For a healthy and well-balanced diet, parakeets need vegetables and fruits introduced in their meals. There are plenty of fruits and vegetables recommended for these birds. Banana is one of them. But can parakeets eat bananas?
Yes, they can. Banana is an aromatic tropical fruit that provides energy and a very good source of potassium. Also, it has the right amount of antioxidants that your pet needs. And the best part is parakeets love bananas.
Apart from bananas, there are other fruits that you parakeet not only enjoy but also get nutrition from. So, today, we are going to show you the benefits of bananas along with what fruits and vegetables parakeets or budgies eat.
Banana And Parakeet: Can Parakeets Eat Bananas?
Many times when we buy a parakeet and wonder about what food can budgies eat. Can they eat bananas? Or even in general, can birds eat bananas?
The pet seller or breeder tells us that the pet likes apples, carrots, and bananas. Since all three of these are fairly common fresh foods, there is nothing surprising about this. They are easy to find year-round, inexpensive, and normally readily accepted by parakeets or budgerigars.
But as much, the first two are part of a healthy diet. So is banana, but if it is offered every day, it can cause an overweight problem. It should therefore be given with great moderation, even if parakeets love it.
The banana originated from the West Indies and did not spread in Europe until the 19th century. It is a high-calorie fruit; it contains 90 Kcal/100 grams and three times more when the fruit is dry. However, it contains a little vitamin B6 and B12, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc.
It is very rich in vitamin C, but only when it is not ripe. Therefore it is uninteresting for our birds, who know how to choose food when they have reached their full maturity.
Here are some nutritional benefits of banana:
- Banana is well known to be an important source of potassium.
- A medium Tabasco banana contains about 16% of the potassium required per day.
- It also contains other minerals, such as phosphorus, zinc, calcium, and magnesium. They are necessary to maintain the health of various systems, such as the bone and muscle of your budgerigar or parakeet.
- This fruit is also rich in vitamins B6, folic acid, and vitamin C.
- Banana is also a source of fiber, mainly soluble fiber, the most present being inulin. This works as food for the beneficial bacteria found in the intestine, favoring the digestive system. They are good for the immune system.
- The sugars and starch in ripe bananas provide immediate and short-term energy.
- This fruit also contains phenolic compounds and flavonoids, phytochemicals associated with health benefits.
So if your pet loves bananas, there is nothing to worry about.
Why Do Parakeets Need Fruit and Vegetables like Banana?
There are several cares that the parakeet needs and that we must take into account. However, food is one of the most important since it significantly influences the health of our pets. The best diet for budgies should consist mainly of a good mix of birdseed and millet. It is generally found in many birdseed preparations.
It will be necessary to supplement this basic food with an extraordinary contribution of calcium. For this, the use of a cuttlefish bone (cuttlefish) is recommended.
Obviously, water is another element that they should always have as it participates in multiple functions.
However, even with all these basic resources, our parakeet’s diet would not be balanced. Why?
Parakeets need a large supply of vitamins and minerals. The best way to obtain it is through natural foods such as fruits and vegetables. These are essential for the health of your pet.
Budgie Foods List: What Fruits Can Parakeets Eat?
The fruits that you can offer your parakeet and that he likes the most are the following:
Red fruits: Blueberries, strawberries, or cherries are excellent for preventing cardiovascular problems. They are generally rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene.
Peach: It contains high antioxidant properties and helps prevent stomach cancer due to its antitumor properties. They are also good for the vision and dermis of our parakeet.
Tangerine: Tangerine is very rich in vitamin C, making it an excellent antioxidant. It also has fiber and a low amount of sugar.
Orange: Like mandarin orange, orange is rich in vitamin C. But it is also excellent for preventing colds and protecting the body in general.
Banana: Banana is a complete nutritional food, but we should not abuse them. Offering it once or twice a week in small portions will be enough.
Melon: The melon is rich in vitamin A and E; it also provides a lot of water to the body of our parakeet. It also helps to eliminate toxins from the body. We must limit its consumption as it is so rich in water, as it can cause diarrhea.
Watermelon: Watermelon is also rich in antioxidants and contains vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B3. It is a healthy food rich in vitamins, but we must regulate its consumption due to its high water content.
Papaya: It is an excellent diuretic and is very rich in vitamin C and A. It also has antioxidant properties and provides a lot of fiber to the body.
It is important that all those fruits that have peels are peeled. It must also be taken into account that the banana would not be suitable when the parakeet suffers from constipation.
Budgie Foods List: Vegetables for Parakeets
The vegetables that parakeets like the most are generally the following:
Endive: Endive is a perfect vegetable to regulate intestinal transit and, although, in small quantities, it is a carrier of vitamin C.
Spinach: Offering spinach to our parakeet is a good option. In addition to a powerful anti-inflammatory, this vegetable has many vitamins and minerals, as well as calcium. It is very important for the health of the parakeet.
Chard: Chard is very rich in vitamin A, iron, and vitamin C. Parakeets generally love them, and it can also help prevent constipation.
Lettuce: Provides vitamin B1, B2, and B3 but contains a lot of water. So it is important to moderate its consumption.
