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Importance of Cayenne Pepper

Hankmacaw

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Just to let you know that there are two sides to the "Cayenne" story. My vet made me promise to never put cayenne on my bird - he said that the danger of burning the skin is too great. Corn Starch works great for stopping bleeding and I always have Meloxicam around for pain.

There are many who swear by cayenne, but I believe my vet - who by the way is a great vet.
 

Hankmacaw

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To ingest it is fine, but my vet says that it has no special attributes over other high Vit A foods.
 

HyacinthWings

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Is Cayenne pepper different from other peppers, or is it just the powder? I raise Jalapenos and korean peppers (I just eat the korean peppers raw as snacks HAHA) in my garden, but not cayenne. Oh, and if you google korean peppers and cayenne, they look pretty similar except that the korean peppers are green. They become red when you dry them or let them grow for a longer period of time. Is the cayenne just special in some way and superior over other kinds?
 

2macshan

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I would like to bring up one(uncomfortable) concern. I love cayenne and add a lot of it to my food... Now, my intestines do not have tastebuds however *I know* if I have had too much if you catch my drift. While I do not have an opinion either way on feeding it to our birds, I just think I might have the same concerns about them "feeling the burn". Can they even taste how hot it is? I am not sure about this one...
 

Laurul Feather Cat

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Parrots cannot taste or feel the burn of the active chemical capsaisin. However, if you give plain powder, you can create a bezoar, like lumps in gravy??? of a cooked outside and a powder/stone inside. Bezoars can cause blocked intestines.
 

Hankmacaw

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I would like to bring up one(uncomfortable) concern. I love cayenne and add a lot of it to my food... Now, my intestines do not have tastebuds however *I know* if I have had too much if you catch my drift. While I do not have an opinion either way on feeding it to our birds, I just think I might have the same concerns about them "feeling the burn". Can they even taste how hot it is? I am not sure about this one...
Birds have about one third as many taste buds as a human. That's why they can comfortably eat peppers. Cayenne does burn their skin whether they feel it or not.
 

Angel_Kisses

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Thanks for the awesome info! Keeping some for bleeding emergencies! I not put in their diets yet! Is it safe for parrotlets?
 

Marleen

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I also sprinkle Cayenne pepper on the birds foods.
They love it!
 
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