smoothly rounded at the tips. And apply moisturizer to your hands and nails while they’re wet.

 

Orange County Personal Trainer

Edited August 25, 2014 by GlennMarsh