Food that is considered as toxic to african greys

[Guest]

OK,

There were several questions about dangerous food types so I decided to compile a list of foods that are considered as toxic to african greys:

 

Alcohol

Chocolate

Coffee

Salt

Tea

Uncooked PotatoAvocado Pear

 

Please note two things:

1. If they eat a very small amount it will not kill them and might even go unnoticed, but this is something they should AVOID.

2. There might be another food type I am not aware of that may cause problems for greys. If you know of anything I've missed, please add it to the list.

[Guest]

Rabarb?

Never heard of that - what's that?

[Guest]

ok, saw it on google, though I'm still not sure what's that...

[img:ec5b0ee469]http://www.toypudel.com/rabarb.jpg[/img:ec5b0ee469]

[Guest]

Hi a-fricken-grey,

 

I'm not sure if it's a real toxic or not, but I never give my gery anything that is not natural.

Aren't there enough fruits?

[Guest]

Hi Suz,

Thanks for the contribution.

No one knew that this "Rhubarb" is... :-)

[BirdLadySecrets]

From personal experience and a great deal of research, I wrote the article I have included below for one of my parrot-related websites, the Elite Parrots Club. Lettuce is NOT deadly to any parrot, but iceberg lettuce can cause problems because it is nothing but watter. Here's a large section of the article and I hope you enjoy reading it.

 

[b:987914d16e]Seven Foods That Are Deadly To Your Parrot[/b:987914d16e]

 

When parrots were first keep as pets, people thought they only lived a short time. This was in part because most of the soft billed wild birds only live a few years but also because the parrots they kept die within 10 years or so. This was because the diet these parrots were being fed did not supply the necessary nutrients and the birds basically starved to death very, very slowly. Some succumbed to illness but this was in large part due to the fact that they were malnourished and their bodies couldn't fight the disease.

 

Today we know that many of the large parrots can live to be over 100 years of age and even budgies and cockatiels can live to be 20 or more. This is because we now know what to feed our parrots and what to avoid letting them eat.

 

There are lots of good things to feed your parrot, but there are a few things that you might offer that can kill your beloved feathered friend. The reasons may differ but the results are the same: death.

 

[b:987914d16e]Foods You Must NEVER Feed You Parrot[/b:987914d16e]

 

There are only a few things that can actually kill your parrot as far as human food goes. These are:

 

• Avocado

• Chocolate

• Alcohol

• Pits of any fruit

• Raw or undercooked meat

• Uncooked eggs

• Any food that may have mold or may have spoiled

(including seeds)

 

As you can see, this is a very short list.

 

[b:987914d16e]Foods You Should Limit[/b:987914d16e]

 

This list is a lot longer and contains people foods that won't kill your parrot quickly. However, over time, these foods will be detrimental to its health. These foods fall into 3 main categories. Some foods may fall in to several or even all of these categories:

 

[i:987914d16e]Foods High In Fat[/i:987914d16e]

 

Any food that has a high fat content should be limited. This doesn't mean that you parrot can't have a taste of these foods occasionally. Think of feeding your parrot as if you were feeding a three year old child. You would let a child have a few potato chips even though they are high in fat and salt, but you would limit the quantity. If you want to let your parrot have a bite of a single potato chip once in a while, there is nothing wrong with this very, very limited quantity. Everything in moderation is the practice to be followed for this list – very small amounts if what moderation means here.

 

Examples of these foods are: Potato chips, Vegetables with butter, Fried foods, Cream, iced, whipped or liquid, cake icing, fatty meat, butter sauces, cream soups

 

[i:987914d16e]Foods High In Salt[/i:987914d16e]

 

Too much salt isn't good for people or birds. Of course, since parrots are so much smaller, a little bit goes a long way. Some foods can simply be taken out of the food preparation cycle before salt is added to allow the parrot to enjoy a safe serving. Many foods can be found in unsalted versions that can safely be shared with you parrot. For example, unsalted nuts are fine but eating a lot of salted nuts is not good for your feathered kid.

 

Some of the foods in this category are: potato chips, corn chips, salted nuts, salted vegetables or meats, prepared foods such as microwave entrees that list high sodium content, salted popcorn, bacon, ham and other cured meats

 

[i:987914d16e]Foods High in Sugar[/i:987914d16e]

 

Parrots can become little junk food junkies if allowed. They seem to love sweets and will insist on having a taste. Most foods with sugar are perfectly safe to allow the parrot to have a very small bite or even two, but limit the quantities to a very small amount and do so rarely. Examples of these foods include: cake, cookies, candy, sweetened juices, other sweetened drinks, cereal that is high in sugar, ice cream.

 

[i:987914d16e]Everything Else[/i:987914d16e]

 

Everything else that you eat, you can and should share with your parrot. The more different foods your bird eats, the better its health will be, the more vibrant the feather colors and the happier you'll be. However, use some common sense about feeding people food to parrots.

 

Fruits and vegetables are very good additions to the diet, preferably raw but if you parrot prefers some things cooked, that is better than not eating the food at all. Eggs, cheese, pasta, rice, potatoes (other than potato chips or French fries), pizza, noodles, very small amounts of meat or fish and other people foods are great for you parrot. Limit the amount of meat to very small amounts because in the wild, parrots do not get a lot of meat-type protein. Some parrots LOVE a bone with bits of meat left on it to chew on and will even eat the marrow out of the bone which is quite health as long as you remove the bone before it has an opportunity to spoil.

