• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Bird Safe Fresh Foods & Toxic Food Lists & More

jmfleish

Cruising the avenue
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/19/09
Messages
13,324
Location
Madison, WI
Real Name
Jen
This article states that peanuts are on the "no list". I just got my umbrella cockatoo a month ago, and I bought her a bag of parrot food that contains whole peanuts in it. She likes them and eats them. Could you give me your source that caused you to decide to put them on the list? Until I hear from you, I'll sort them out.
Peanuts are listed as a no no because they can contain a fungus called aspergillois but so can any nut and many different vegetables such as dry corn. I wouldn't worry too much about it, especially if you are offering human grade peanuts. I wouldn't offer them in the shell. Also know that peanuts are high in fat and there are better nuts to give.
 

nebraska

Meeting neighbors
Joined
6/7/14
Messages
63
Location
Germany
Real Name
Angela
thanks for all that info ... i read the other list and i was confused... so i can feed apricots and peas.... that is good cause they like that
they also like the seads of oranges and lemons... - to that there is the grapefruitseed extract that is desinfectiv and cleans water and helps that is does not get so much bakteria during the day... is that bad for them?
whats wrong with onion and garlic?? they where biting in that while i was cooking ...???
and what is fruit pits?
they love buckwheat uncooked - is that ok then?
are all algeas toxic to them like chlorella algeas ?


then i have another question or is there another forum for this
i need to treat the nails shorten them - they are almost round and my little Malika got cought.. so now i found out i need to make them shorter - now she does not want me to do that.. how do i get her in a towel? without loosing her trust...?
My chesmu (male) really hates me do anything with the file


:huh: thanks for helping me
angela
 

nebraska

Meeting neighbors
Joined
6/7/14
Messages
63
Location
Germany
Real Name
Angela
thanks for all that info ... i read the other list and i was confused... so i can feed apricots and peas.... that is good cause they like that
they also like the seads of oranges and lemons... - to that there is the grapefruitseed extract that is desinfectiv and cleans water and helps that is does not get so much bakteria during the day... is that bad for them?
whats wrong with onion and garlic?? they where biting in that while i was cooking ...???
and what is fruit pits?
they love buckwheat uncooked - is that ok then?
are all algeas toxic to them like chlorella algeas ?


then i have another question or is there another forum for this
i need to treat the nails shorten them - they are almost round and my little Malika got cought.. so now i found out i need to make them shorter - now she does not want me to do that.. how do i get her in a towel? without loosing her trust...?
My chesmu (male) really hates me do anything with the file


:huh: thanks for helping me
angela
ok i found the part with the garlic.......and onions
 

Monica

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/18/10
Messages
11,253
Location
Hell, NV
Real Name
Monica
You don't feed onions and garlic for the same reasons you don't feed it to dogs or cats. Garlic is safe in minute amounts, however no one can say just how much is safe to feed birds and how much can go toxic.


I've never fed citrus seeds, and haven't heard of anyone feeding them. Saying that, I haven't heard that they are dangerous, either.

Grapefruit Seed Extract.. As "natural" as the product may be toted to be, it is synthetic. The seeds do not have any antibacterial or antifungal properties on their own. Those properties come from the chemicals added to it. Sure, it's great for cleaning! But don't put it in your birds water dish. Don't wash their sprouted seeds/fruits/vegetables in it.

If you want to keep their water cleaner, use Apple Cider Vinegar.

If you are making sprouts, use ACV or citric acid.

If you are washing fresh produce, use ACV or another safe cleanser.

(some people have used GSE for years without any adverse effects, but I just can't recommend it as a 'natural' product)


Fruit pits - as in apricots, peaches, cherry, plums, etc. It may also be known as drupes or stone fruits.


Uncooked buckwheat is fine. Buckwheat is a common ingredient in many seed mixes.

I have heard of some people feeding algae, but I really don't know enough about it to say what's safe, what's not, and in what quantities.



i need to treat the nails shorten them - they are almost round and my little Malika got cought.. so now i found out i need to make them shorter - now she does not want me to do that.. how do i get her in a towel? without loosing her trust...?
My chesmu (male) really hates me do anything with the file
Better to ask in another forum, however the info you need is positive reinforcement training. Barbara Heidenreich has some great videos to give you an idea!







And here's a video of that kind of training in action! As you can see, the guy in the video is trying to make the experience as positive as possible for his grey.

