Can my Parrot eat snails????

[Ericmu17]

So my conure seems very interested in eating the aquatic snails that have taken over my aquarium. Theoretically they should be full of calcium(shell) and protein (body). which would be amazing for any bird. Im tempted to give him one. Anyone want to weigh in on the risks? I intend on boiling them and the shells are super soft.

 

[expressmailtome]

I would be very concerned about any disease or illness. I do not think that it is worth the risk. For parrots plant protein works well. If you feel that you should give him animal protein, then I would use boiled chicken. It is very safe to do in moderation.
Matt

 

[Lady Jane]

Think about what sails do. They clean a tank for you. So wouldn't they contain bacteria?

 

[Ericmu17]

Doesnt all food potentially contain bacteria before its cooked?

 

[Milo]

Honestly I wouldn't. If you can't find anything that says they are definitively not toxic to conures it's not really worth the risk.

 

[birdle]

don't put your bird at risk just to experiment.

 

[Verivus]

I wouldn't just because I don't think they would actually eat that particular snail in the wild. I wouldn't doubt that most (if not all) birds consume at least small amounts of insects during their lifetime though.

 

[MyAussieFriends]

Better safe than sorry

 

[Gen120]

I agree, I wouldn't! too risky. There are many plant based/grain sources of protein, one of them being Quinoa- & another Kale I believe. Also, plant protein is wayyy easier to digest, than animal protein.

 

[MadScientist]

Does anyone know if store-bought snails would be safe?