What Junk Food Is Bad for Birds?

Birds -- especially parrots -- are like anyone else when it comes to junk food. If they could eat more of it, they would. But just as it is for people, too much junk food is bad for birds. And much of what we eat is more unhealthy for our pet birds than it is for us.

  1. Fried Foods

    • Parrots have a special fondness for anything that is full of fat and high in protein, and they really love fried foods. But parrots can become obese quickly, and foods fried in fatty oils can contribute to liver disease, heart disease and other obesity-related illnesses. It is best to avoid feeding parrots any type of oil or animal fats.

    Chocolate

    • While science continues to debate just how healthy chocolate is for people, there is full consensus on how dangerous it is for birds. Sugary treats in general are bad for birds, but chocolate even in tiny amounts can cause diarrhea and vomiting. In larger amounts, chocolate can trigger seizures, rapid heartbeat and even death in some species, such as cockatiels.

    Salty Foods

    • Wild birds get little salt in their diets and are, as a result, sensitive to it. Parrots can develop salt poisoning and kidney troubles if they eat too many salty foods such as peanuts or potato chips. Potato chips are also bad because some birds are sensitive to potatoes.

    Alcohol

    • Parrots of all kinds have a sweet tooth, which can on occasion lead them to sample sweet drinks or cocktails. Like people, birds get drunk when they drink too much, but many birds can drink more of their body weight than humans and may take in dangerous amounts of alcohol. Never leave a drink unattended.

    Milk and Dairy

    • Milk and dairy products such as cheese and ice cream are tasty treats for birds, especially junk-food junkies like parrots. But as it is in fried foods, the high-fat, high protein makeup of dairy foods can lead to obesity and other health problems in birds.

    Nuts

    • In the wild, birds love nuts and seeds. And while nuts may not be considered junk food by some, nuts are to birds what cake is to people. Feed you bird nuts sparingly and take care to avoid shelled peanuts. Peanut shells sometimes contain aflatoxin, a byproduct of the fungus aspergillus. Both can kill parrots.