Carrot: The carrot is a vegetable that should never be lacking in the carrot’s diet. It provides vitamins A, B, C, and E, as well as minerals and antioxidant compounds.
Tomato: Tomatoes are very rich in water (so, once again, we will moderate their consumption). But they are excellent for their content of vitamins A, B, and C. They help to keep the digestive system of our parakeet healthy.
Eggplants: It is an excellent vegetable because it is diuretic, antioxidant, and provides fiber.
Pepper: They are high in vitamin C, vitamin B6, and are one of the favorite vegetables for parakeets.
Zucchini: Zucchini would also be a good option, although in this case, it is essential that they are always peeled.
Budgie Foods List: Snacks or Treats for Parakeets
Let’s end the food list with the good part, with the sweets. The biggest treat or prize that you can give to a parakeet is a millet. They love it, and you can hang it in the cage to enjoy watching them eat like crazy.
It also helps you to teach them to get on your hand. Take a piece and put it in your hand, and wait patiently for them to come to eat. You will see them coming because this food is something irresistible for them.
You also have the commercial. Let’s say that they sell in stores. These are those sticks already with seeds stuck with honey and other things. Most like it, but there are some parakeets who are not very excited about that type of industrial treat.
How to Feed Budgies: How Do You Give Fruit and Vegetables to Parakeets?
Fruits and vegetables not only provide vitamins but are also very useful to prevent our parakeet from suffering from constipation. And they also help to ensure that our pet is always well hydrated. However, they do not need to take them daily. Fruits and vegetables should be offered every other day, at room temperature, and previously washed with plenty of water.
As you may have seen, you can offer your parakeet a wide variety of foods.
However, we recommend that you only use those that we have mentioned since other fruits and vegetables can be toxic. Some of them are listed below. Taking care of the diet of your parakeet will affect a healthier, happier, and longer-lived animal.
The 10 Most Dangerous Foods for Birds
1. Fruit stones and seeds
The stones of the fruits (apricots, peaches, cherries, plums…) contain cyanide, a substance that can be fatal for birds. This can make the parakeet vomit. For this reason, be sure to remove the stones from the fruit you feed to the birds.
Likewise, seeds, especially those of apples and pears, also contain cyanide. It is, therefore, necessary to remove them well before giving them to the birds. On the other hand, the seeds of melons, tomatoes, citrus fruits, or grapes are harmless.
Finally, make sure that the fruits have not been treated with pesticides. In any case, always clean it thoroughly before offering it to the birds.
2. The Avocado
Avocado leaves contain Persin, a substance toxic to mushrooms but also to birds. If they ingest it, it could cause heart failure, respiratory distress, or even sudden death.
To avoid any incident, it is better not to offer avocado-based food to birds (guacamole, etc.).
3. Foods high in fat
Butter, oils, fatty meats, almond, or nuts are fatty foods that can have particularly harmful effects on our health.
It is exactly the same with birds. In fact, they too are susceptible to developing high cholesterol levels and heart disease. How? The accumulation of fat in the arteries.
4. Salt
Chips and pretzels can be especially appealing to birds. And yet, these too salty foods are very toxic for them.
Ingesting too much salt can cause many health problems for them, including dehydration, kidney failure, and death.
5. Onions and garlic
Onion and garlic are harmful foods for many animals, including dogs, cats, and birds.
And for a good reason, the onion contains sulfur compounds that can cause ulcers, even anemia. As for garlic, it contains a chemical that can also lead to anemia and even death.
6. Chocolate
Chocolate is not a recommended food for birds. On the contrary, the Theo bromine it contains can damage their digestive system as well as their nervous system. Thus, its ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate, tremors, hyperactivity, or even death.
If you want to treat your birds to a sweet treat, opt for a sweet fruit instead, such as a grape or a slice of banana.
7. Xylitol
This artificial sweetener is very common in sugar-free chewing gum and other so-called “diet” foods. However, it is particularly dangerous for birds; its ingestion can cause hypoglycemia, liver damage, and even death.
In this sense, be sure to never feed your feathered companions any food that contains xylitol! Especially since birds have a rapid metabolism. This means that very small amounts of this product could be enough to seriously poison them.
8. All drinks
Apart from water, all drinks should be banned from the diet of birds! Thus, coffee, tea, soft drinks, sodas, alcohol should not be ingested by birds under any circumstances. These drinks, and especially caffeine, can be the cause of cardiac dysfunction or even cardiac arrest.
And be careful; just one sip is enough! On the other hand, one or two sips of homemade fruit or vegetable juice can be given occasionally.
9. Mushrooms
Whether raw or cooked, mushrooms should not be fed to birds. Indeed, they can be at the origin of digestive disorders or even liver failure.
10. Tomato leaves
All parts of the tomato plant are harmful to birds (stem, leaves, etc.). On the other hand, the tomato itself is not fatal. But it is not recommended to give it to birds due to its high acid content.
Conclusion
Can parakeets eat bananas? What else can they eat? Many people ask these questions because we all want our beloved pets to eat as well as possible. Apart from birdseed, a parakeet must eat many things that we tried to explain to you below. Please be patient and do not try to feed everything. Take time to understand their likes and dislikes as well.