Sharing human dinner?

[je0409]

How safe is it to share little niblets from my dinner with my green cheek conure? I don't ever do this because I'm very cautious when it comes to my pets, but I've caught my boyfriend on numerous occassions sneaking her little bites of his food. He knows what she absolutely CANNOT (alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, etc.) have so I'm not really worried about him giving her something outright poisonous, but I'll see him do things like break her off a little speck of a turkey and mayo sandwich or a tiny bite of cereal, etc. She doesn't like him as much as me because he's bigger and doesn't spend as much time at home with her as I do, so I think he's trying to bond with her, and I'd hate to put a damper on that if he's not doing any harm. Am I being overprotective or is this something I need to put a stop to asap?

 

[Toy]

Some table food is OK as long as it's not loaded with sugar & salt. My previous B&G Macaw LOVED oatmeal. She'd sink her beak in my dish, lap up some milk, then take big bites of oatmeal. She loved mashed potatoes, pasta, hamburger, etc. I'd let her have little bites. Current macaw doesn't like oatmeal & I have yet to allow her at the table, as she's still in the terrible two's, even tho she'll be 3 in a few days. She's still more interested in destroying things & throwing things.

 

[FiatLux]

How safe is it to share little niblets from my dinner with my green cheek conure? I don't ever do this because I'm very cautious when it comes to my pets, but I've caught my boyfriend on numerous occassions sneaking her little bites of his food. He knows what she absolutely CANNOT (alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, etc.) have so I'm not really worried about him giving her something outright poisonous, but I'll see him do things like break her off a little speck of a turkey and mayo sandwich or a tiny bite of cereal, etc. She doesn't like him as much as me because he's bigger and doesn't spend as much time at home with her as I do, so I think he's trying to bond with her, and I'd hate to put a damper on that if he's not doing any harm. Am I being overprotective or is this something I need to put a stop to asap?

So my GCC is a pasta fiend and the only time I’ve ever seen him full on run was last night when sprinted across the kitchen counter to grab a piece of spaghetti from my husband’s hand! So one thing I wish I had known when I allowed my bird to have tiny morsels of some bird safe table food is how much of a tiny monster he might become every time he now sees us eating that specific food! It’s like having a begging dog (his tree is only a few feet from our dining table…).

 

[je0409]

So my GCC is a pasta fiend and the only time I’ve ever seen him full on run was last night when sprinted across the kitchen counter to grab a piece of spaghetti from my husband’s hand! So one thing I wish I had known when I allowed my bird to have tiny morsels of some bird safe table food is how much of a tiny monster he might become every time he now sees us eating that specific food! It’s like having a begging dog (his tree is only a few feet from our dining table…).

Oh, that's a good point! I already made that mistake long ago with my dog who now thinks it's okay to snatch food off people's plate (even tho I've never let him eat directly off my plate T^T). I don't know if I want a bird as feisty as mine demanding my food as well lol, she doesn't take well to being told no

 

[Sparkles99]

I’m personally not comfortable sharing my food directly from my plate with any species. I know lots of people do it, but to me the risks (zoonotic diseases) outweigh the many benefits.

 

[sunnysmom]

You also want to be careful that it's not food he has bitten. You don't want to pass human bacteria from a mouth on to a bird.

 

[Sparkles99]

Yes, I should have been more explicit - zoonotic pathogens go both ways.

 

[Mizzely]

I did this with my first bird, a Quaker, and he ended up being super naughty and stealing food all the time. He even started biting people to steal their food. So yeah, I don't do that anymore lol.

What I do instead is give them some food to eat while the family is eating in their own bowl. Sometimes this is some veggies, rice, or pasta I've reserved before seasoning, others it's some pellets or other dry food. Ripley loves to eat while we're eating (and Bosco is starting to do the same!) so we make sure there are easy, safe ways to have a meal as a flock.

 

[macawpower58]

I do share with mine. My biggest fear is processed foods, so none of those are bird allowed.
The salt content in processed foods, and who knows what other chemicals find their way into it. No good for bird or human.
It definitely has made my meals much more wholesome and pure.
I also have a system, treats only while perched. I will not share with a bird begging in my lap.
That's not to say mine aren't above thieving now and then!

 

[Sweet Louise]

I let Louise eat with me. I figure it is flock behavior.? Sometimes she has her own little bowl by me, other times I hand her pieces, and sometimes she takes a bite. Glad you know what they can and cannot have.
..and whenever I give her food (anything pellets, treats....) on her cage playtop she drops pieces for the dogs and watches them race for it. It does pose an extra challenge of teaching the dogs to leave the area on command. But if Louise is out, she is usually on my shoulder or very near on her java tree.
If she were to start grabbing food, I would immediatly change things up so she would not have that opportunity.

 

[Fergus Mom]

Lucy (budgie) was a pasta lover as well, and she loved Chinese food. And Italian food, she was such a rascal and would fly down to our plates often to eat what she liked. I didn't know much back then about what was good or bad for birds, but thankfully she lived to a ripe old age despite my ignorance!

 

[je0409]

I did this with my first bird, a Quaker, and he ended up being super naughty and stealing food all the time. He even started biting people to steal their food. So yeah, I don't do that anymore lol.

What I do instead is give them some food to eat while the family is eating in their own bowl. Sometimes this is some veggies, rice, or pasta I've reserved before seasoning, others it's some pellets or other dry food. Ripley loves to eat while we're eating (and Bosco is starting to do the same!) so we make sure there are easy, safe ways to have a meal as a flock.

I think this advice makes the most sense to me!! I'll make her a bowl of chop or some plain pasta to eat with her dad so they can still share their dinner bonding time without me having to worry. I definitely don't want to start any bad habits in her because she can be a bitey bird when she get her way lol.

 

[Pixiebeak]

I share any healthy meals. I give them their own.
But gosh darn they are raiding seagulls,!! My hoard will hang up on me , I swear they work as a team !

I have never shared a cookie with them in my life. Once I was holding one and one flew by grabbing in mid flight then weny to the ceiling fan and enjoying while laughing st me I'm sure