FAQ: Treats for birds

Some birds can have a little ripe tomato flesh now and then, but the leaves, stems and unripe fruit are considered harmful. Because of the acidity, many owners avoid tomato altogether.

Dried fruit without preservatives, sugar or oil is usually fine for birds, but it is very sweet and high in calories because the water has evaporated. Give it in small pieces and less often than fresh fruit.

Some dried fruit is treated with sulphur dioxide to keep its colour, and this preservative is considered undesirable for birds. It is better to choose products with no sulphur compounds in the ingredients.

Many parrots love nuts, and for large species they can be a valuable but fatty treat. Give unsalted nuts that are not roasted in oil or coated, in small amounts.

Avoid salted, sweetened, chocolate- or yoghurt-coated nuts, as well as mouldy or rancid ones. Peanuts must be of especially good quality, as mould toxins can form on them.

Nuts are very fatty, so small parakeets usually do not need them, or get them only very rarely and crushed. A piece of spray millet, vegetable or fruit is a more usual treat for them.

Nuts in the shell keep a parrot busy longer, since it has to crack them, which is good work for a strong beak. For smaller parrots or birds that cannot manage the shell, you can crack it first or give shelled nuts.

Sunflower seeds are fatty and birds often love them, so they work better as a treat or reward than as the main food. If your bird picks out nothing but sunflower seeds, it is worth cutting down on them.

Unsalted, unseasoned pumpkin seeds are fine for most parrots as an occasional treat. They are fatty, so give just a few at a time, and they can be crushed for smaller parrots.

Unsweetened desiccated coconut is used in some bird treats, but it is very fatty. Sweetened coconut or coconut desserts are not suitable for birds.

Some birds, such as canaries and finches, need more protein, especially while breeding and feeding chicks. Dried insects in treats help vary the diet, but the amount should match the species' needs.

It is a block of compressed minerals, mostly calcium, that the bird pecks and gnaws. It tops up the bird's minerals and helps a little with beak care.

A cuttlebone is the natural internal shell of a cuttlefish, soft and easy to gnaw, made mostly of calcium. A mineral block is a manufactured block that may contain other minerals too, so many owners keep one or both in the cage.

Attach the cuttlebone to the bars with a holder so that the soft side faces the bird, as that side is easier to gnaw. Hang it near a perch, but not above the food or water dish.

Replace the block when it is worn down, cracked, soiled with droppings or damp. Even if the bird never touches it, it is worth leaving it in, as calcium needs often rise during breeding or the moult.

Birds fed pellets or a complete food often get enough minerals from their main diet, but a block or cuttlebone usually does no harm and gives them something to do. If you are unsure whether extra calcium is needed, ask a vet.

Some birds simply love to gnaw, and hens often take in more calcium before laying or while breeding. If the block disappears very fast and you notice other changes too, such as weight loss, it is worth talking to a vet.

It is a mineral block with added iodine that is sometimes offered to budgies. Whether it is needed depends on the food's ingredients, so follow the pack instructions and do not give several iodine supplements at once.

For birds that swallow seeds whole, such as pigeons, grit helps grind food in the gizzard. Most parrots husk their seeds and often do not need insoluble grit, and too much can be harmful, so ask a vet about your own bird.

Soluble grit, such as crushed oyster or snail shell, dissolves in the stomach and adds calcium. Insoluble grit, such as fine quartz sand, stays in the gizzard and helps grind grain for birds that swallow it with the husk.