Foods, safe and harmful for Parrotlets and other info on plants, wood & etc Whole cereals and whole grains: spray millet, amaranth, barley, couscous, flax, whole-grain pastas, oat, quinoa (truly a fruit but used as a cereal), whole-wheat, wild rice, whole rice's. Edible flowers: carnations, chamomile, chives, dandelion, daylily, eucalyptus, fruit tree blossoms, herb blossoms, hibiscus, honeysuckle, impatiens, lilac, nasturtiums, pansies, passion flower (Pass flora), roses, sunflowers, tulips, violets. More Safe (and tasty) flowers ACACIA BOTTLE BRUSH BOUGAINVILLEA GREVILLIA GUM (EUCALYPTUS - ANY VARIETY - FLOWER BUDS CAN ALSO BE FED) HIBISCUS Note: that the leaves of some of these plants are poisonous to parrots. Greens and/or weeds: mainly ; bok-choi, broccoli and/or cauliflower leaves, cabbage leaves, collard greens, dandelion leaves, kelp, mustard leaves, seaweeds, spirulina, water cress. occasionally amaranth leaves, beet leaves, Carrabolla (star fruit), chard, parsley, spinach & turnip leaves. All of these feature high oxalic acid contents that induces production of calcium oxalates (crystals/stones) by binding calcium and other trace minerals present in foods and goods with which they're ingested, possibly leading to calcium deficiencies and/or Hypocalcemia in minor cases, liver or other internal organ damage or failure in more severe cases. Fruit: (except avocados which are toxic): all apple varieties, banana, all berry varieties, all citrus varieties, grapes, kiwi, mango, melons, nectarine, papaya, peach, all pear varieties, plum, star-fruit. Pits and seeds from every citrus and drupe species must always be discarded as they are intoxicating. However, achene's and tiny seeds from pseudo and true berries (bananas, blueberries, elderberries, eggplants, persimmons, pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes) are all acceptable. More Safe (and tasty) fruits Apricot Banana Blackberry Blackcurrant Blood orange Blueberry Cantaloupe (known as Rock melon) melon Coconut - fresh, dried or juice Cherry Cranberry Dragon fruit Dried dates Figs (fresh) Gooseberries Goji berry - dried Grape Guava Honeydew melon Kiwifruit Lychee (Litchi) Mandarin Mango (without skin) Melon Mulberry Nectarine Orange Passion fruit Papaya Peach Pear Pineapple Plum Pomegranate Quince Raspberry Red Currants Strawberry Tangerine Yellow Plum NOTE: Make sure that all apple, pear, citrus, and stone fruit seeds/pits are removed before letting your birds eat the fresh fruits. And make sure you wash all fruits and vegetable thoroughly. It's always best to go organic for your parrots to stay away from pesticides. The chemicals they feed the plants will harm you and your birds. Legumes: almonds, beans, lentils, peas, nuts and tofu. Grain and/or Legume sprouts: adzuki beans, alfalfa beans, buckwheat, lentils, mung beans, pinto beans, red kidney beans, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds. Caution with only lima bean and navy bean sprouts which are toxic. Red kidney beans must be thoroughly cooked, as uncooked red kidney beans are toxic. Vegetables: (except uncooked potatoes, uncooked onions and all mushrooms) Artichoke Beans, rinsed and cooked only Beets Beetroot Bell Peppers Broccoli Brussels sprouts Carrot Cauliflower Celery stalks Chinese Cabbage Corn (milky & soft) Cucumber Endive Fennel Green Beans Guava Hot Peppers (chili) Kale Parsley (small/infrequent quantities only) Peas (Snow and Sugar Snap to be given pod and all) Potato (cooked) Pumpkin (and seeds) Radish Red Beet (fresh) Radicchio Romaine Lettuce Silver beet Spinach Sprouts and micro-greens (grown fresh or bought fresh) i.e. alfalfa, snow pea, cress, radish, mung bean, lentils, chickpea. Sweet Potato (cooked only) Turnips Yams (cooked only) Zucchini If you don't see it on this list, Look it up online to be sure its safe. Non-toxic Foliage: ACACIA ALOE AFRICAN VIOLET BABY'S TEARS BAMBOO BEGONIA BOSTON FERN BOUGAINVILLEA CHICKWEED CHRISTMAS CACTUS CISSUS (KANGAROO VINE) COLEUS CORN PLANT CRABAPPLE DAFFODIL (bulbs are poisonous) DANDELION DOGWOOD DONKEY TAIL DRACAENA VARIETIES FERNS: (BIRD'S NEST, BOSTON, MAIDENHAIR) FIGS: (CREEPING, RUBBER, FIDDLE LEAF, LAUREL LEAF) GARDENIA GRAPE IVY GREVILLIA HEN AND CHICKENS IMPATIENS JADE PLANT KALANCHOE MAGNOLIA MARIGOLDS MONKEY PLANT NASTURTIUM NATAL PLUM NORFOLK ISLAND PINE ORCHIDS PALMS: (ACAI, ARECA, DATE, FAN, LADY, PARLOUR, HOWEIA, KENTIA, PHOWNIX, SAGO) PEPPEROMIA PETUNIA PITTOSPORUM PRAYER PLANT PURPLE PASSION ROSE RUBBER PLANT SCHEFFLERA SENSITIVE PLANT SNAKE PLANT SPIDER PLANT SWEDISH IVY THISTLE TULIP (bulbs only are toxic) VELVET NETTLE WANDERING JEW WAX PLANT WHITE CLOVER YUCCA ZEBRA PLANT ZINNIA Safe spices: Cinnamon Pepper Chili Garlic powder (limited quantities and must be 'unsalted') Ginger Vanilla Cloves Parrot species (including Parrotlets) are herbivores. Consequently, they should be fed vegetarian diets that are ideally supplemented with vegetal proteins. Produced by the combination of any type of whole grain/cereal with any type of legume/pulse. Eggs (hard-boiled and/or scrambled) are the only appropriately healthy source of animal proteins. Mostly for birds in either breeding, growing, molting and/or recovering conditions. High levels of proteins (most particularly animal proteins) is unhealthy for Parrotlets and any other Parrot species living under any alternate conditions (i.e. nonbreeding, pets). Harmful Foods: This is a short list of harmful foods for birds, obviously there are other items and you need to do your homework before you share any foods with your bird. *Chocolate *Apple Seeds *Fruit seeds in general are bad. To be safe give your bird NO fruit seeds. *Avocado or Guacamole *Onions *Alcohol *Mushrooms *Tomato Leaves *Salt - Be careful with foods that have salt. My neighbor gave her Amazon a piece of pepperoni off of her pizza and the bird got ill and passed away the next day. She had an autopsy done and the vet told her the bird died from super high sodium levels, She claims that she did not regularly give her bird any human food and he only had one large piece of pepperoni the night before. Over the years I have heard other stories about birds getting very sick from to much salt. *Caffeine (in any form) *Dried Brown Beans (Fully Cooked Beans Are Safe) *Any High Fat Food Plants toxic for birds: Save a birds life by posting a link to this page in your Facebook group or other bird club sites. ARUM LILY AMARYLLIS ARALIA ARROWHEAD VINE AUTUMN CROCUS AUSTRALIAN FLAMETREE AUSTRALIAN UMBRELLA TREE AVOCADO AZALEA BANEBERRY BEANS: (CASTOR, HORSE, FAVA, BROAD, GLORY, SCARLET RUNNER, MESCAL, NAVY, PREGATORY BABY'S BREATH BIRD OF PARADISE BISHOP'S WEED BLACK LAUREL BLACK LOCUST BLEEDING HEART OR DUTCHMAN'S BREECHES BLOODROOT BLUEBONNET BLUEGREEN ALGAE BOXWOO BRACKEN FERN BUCKTHORN BULB FLOWERS:(AMARYLLIS, DAFFODIL, NARCISSUS, HYACINTH & IRIS) BURDOCK BUTTERCUP CACAO CAMEL BUSH CASTOR BEAN CALADIUM CANA LILY CARDINAL FLOWER CHALICE (TRUMPET VINE) CHERRY TREE CHINA BERRY TREE CHRISTMAS CANDLE CLEMATIS (VIRGINIA BOWER) CLIVIA COCKLEBUR COFFEE (SENNA) COFFEE BEAN (RATTLEBUSH, RATTLE BOX & COFFEEWEED) CORAL PLANT CORIANDER CORNCOCKLE COYOTILLO COWSLIP CUTLEAF PHILODENDRON DAFFODIL (BULB) DAPHNE DATURA STRAMONIUM (ANGEL'S TRUMPET) DEATH CAMUS DELPHINIUM DEVIL'S IVY DIEFFENBACHIA (DUMB CANE) EGGPLANT leaves ELDERBERRY ELEPHANT EAR (TARO) ENGLISH IVY ERGOT EUCALYPTUS (DRIED, DYED OR TREATED IN FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS) EUONYMUS (SPINDLE TREE) EUPHORBIA CACTUS FALSE HELLEBORE FLAME TREE FELT PLANT (MATERNITY, AIR & PANDA PLANTS) FIG (WEEPING) FIRE THORN FLAMINGO FLOWER FOUR O'CLOCK FOXGLOVE GYPSOPHILA PANICULATA - Sap of plant GLOTTIDIUM GOLDEN CHAIN GRASS: (JOHNSON, SORGHUM, SUDAN & BROOM CORN) GROUND CHERRY HEATHS: (KALMIA, LEUCOTHO, PEIRES, RHODODENDRON, MTN. LAUREL, BLACK LAUREL, ANDROMEDA & AZALEA) HELIOTROPE HEMLOCK: (POISON & WATER) HENBANE HOLLY HONEYSUCKLE HORSE CHESTNUT HORSE TAIL HOYA HYACINTH HYDRANGEA IRIS IVY: (ENGLISH & OTHERS) JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT JASMINE (JESSAMINE) JERUSALEM CHERRY JIMSONWEED JUNIPER KY. COFFEE TREE LANTANA (RED SAGE) LARKSPUR LILY OF THE VALLEY LILY, ARUM LOBELIA LOCOWEED (MILK VETCH) LOCUSTS, BLACK/HONEY LORDS & LADIES (CUCKOOPINT) LUPINE MALANGA MARIJUANA (HEMP) MAYAPPLE(MANDRAKE) MEXICAN BREADFRUIT MEXICAN POPPY MILKWEED, COTTON BUSH MISTLETOE MOCK ORANGE MONKSHOOD MOONSEED MORNING GLORY MTN. LAUREL MUSHROOMS, AMANITA MYRTLE NARCISSUS NETTLES NIGHTSHADES: (DEADLY, BLACK, GARDEN, WOODY, BITTERSWEET, EGGPLANT leaves, TOMATO stems, vines, and leaves, JERUSALEM CHERRY) OAK - The wood should be fine, The leaves, bark and root is NOT safe. OLEANDER OXALIS PARSLEY (large quantities) PEACE LILY PERIWINKLE PHILODENDRONS: (SPLIT LEAF, SWISS CHEESE, HEART-LEAF) PIGWEED POINCIANA POINSETTIA POISON IVY POISON HEMLOCK POISON OAK: (WESTERN & EASTERN) POKEWEED POTATO SHOOTS POTHOS PRIVET PYRACANTHA RAIN TREE RANUNCULUS, BUTTERCUP RAPE RATTLEBOX, CROTALARIA RED MAPLE RED SAGE (LANTANA) RHUBARB LEAVES RHODODENDRONS ROSARY PEA SEEDS SAND BOX TREE SKUNK CABBAGE SORREL (DOCK) SNOW DROP SPURGES: (PENCIL TREE, SNOW-ON-MTN, CANDELABRA, CROWN OF THORNS) SAGO ‘PALM’ STAR OF BETHLEHEM SWEET PEA SWISS CHEESE PLANT (MONSTERA) TANSY RAGWORT TOBACCO TOMATO PLANT (fruit is safe - must remove any green stems or leaves) TULIP BULB UMBRELLA PLANT Foods toxic for birds: 1) Chocolate Chocolate poisoning first affects a bird's digestive system, causing vomiting and diarrhea. As the condition progresses, the bird's central nervous system is affected, first causing seizures and eventually death. 2) Apple Seeds Believe it or not, apples - along with other members of the rose family including cherries, peaches, apricots, and pears - contain trace amounts of Cyanide within their seeds. While the fruit of the apple is fine for your bird, be aware that in addition to the poisonous seeds, there may be pesticides present on the fruit's skin. Be sure to thoroughly cleanse and core any apple pieces that you share with your bird to avoid exposure to these toxins. 3) Avocado The skin and pit of this popular fruit had been known to cause cardiac distress and eventual heart failure in pet bird species. Although there is some debate to the degree of toxicity of avocados, it is generally advised to adoWhile the use of limited amounts of onion or garlic powders as flavorings is generally regarded as acceptable, excessive consumption of onions causes vomiting, diarrhea, and a host of other digestive problems. It has been found that prolonged exposure can lead to a blood condition called hemolyti anemia, which is followed by respiratory distress and eventual death. Hemolytic anemia (HEE-moh-lit-ick uh-NEE-me-uh) is a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed and removed from the bloodstream before their normal lifespan is up. 5) Alcohol Although responsible bird owners would never dream of offering their pet an alcoholic drink, there have been instances in which free roaming birds have attained alcohol poisoning through helping themselves to unattended cocktails. Alcohol depresses the organ systems of birds and can be fatal. Make sure that your bird stays safe by securing him in his cage whenever alcohol is served in your home. 6) Mushrooms Mushrooms are a type of fungus, and have been known to cause digestive upset in companion birds. Caps and stems of some varieties can induce liver failure. 7) Tomato Leaves Tomatoes, like potatoes and other nightshades, have a tasty fruit that is fine when used as a treat for your bird. The stems, vines, and leaves, however, are highly toxic to your pet. Make sure that any time you offer your bird a tomato treat it has been properly cleaned and sliced, with the green parts removed, so that your bird will avoid exposure to any toxins. � Salt While all living beings need regulated amounts of sodium in their systems, too much salt can lead to a host of health problems in birds, including excessive thirst, dehydration, kidney dysfunction, and death. Be sure to keep watch over the amount of salty foods your bird consumes. 9) Caffeine Caffeinated beverages such as soda, coffee, and tea are popular among people - but allowing your bird to indulge in these drinks can be extremely hazardous. Caffeine causes cardiac malfunction in birds, and is associated with increased heartbeat, arrhythmia, hyper activity, and cardiac arrest. Share a healthy drink of pure fruit or vegetable juice with your bird instead - this will satisfy both your bird's taste buds and nutritional requirements. 