Healthy Treats | Safe Fruits and Vegetables for Birds
Are you looking for a fun treat for your bird but also worried about their nutritional needs? The answer may be waiting in your fridge! Check out this list of safe fruits and vegetables for birds…
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There is something special about sharing a snack with your pets.
We see dog and cat owners doing it regularly, ripping off a small piece of lunch meat from their sandwich to share with their little furry friends.
But what about the bird owners? Right?
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Don’t worry, there are plenty of treats that you and your feathered friend can enjoy!
Better still, the treats on this list contain vitamins and minerals that can help to keep your bird both happy AND healthy.
In fact, many veterinarians and bird experts agree that fresh fruits and vegetables are an excellent addition to your bird’s diet. Depending on the type of bird you have, it may even be essential in order to meet your bird’s nutritional needs!
NOTE: When cutting up fruits and vegetables for your bird, be careful to remove any seeds or pits. These are often unsafe for your bird.
Additionally, be sure to remove any leftovers after a couple hours in order to avoid having rotten food in your bird’s cage. This can lead to unhealthy bacterial growth, making your bird sick.
Safe Fruits and Vegetables for Birds
Make sure to wash ALL fruits and vegetables before giving them to your bird to remove any chemical residues or pesticides.
It is recommended to steam some vegetables, like carrots, prior to feeding to your bird due to the fact that they may be difficult on digestion.
If you are unsure or have any questions, consult with your avian veterinarian.
Fruits:
- Mango
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Peaches
- Apples
- Grapes
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Pomegranate
Vegetables:
- Carrots
- Corn on the Cob
- Sweet Potatoes
- Zucchini
- Snap Peas
- Broccoli
- Bell Peppers
- Spinach
- Kale
- Romaine Lettuce
- Chard
- Red Cabbage
- Butternut Squash
- Asparagus
- Beets
How to Entice Your Bird to Eat Fresh Foods
If your is bird appears uninterested in these fruits and vegetables at first, know that you’re not alone! Often, in the beginning, it will take a little work to introduce your bird to these treats.
You bird is likely used to eating a pellet or seed diet.
Be prepared to take some time, slowly introducing these new foods into their diet.
If at first an approach isn’t working, be patient!
Try different methods of making fruit and vegetables available to your bird.
While some birds may enjoy eating their fresh foods in small pieces out of a dish, others may prefer the use of a skewer or other feeding mechanism in their cage.
There are a wide variety of different options, so don’t be afraid to experiment!
In addition to using different feeding units, why not try preparing your bird’s fresh foods in different ways.
Foods can be sliced, chopped, mashed, shredded or diced.
For example, a bird that doesn’t like eating a solid piece of carrot may enjoy their carrots shredded or diced in smaller, bite-sized portions.
Romaine lettuce, kale and spinach are great starter vegetables for birds that are unsure. Why?
If your bird likes to chew holes in paper, they may mistake these leafy greens for paper encouraging them to take that first bite.
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Try eating fruits and vegetables in front of your bird. This will allow him/her to see that these items are not only safe, but delicious.
Make sure that you’re showing your bird that you’re genuinely ENJOYING the food that you’re eating.
You can then offer your bird the fruit or vegetable by hand or simply keep a dish of the food in front of you and allow your bird to approach as they feel comfortable.
Don’t forget, your bird has his/her own unique tastes and preferences just like us! You may need to change up the fruits and vegetables that you are offering to find something that they like!
Do you include safe fruits and vegetables for birds in your pet’s diet? If so, what are their favourite healthy treats?
What a great list for bird owners! It’s great to know that a lot of the fresh fruits and veggies you already have in your refrigerator would be tasty treats for your feathered friends.
It makes it so easy to treat your bird and give them that extra nutritional boost that they need, doesn’t it?
We don’t own a bird (well not yet anyway!) but you have really surprised me with this article. I honestly had no idea that birds could enjoy so many different types of fruit and vegetables. It is understandable that they may not take to these at first, particularly if they have been used to a much different diet but to include these in the diet as well would have to be better and healthier as well.
It’s definitely a healthier option. In fact, some avian vets will tell you that they are an important part of their diet and shouldn’t be seen as optional!
This was a really interesting post. Its great that you can treat them using things that are readily available.
Super healthy and incredibly convenient. I don’t know of anyone that doesn’t have at least one item on that list on hand.
Great tips! Birds really love those fruits and veggies 😉
They are an important part of a bird’s diet for many species!
Great post! I don’t have a bird as pet (though I wouldn’t mind having one), but I still had fun reading this post.
I have always wanted a bird but I don’t think it will work well with our lifestyle at this point. Maybe some day!
Aren’t birds funny! Like little children when it comes to trying new things. We have backyard chickens and they act very similar when I try to give them something new.
This is a great list with many nutritional benefits.
They really are like children in that sense. You almost have to trick them into trying something new before they will entertain the idea that they might enjoy it lol
This is such a great and easy to use list for bird owners. Interesting that the seeds and pits are not good for them, as they usually live off of seeds. That’s a good tip because I’m sure many people don’t know.
It’s the kind of seeds that make the difference. For example, sunflower seeds are safe but apple seeds actually contain a small amount of cyanide.
I’ve never had a bird and didn’t even consider it and I didn’t know not all the fruits and veggies are safe for them. Glad to know more now
There are far more foods that they CAN eat than there are fruits and vegetables that they CAN’T eat. It’s surprising to most people!
This is so interesting! Like you and many others, I’ll feed a dog or cat a tiny snack of something I’m eating. I can’t even begin to make tuna without my cat right under my feet in the kitchen. He knows! Which I leave the can in the cabinet until the very last second. Lol. But I never really considered feeding a bird snacks or fresh veggies or fruit. No idea why, but the thought of sharing with a bird never crossed my mind. This is an awesome post for bird owners though, so they can share with their feathered friends.
My cats are the same way when the can of tuna comes out! Non-pet owners don’t understand the gymnastics skills required to make food with a pet running around between your feet, right? lol
It is so important to look after pet welfare for sure. this is such a good post and very useful x
Thank you!
I never realized that birds could eat so much, the kids I watch have birds and I will have to share this with them and their parents.
It’s surprising, isn’t it? I knew that they could have quite a bit but even I discovered more foods than I was aware of while researching this!
I’m used to feeding birds seed diets a lot. I thought they liked it that way but reading this changed my thoughts about bird diets. I will experiment with fruits and veg and see how it turns out. Thanks for sharing
Fruit, vegetables and seeds are all part of a balanced diet – the key is finding the right balance for your individual bird!