 

Of course, fruits and vegetables are the best for the parrots and for us. But variety is the spice of life and everyone wants variety including your parrot.

[babygrey]

If you go onto goggle search, type in Rhubarb and click images their are some good picture of the stuff it lovley in a pie with loads of sugar.

[trevazellers]

 

 

mmm, and strawberries!

[Guest]

The leaves of rhubarb are quite poisonous and the veg itself contains an acid that, when uncooked, blocks the calcium intake. Maybe that's why it's not recommended to feed your birds with

[Sticks_n_stones]

Our vet also warned me not to feed our AG mushrooms or onions.

[Moddy]

Birdlady, my dad and I had been debating about lettuce. I thought it was okay because well it's around in the veggie section but found out that it's a bit hard for them to digest. And to gery, I don't see salt as a big problem .. Or toxic. I see it not being good for them as it wouldn't be good for a human. And well I can see how LOTS of it would be harmful but my parrot eats wheat thins, LOVES cheese its and some other crackers with slat along with the other stuff that's in his diet. Even cookies. My other parrot had been eating like that for 2 years. And there's never been anything wrong with it. She got a bit chunky.. But that was because of how many peanuts she was eating which was my fault I was 9 and I wanted her to like me so I tried to "Bribe" Her which..never worked since she was a daddy's girl.

[dumfatnhappy]

hmmm...our CAG loves to pick the mushrooms off our pizza:ohmy:

[sashagirl]

Mushrooms are a fungus so it's like feeding them mold.

And as stated above mold is no good.Also salt is bad for

our birds.In small quantity like once in a while is okay

Certain fruits and vegetables with pesticides are no good either they get a build up of it in their system.

[dumfatnhappy]

sorry, first off they never mentioned cooked mushrooms in this case sauteaed (sp) and (OMG in butter, garlic and vermouth!). and like everything else......doctor's are known to be wrong (i.e. not know to begin with). I have a friend that had a CAG for over 40 yrs...I mentioned not allowed to have chocolate and he laughed. he fed his bird chocolate without a thought. Maybe that's why it only made it to 40+

To me....a cag at 80+ is equal to me making 150 (what are the odds?)

 

kinda like us wouldn't ya say? I think these creatures are no different than having a true child of your own. I've had 3 (successfully I might ad) thank you. and yeah....my bird shares my morning beverage be it coffee or apple juice. moderation <----bottom line

 

just my opinion.....

[greylover]

I looked up on the internet and it said that you can give them i little bit of salt but not too much.

These are what they sould NOT eat.

avacardo

apple seeds

chocolate

salt (but they can have a little bit)

and htere is some more like menchioned at the top.

I was a but worried about if chico can have strayberryes because there is seeds all around them so i havent give him any.

sorry about my bad english!

[MARIR]

Okay after reading this forum I am HUNGRY!!! Rhubarb is kind of like celery but reddish/purple...tart... I also heard that mushrooms and onions are poisonous and seeds and pits are also poisonous.

[Guest]

Certain pits are only poisenous when having their shell on I read. But Rhubarb for sure has to be cooked or else it IS poisenous for birds.

[Caspersmum]

Just to add another bit of contention - how about fizzy drinks? I like fizzy water, but am worried about letting Casper have any as I heard that birds can't burp or... well pass wind in any other way. If this is the case, can they get rid of the gas in fizzy drinks, or do they (as a friend told me - maybe I'm just guilible)explode?!

 

Julia

[dumfatnhappy]

great question, being ex coast guard I can tell you seagulls "explode" when they eat a tums (etc). I can tell you our birds favorite drink is sprite (no caffene). He'll move mountains when he sees it. been drinking it almost every night after diner and no probs. I've heard others claim the same with their grey's. I'd let him try it minus any caffene.

[Caspersmum]

Thanks for that - Casper will be pleased!

[MARIR]

dumfatnhappy...please tell me you made the "seagulls exploding" up ?!?!:huh:

[dumfatnhappy]

lol....I wish I could, it's true, actually it's alkaseltzer the works the best. seagulls are amazing creatures, I've seen one swallow a whole chicken leg (fried) in one gulp. the hard part is getting them to eat tablets, they're pretty smart about it.

[Karla]

We recommend a diet of commercial pellet parrot food, supplemented with fresh fruit and vegetables. Never give your bird avocado pear, salty snacks, sugar, alcohol, chocolates, milk, onions or fatty foods. Fresh water should always be available.

[Talon]

Our vet does not recommend letting our bird have soda.. Talon got into some ginger ale a few months back and drank like there was no end. She did spit a bunch up tho. The vet said that because they can not burp, it can be a problem. Other than no nutritional value in it, it doesn't help them at all. If it was flat, that would be a little better. They can't handle the carbonation.

[judygram]

That true Penny, they can't handle the carbonation. One of the earlier posts mentioned lettuce, there isn't much nutritional value in it therefore do not feed it.