10) Dried Beans Cooked beans are a favorite treat of many birds, but raw, dry bean mixes can be extremely harmful to your pet. Uncooked beans contain a poison called hemaglutin which is very toxic to birds. To avoid exposure, make sure to thoroughly cook any beans that you choose to share with your bird. Other Foods To Avoid Fatty foods High fat in the diet leads to obesity and may result in lipomas (fatty tumors), lipemia (fat in the blood), and hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease). Any greasy, oily or otherwise fatty food should be avoided. Commonly overfed fatty foods include nuts, French fries, crackers, marbled meat, peanut butter, butter, fried chicken, fried anything etc. Sugar foods Obviously, frosting is high in sugar and an undesirable foodstuff. Similarly, soda pop, candy and these types of foods are not recommended. Dairy Birds lack the digestive enzymes needed to break down milk sugar and milk proteins. Uncultured milk products such as milk, cream and butter should not be fed but yogurt, cheeses and dried milk can be supplemented in the diet in moderation (they are also high in fat). Lettuce A typical filler food, lettuce is low in everything except water. It is not recommended as a food supplement since it offers little, if anything, for the bird. If leafy foods are desired by your bird, try feeding spinach, collard greens, tops of bok choy, carrot tops or kale. Avocado Although higher in fat than other veggies and used in other countries to condition birds for breeding, avocado has been shown to be toxic in some birds and its feeding is no longer recommended, as mentioned above in the Toxic Foods list There are so many things that are really bad for birds, Make sure to look up the food online first before giving it to your bird. Once the bird takes a bite - it is to late. It is always best to do just a little research in advance before trying new foods. So in general do not feed your bird anything high in salt, sugar, and fat. Table salt, cooking spray, donuts, chocolate, etc. should never be fed. Common toxic foods include avocado and guacamole, caffeine, fruit pits and apple seeds (contain amounts of cyanide), persimmons, onions (prolonged exposure can lead to a blood condition called hemolytic anemia), mushrooms (fungi should be avoided at all costs; it causes digestion problems and can induce liver failure), dried/uncooked beans (contain hemaglutin, a poison toxic to birds), the stems/vines/leaves of tomatoes (the actual fruit is fine), and eggplant. Different Kinds of Wood Tree Branches: Birds love to chew, The following kinds of wood should be harmless as long as it has not been treated with anything: •Apple/Cherry/Pear tree (Malus spec./Prunus avium or Prunus cereus/Purus spec., respectively) •Red beech (Fagus sylvatic) •Mountain ash (Sorbose aucuparia) •Willow (Salix spec.) •Hazelnut (Corals Avellino) •Poplar (Populus spec.) •Lime tree (Tilia spec.) •Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) •Plane (Platanus spec. •Elm tree (Ulmus spec.) •Common horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) •Walnut (Juglans regia) •Alder (Alnus spec.) •Maple tree (Acer spec.) Do not collect wood, grass or any wild herbs next to very busy roads (high pollution level!) Apple Cider Vinegar AKA: ACV for short I use Apple Cider Vinegar in my birds drinking water. There are many reports of the great health benefits. I really have noticed the benefits. My birds colors were brighter, they laid more fertile eggs and I have had zero illness. One of the really good things I liked about ACV is that it allows the birds body to absorb more calcium from their everyday regular food. I have had no slow crop issues with my babies and zero crop issues with the adults. Below I have listed just a couple links to more information for you. Note: You must use ACV that contains the mother. (mother = the natural pulp bacteria) Without the mother you will get no benefits from ACV. As with all health related treatments, seek the advice from your qualified avian veterinarian before beginning any home treatments. The apple cider vinegar creates an acidic environment in the crop which prevents yeast from growing. This treatment also helps to restore the normal intestinal flora. It lowers the PH of the droppings which discourages bacteria from growing. Note: You must use ACV that contains the mother. (mother = the natural pulp bacteria) Without the mother you will get no benefits from ACV. PLEASE NOTE: HEATED vinegar emits toxic fumes similar to carbon dioxide. Bird owners have lost their pets by adding vinegar to their dishwashing cycle, or used it to clean coffee machines. Apple Cider Vinegar Information Sites Vinegar: A Natural Approach to Avian Management How parrots can benefit from apple cider vinegar pt a "better safe than sorry" attitude toward them and keep guacamole and other avocado products as far away from pet birds as possible. See les