 

Flipburry

Strolling the yard
Avenue Veteran
Joined
12/30/14
Messages
111
Real Name
Sebastian
Great info!
I'm not sure if this has been asked/suggested before; but would it at all be possible to add a list of nuts too? :)
 

Monica

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/18/10
Messages
11,253
Location
Hell, NV
Real Name
Monica
Great info!
I'm not sure if this has been asked/suggested before; but would it at all be possible to add a list of nuts too? :)

Almonds
Brazil Nuts
Cashews
Hazelnuts
Macadamias
Pecans
Pine Nuts
Pistachios
Walnuts


Peanuts are kind of iffy since they really are not nuts and may contain aflotoxins which could lead to aspergillus infections which can be extremely difficult to treat. If a bird gets aspergillus, then they may be more prone to getting asper again in the future and may have unwanted side effects from being sick. *IF* a person does feed peanuts, it's recommended to feed roasted, unsalted human grade peanuts over raw. Even then, since there are other nuts that *can* be fed, it would be better to stick with those.... being sure to go with unsalted ones that haven't been polished.
 

Flipburry

Strolling the yard
Avenue Veteran
Joined
12/30/14
Messages
111
Real Name
Sebastian
Thank you! I bought a little bag of pecans and walnuts, I haven't tried feeding him the walnuts yet but he seems to like the pecans thus far.

I knew they could contain a toxin but not to the details you described it, i thought most people avoided them for the fat content as well. Thank you for the info!
 

clawnz

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/19/09
Messages
1,174
Location
Auckland NZ
Real Name
Clive
?


then i have another question or is there another forum for this
i need to treat the nails shorten them - they are almost round and my little Malika got cought.. so now i found out i need to make them shorter - now she does not want me to do that.. how do i get her in a towel? without loosing her trust...?
My chesmu (male) really hates me do anything with the file


:huh: thanks for helping me
angela

Really long over grown nails can be dealt with by trimming every 4 to 6 weeks. You do need to leave enough time for the quick to move back, before clipping again.
I have done this a few times with different birds and it does work.
You do need to have a blood stopping agent ready just in case.
One of the key points, is being calm and positive. If you are not sure get your vet to show you how the first time.
Then it may also help the first time you do it to get someone to hold your bird, while you do the clipping. I did say clipping as you will not remove enough with a nail file, and a grinder may cause too much heat.
Remember remain calm. If the bird starts to breath hard from stress let it go and think about trying again some other time.
The correct nail clippers, not human ones, which are for flat nails not round ones.
Here is a link to Budgie Blue. You can see through these photos how bad they were. Except the two that were growing back into her flesh. I did not start keeping photos until I seized her. I had already clipped her once at her owners. Why I seized is another story. But you may figure it out looking at the photos.
Budgie Blue by Clive Willgoss | Photobucket

By the time I had done her nails three times she would almost go to sleep in my hands. I thought she had died once she was so relaxed. Little monster scare the crap out of me.
 

clawnz

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/19/09
Messages
1,174
Location
Auckland NZ
Real Name
Clive
This is based for humans. But a good guide.

Most nuts’ nutritional makeup closely resemble what I consider to be an ideal ratio of the basic building blocks—fat making up the greatest amount of your daily calories, followed by a moderate amount of high quality protein and a low amount of non-vegetable carbs (see my Food Pyramid for Optimal Health).



That said, some have more ideal ratios than others. My favorite nuts are macadamia and pecans, as they provide the highest amount of healthy fat while being on the lower end in terms of carbs and protein.

Raw macadamia nuts also contain high amounts of vitamin B1, magnesium, and manganese, while pecans boast more than 19 different vitamins and minerals that studies suggest can help you lower LDL cholesterol and promote healthy arteries.

Just one serving of macadamia nuts net 58 percent of what you need in manganese and 23 percent of the recommended daily value of thiamin. Moreover, about 60 percent of the fatty acid in macadamia is the monounsaturated fat oleic acid. This is about the level found in olives, which are well known for their health benefits.

Walnuts are also known for their health-boosting properties, which includes anti-cancer activity (slashing breast cancer risk in mice by 50 percent, and reducing prostate cancer growth by 30-40 percent), and improved reproductive health in men, just to mention a couple.

Just one-quarter cup of walnuts also provides more than 100 percent of the daily recommended value of plant-based omega-3 fats, along with high amounts of copper, manganese, molybdenum, and biotin.

It’s thought that up to 90 percent of the antioxidants in walnuts are found in the skin, making it one of the healthiest parts to consume. In some cases, the skin can be rather bitter, which is why most people tend to peel it off, but by doing so you’re actually removing some of the healthiest parts.

