Diet of a Mynah

There are many species of mynah birds, but the one most found as a pet is the house common mynah, Acridotheres tristis. The Honolulu Zoo states that all mynah species share a similar diet because they are all part of the starling family. One of the reasons mynahs have been successful in the wild and in domestication is because they can eat a wide variety of foods.

  1. Main Diet

    • The bulk of the diet of wild mynah birds is various kinds of fruits and vegetables, especially figs, according to the Honolulu Zoo. Their bills are not as hard as other birds' bills, so they need the bulk of their diet to be soft foods. Mynahs in captivity need to eat ripe, soft fruits like bananas, ripe figs, mangoes, papaya, plums, cooked potato, cooked sweet potato and cooked corn. If the bird is having trouble eating it, then mashing it up beforehand may help.

    Treats

    • In the wild, mynah birds will also eat insects, small lizards, small fish, eggs and small birds or hatchlings. Basically, if a mynah can get something down its beak, it will try and swallow it. Pet mynahs can be given protein-laden treats like cooked chicken, cooked turkey, boiled egg, cooked fish and cooked pork.

    Juveniles

    • When newly hatched to two weeks old, mynah hatchlings are given regurgitated liquid food by their parents. If the hatchling is an orphan, the baby will need to eat a liquid mixture every half hour. This mixture can be made from baby food, canned dog or cat food or softened and blended mynah pellets found in pet stores. When the baby is two weeks old, it can be fed every three hours and introduced to tiny pieces of fruit. Hatchlings start eating adult food at 7 to 8 weeks old.

    Special Note

    • Pet mynahs have access to more iron-rich foods than wild mynahs. This can lead to iron storage disease, called hemachromatosis. This causes iron to build up to toxic levels in the bird̵7;s liver. But to cut out iron altogether would also be dangerous. Pet mynahs need to eat pelleted bird food made for soft-billed birds like mynahs that have added iron. The food should have an iron range no greater than 150 ppm (parts per million.)

    Warning

    • Mynah birds should never be fed alcoholic or caffeinated beverages; very spicy foods; sweets like chocolate or other human junk food; apple seeds, which contain cyanide; avacados or rhybarb, because the mynah cannot digest them. Cut up fresh apple can be given, but be sure the apple is cored and de-seeded. Do not feed insects caught in the home or garden because those insects may be contaminated with insecticides.