Can Parrots Drink Tea? (Is It Safe?)

There are a lot of drinks that people enjoy in their daily lives, such as milk, coffee, and tea. Milk and coffee can be bad for parrots, tea as well, but tea can be safer for parrots to drink under certain circumstances.

So, Can Parrots Drink Tea?

Yes and no, and it depends on the tea type. Non-caffeinated tea is safe for parrots to drink. The harm is from caffeinated types that can intoxicate parrots. Non-caffeinated tea can provide wonderful benefits, so, it is ok for parrots to have a few sips every once and then.

So the rule of thumb here is, caffeinated tea is bad and toxic for parrots, other types like herbal types of tea, or ginger tea are safe for parrots to drink.

Although non-caffeinated tea is safe for parrots, they should drink it only with no additions like sugar, which may cause a parrot to feel anxious and will lead it to have difficulties sleeping. And in this article, we will dive into everything related to serving tea to parrots, what are the safe types, and many more.

And without further ado, let’s get into this…

can parrots drink tea

Types Of Tea For Parrots

As humans, we enjoy drinking any type of tea, even if it contains caffeine. Caffeine is tolerable for us humans in small quantities, but for parrots, small quantities can be very toxic. And down below, you will find bad and good types of tea for parrots.

Bad Types Of Tea For Parrots

All types of bad tea from parrots are from the same tree, Camellia Sinensis, and they’re about 4 types of them depending on the harvesting time, and they all have different amounts of caffeine. And they are:

Black Tea

Black or red tea is the most caffeinated tea out of these four, and if you drink a large cup of black tea, expect to have a similar boost as with coffee. The type of tea contains about 40-70 milligrams of caffeine in every 8-ounce serving.

Green Tea

Green tea is harvested a bit earlier than black tea. It has a lower amount of caffeine and in every 8-ounce serving, there are about 35-45 milligrams of caffeine.

White Tea

White tea is the earliest to harvest, so the amount of caffeine is lesser than the green and black tea, and there are about 15-30 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce serving.

Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is a traditional mix in china between green and black tea, and it has about 37-55 milligrams of caffeine in every 8-ounce serving.

Safe Types Of Tea For Parrots

These are the most popular herbal tea types, and they are all caffeine-free and safe for parrots.

Chamomile Tea

This tea results from the infusion between the dried chamomile flowers and hot water. This tea can have relaxing effects and may help the parrot sleep with ease, especially during the breeding seasons and molting times. These times are very hard for parrots, all they need is to relax, and chamomile tea is good for that.

It also has other benefits like fighting inflammations, helping with cold symptoms, and maintaining healthy skin and feathers.

Ginger Tea

Ginger itself is safe for parrots and it has a lot of benefits for parrots, and it is a mix between ginger powder and hot water. Here is an article about ginger for parrots.

Peppermint Tea

Peppermint is a well-known type of herbal tea that is safe for parrots. This tea has many beneficial effects like relieving tension, boosting energy, fighting Bacterial Infections, enhancing sleep quality, and boosting mood. These benefits also apply to parrots, and having some sips of this tea will be great as a treat.

Besides that, peppermint is a substantial source of potassium. Calcium. and vitamin A.

Hibiscus Tea

This tarty type of herbal tea might not suit any parrots. But it has a lot of benefits and can provide your parrot with tons of antioxidants that helps new cell regenerate correctly with no damage, and it helps to fight cancer in older parrots. Apart from that, this tea can liver health, fight bacteria, and it’s easy to prepare.

This tea can provide many nutrients, such as

  • Calcium
  • Phosphorous
  • Iron
  • Niacin
  • Vitamin C
  • Riboflavin

However, these nutrients may be reduced when you get this tea dried, but still, it will have them in smaller amounts.

Rooibos Tea

Rooibos tea is caffeine-free, so it’s safe for parrots to consume. This tea may help the parrot heart to stay healthy and it’s packed with antioxidants. There is no nutrient value with this type, except small traces of fluoride and copper. Many parrots may love it because of the nutty and the natural sweetness it has, so why not serve as a treat from time to time.

Sage Tea

This type of tea is really healthy and has many benefits, like boosting heart health, enhancing mood, maintaining healthy skin and feathers. It’s also full of antioxidants anti-inflammatory compounds. This tea tastes sweet and the parrot will love, and it has the following nutrients but in smaller amounts.

  • Protein
  • Carbs
  • Fat
  • Vitamin K
  • Iron
  • Vitamin B6
  • Calcium

Lemon Balm Tea

This tea is prepared by infusion of fresh or dried leaves of the lemon balm plant. This tea has n nutritional value, except for some small traces of potassium and sodium. However, if your parrot is going through stressful times like molting or breeding, this tea can give the parrot a boost of relaxation, because of its effects in reducing stress and anxiety, which are common during such times for parrots.

The effects of Lemon Balm Tea will give your parrot a good sleep whenever you serve it, and it’s totally safe, and the parrots will love and fall for its citrusy taste.

Rose Hip Tea

This tea is high in antioxidants, good for the immune system, promotes a healthy heart and circular system, and it helps with inflammation and pain you parrot might get. This tea is a slightly sweet and tarty aftertaste, so some parrots may dislike it.

Passionflower Tea

Passionflower tea has a sedative effect and can help your bird to get good sleep and avoid insomnia, and it can boost heart health. This tea tastes mild, but most parrots may like it.

Can Parrots Drink Tea Milk

No, parrots cannot drink tea milk, even if it was herbal tea milk. And this is because milk contains lactose that parrots aren’t able to digest because they lack the enzyme lactase. So, don’t serve it to your parrot, and doing so could cause your parrot to suffer from stomach upset, gas, boosting, and diarrhea.

Which Breed Of Parrots Can Drink Tea

All breeds like African greys, cockatoos, macaws, cockatiels, quaker parrots, budgies, etc. can drink the herbal non-caffeinated tea types. And all parrot breeds should never be allowed to drink the tea that was harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant, which is the caffeinated popular tea. Sticking to herbal teas is the safest for them.

How To Serve Herbal Tea To Your Parrot

If you decide to serve a certain type of tea to your parrot, remember to prepare it, adding nothing like sugar and honey. They are both bad for parrots. Just prepare it by adding water to the tea, and let it brew in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. And then wait until the tea is room temperature as parrots won’t tolerate hot drinks.

Serve using a bowl and put it inside the cage, or simply use the water bowl of your parrot until he finishes drinking it. And remember not to leave any type of tea for longer than 24 hours.

Conclusion

In conclusion, parrots can only drink herbal teas that are caffeine-free. But, it should be served along with the natural meals of seeds and nuts, and in most cases, herbal tea has no compelling nutritional value for parrots, yes it’s helpful to relieve any stress, promote good sleep, and protect from disease. But there are many other alternatives of fruits and veggies that will do the same and sometimes better than these types of tea.

Personally, I don’t serve tea to my parrots, but it is up to you to decide. And yup, that’s about it. I hope you found this article informative and easy to digest. Thank you for reading…