Even pistachios, while having a more “lopsided” fat/protein/carb ratio, landing them toward the bottom of my list of healthy nuts, still have documented health benefits, particularly for diabetics. Compared to other nuts, pistachios are high in lutein, beta-carotene, and gamma-tocopherol (vitamin E), and eating one or two servings of pistachios a day has been shown to lower oxidized LDL cholesterol in people with elevated levels.12

Nut Nutrition Facts
For comparison, the following list shows the fat, protein, and carbohydrate content13 in grams per one ounce for your most common tree nuts:


Tree Nut
Numbers are grams per ounce
Fat Protein Carbohydrates
Macadamias 22 2 4
Pecans 20 3 4
Pine nuts 20 4 4
Brazil nuts 19 4 3
Walnuts 18 4 4
Hazelnuts 17 3 5
Cashews 13 4 9
Almonds 14 6 6
Pistachios 13 6 8
Ideally, Choose Raw Organic Nuts
For the greatest health boost, look for nuts that are organic and raw, not irradiated or pasteurized. When it comes to almonds, be aware that even those labeled “raw” are typically pasteurized when sold in the US. The reason for this goes back to a couple of salmonella outbreaks in 2001 and 2004 that were traced back to raw almonds. As a result, as of September 1, 2007 virtually all almonds must be pasteurized before being sold. If you want truly raw almonds that have not undergone some form of pasteurization (oil- or dry roasting, blanching, steam processing or propylene oxide (PPO) treatment), you’ll need to seek out vendors selling in small quantities who have a waiver from the pasteurization requirement.

Another point to remember when it comes to almonds: As with walnuts, one of the healthiest aspects of this nut appears to be their skin, which is rich in antioxidants (including phenols, flavonoids, and phenolic acids) typically associated with vegetables and fruits. A study14 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry even revealed that a one-ounce serving of almonds has a similar amount of total polyphenols as a cup of steamed broccoli or green tea.

Hence to get the greatest benefit, opt for almonds that have their skin on rather than blanched (de-skinned) almonds. When consumed with these guidelines in mind, raw, organic nuts are a convenient and enjoyable superfood to add to your diet, which is precisely why they’re recommended as one of the sources of healthy fats in my nutrition plan, along with avocados, raw dairy, and butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk, organic pastured egg yolks, coconuts and coconut oil, and grass-fed meats.
 

Pentameter

Sprinting down the street
Joined
12/29/14
Messages
379
Location
O-H-I-O
Real Name
Lucy
OK, question time:

I have seen numerous pictures of maroon-bellied conures in the wild feeding on flower buds.

10268523_996157003765876_6654556205026972919_n.png

This one's from the neotropical birds facebook page.

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone feeds flower buds, and if so, which ones? Does anyone know the plant in the picture and if it's definitely safe (I mean the bird is clearly eating it in the picture, but you never know.)
 

karen256

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Joined
3/12/12
Messages
2,556
Location
WI
I don't know what the plant in the picture is, but I do feed flower buds at times. Broccoli is a flower bud of course. But I also will sometimes pick bird-safe flowers and buds and put them on the the playgym for edible decoration. Blooming crabapple branches are especially enjoyed.
 

Monica

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/18/10
Messages
11,253
Location
Hell, NV
Real Name
Monica
There are wild parrots in southern California eating avocado... Avocado is on the *AVOID* list, yet these birds are thriving. Go figure. (may have to do with the variety of avocado? or maybe because they are wild and not stuck inside a cage and/or clipped, thus their bodies can process toxins better? plus all that natural daylight, and vitamin D?)


I'm not sure what the plant is, but it appears that the original photo can be viewed here...

Tiriba de testa vermelha (Pyrrhura frontalis) | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
 

clawnz

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/19/09
Messages
1,174
Location
Auckland NZ
Real Name
Clive
It's one of the Gravillea. As far as i know all Gravillea flowers are safe.
Flowers.
Hibiscus. Lories can fo made over these.
Cantonlace Flowers and seed pods.
Sunflowers.
Pohutakawa.
Bottlebrush.
Any Eucalyptus.
Manuka.
Kanuka.
Cherry Flowers "ONLY" Nothing else.
Kowhai Flowers "ONLY" Nothing else. Wood and leaf toxic to dogs and cats.
Pururi.
Jacaranda.
Flax (NZ) which is different to what others will know as Flax.
To name a few. Sorry most of these will be Australasian based.
There are many more around the world.
 

Tracer58

Meeting neighbors
Joined
7/3/16
Messages
28
Real Name
Tracy
It seems like most parrot mixes have peanuts. Is it another one of those items that is ok in moderation?
 

Monica

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/18/10
Messages
11,253
Location
Hell, NV
Real Name
Monica
I like to avoid seed mixes with peanuts in them, but then again, I have smaller birds, so it's easy to do that. Even with larger mixes, I think I'd probably avoid them. They may be fine in moderation, but I prefer to be on the cautious side.
 
Top