When you own any animals or birds as pets, it is your responsibility to take care of them. One of the main aspects to consider is the diet of these pets. If you have a parrot at home, you need to take care of their nutritional requirements properly. Mostly though they eat vegetables and fruits, not all are good for them.
Indeed, parrots are very sociable creatures, and they mimic their human partners in many ways. This includes eating food that you may eat, and it is your job to make sure they eat the right things. In terms of vegetables and fruits, some that are good for you can seriously harm them.
While the wild parrots know what they should not consume, domesticated ones do not. Thus, you should be aware of the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ categories of food groups for parrots. As for cherries, which group does it fall under? In this article, you would get a clear picture of that.
Nutritional Benefits of Cherries
Cherries have much good nutritional value in their juice. And that is good for both you and your pet parrots. If you are wondering what nutrients they would receive from this, some are mentioned hereafter.
- Vitamin A- Vitamin A has many incredible benefits, and for the feathered creatures, this works on the feathers themselves. Plus, it also provides good health to the dermis and makes the plumage look fresh and bright.
- Vitamin C– One of the essential micronutrients in the cherry is vitamin C, which affects a parrot’s overall health. It is excellent to boost the immune system, regulate sugar levels in the blood, lower the pressure, support heart health, and prevent cataracts. There are many more benefits to this for parrots.
- Iron- Undoubtedly, iron is an essential nutrient that helps the blood manage the oxygen levels. It does so by producing hemoglobin, and that applies to parrots too. However, this needs to happen in balanced quantities, though. Too much of it can cause high iron diseases in the heart, lungs, and liver. Yet, too little of this intake can lead to anemia.
- Calcium- For the proper maintenance of beak and bone health, calcium is necessary. And there is the right amount of said mineral in the cherries. Moreover, it also helps with a healthy nervous system and allows normal heart rhythm.
- Magnesium- One of the primary nutrients in cherries is magnesium, and it works well with calcium. Together, they strengthen the beaks and bones in the parrots. Plus, they also improve the keratin levels in the feathers and skin of the bird.
Overall, parrots would receive many nutritional benefits if they ingest cherries. However, it is essential to give it to them in moderate quantities only. Cherries have high sugar content, and that adds many calories to their body. As a result, they would broaden in size. Plus, their digestive cycle may not work well enough either, causing diarrhea.
Are Cherries Suitable For Parrots?
Overall, it is okay to feed cherries to parrots. They are safe to eat and hold many nutrients in them. But, the pits are not suitable for consumption as they contain a small amount of cyanide. Cyanide is very poisonous for both humans and parrots, causing death to the latter too. Consequently, you should cut the cherries and get rid of the pits before giving it to the parrots.
Is Cherry Juice Allowed?
Indeed, it is not a problem to give cherry juice to parrots. To feed it to them, you can add it to the seeds and fruits that are a regular part of their diet. Or, you can directly give it to them in juice form. For the best outcome, you should use organic cherries and cut the pit out yourself. After that, squeeze the juice out and strain it to give to your pet parrot.
Are Dried Cherries Allowed?
Parrots are allowed to consume dried cherries. These are the right choices for parrots when the cherries are not in season. While it is safe to eat, you should avoid those preserved with sulfur dioxide. They are not suitable for these birds.
Plus, do not give too much to them since the dried cherries look smaller because they are shrunk down after evaporation, not because the quantity is low.
What Happens If They Ingest Cherry Bits?
Cherry pits are very harmful to parrots, as they hold a small amount of cardiac-toxic cyanide. If they chew slightly and spit it out because of the bitterness, that is not that harmful. However, if they swallow it, you should take action. Also, consider how much of the pit they ate and the overall size.
The symptoms of negative impact include vomiting, wobbly balance, and differently colored droppings. Many healthy parrots metabolize this harmful element, but it is best to check with an avian veterinarian. They will do checkups to see if the liver or kidney is affected.
Eating this can also kill them instantly, given the pits contain high amounts of cyanide. Thus, it would help if you were prompt with the checkup and diagnosis.
Color of Poop
Sometimes, the color of the poop can turn red after eating cherries. In most cases, this is not a big red flag for the parrots. The color would turn normal after the parrots digest and excrete the cherry parts.
Cherries and Pesticides
Many cherries do get pesticide treatment, which is very harmful to both parrots and humans. Thus, it is better to go for locally produced organic cherries. They are healthy and safe and do not contain any poisonous substances. Accordingly, your parrots can eat it and not suffer any consequences.
As an added precaution, you should avoid berries entirely if they are not organic because even washing would not remove the pesticide particles.
Conclusion
Overall, your pet parrot can enjoy eating the cherries and win nutritional benefits too. Nonetheless, it is best to remove all of the pits beforehand to be safe from harm.
