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Always Stay Open to Learning
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One of my Face Book friends, Samantha Beyer, provided the inspiration for this column. As a new avian caretaker, she had a lot of questions regarding some of the does and don’ts of parrot care.
Samantha asked about topics that included the safety of feeding tomatoes, how to safely feed parrots eggs, the problems with burning scented candles, the need for full spectrum lighting, covering the cage at night and having only one bird or adding a companion. She also wanted tips on how to safely be outside with her bird and asked about the need for a cuttlebone or calcium supplements.
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Never Feed Parrots Tomatoes
When I researched the subject of feeding tomatoes to parrots a lot of information surfaced. In fact I uncovered so much, that I devoted my entire June column to discussing the pros and cons of feeding parrots tomatoes and other foods from the nightshade family. The short answer, is never feed parrots foods from the nightshade family.
Hard Boiled Eggs
Eggs do provide a high quality source of complete protein, but they are not something a wild parrot would normally consume. Even though a nesting female parrot may occasionally break open and eat some of an egg she has laid, a small amount of chopped hard boiled egg (including the shell) could be fed once – maybe twice – a week. The hot temperature of boiling water will kill salmonella bacteria if it is present. Look for and purchase certified organic eggs from free-range chickens. These birds have more humane living conditions than those who endure factory farm egg production.
Learn more about the answers to Samantha’s questions in the complete published version of this column that appeared in the May # 160 issue of Parrots magazine.
Subscriptions to Parrots magazine and single issues are available on-line.
To purchase your copy of the May issue of Parrots magazine visit www.parrotmag.com .
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Next month the June ‘The Holistic Parrot’ column will discuss the safety or danger of feeding tomatoes and other foods from the nightshade family to parrots.
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