In relation to food, parrots are one of the most curious creatures. They will get interested easily in anything they think is food, and they will probably like it whatever was it. In fact, parrots are able to eat many types of table food, fruits, and veggies safely. However, there are some exceptions, and these can actually be highly toxic and may cause death.
Of course, you came to this page to know Can parrots eat avocado?
No, parrots can not eat avocado, flesh, skin, or even the pit. This fruit contains toxins that usually kill birds, including parrots. And in the best scenario cases, the parrot will suffer from serious pain and symptoms. The more avocado the parrot consumes, the more likely death occurs.
And in this article, we will dive into everything about why avocado is not safe for parrots, what would happen if any parrot consumed a slice of avocado, how to react when a parrot eats it, and many more. This is an important article that might avoid the loss of your feathery friend.
So, without further ado, let’s get into this…
So, Is Avocado Healthy?
Of course, avocado is one of the healthiest fruits you can find on the market, at least if you are not allergic to it. In fact, avocado contains a good amount of healthy fat that will help any person feel full after reducing the amount of food he needs. It’s also an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals that are essential to the body.
Here are the nutritional facts:
However, these nutrients are only safe for human consumption for sure. I really don’t know if the avocado is safe for other pets or not. But, let me assure you that avocado consumption for parrots is a terrible idea, just like a human who is consuming shellfish whilst having an allergy.
Why Avocado Is Toxic To Parrots?
Avocado is one of the most toxic fruits to feed any parrot and may be more toxic than onion and garlic, which are relatively tolerable, especially when consumed in small quantities. Anyway, the major reason for the toxicity of avocado to parrots is the existence of the compound persin which is a fungicidal toxin.
Fungicidal toxins are actually a wide variety of chemicals that are used to protect agricultural crops from parasitic fungi or their spores. And let me tell you, they really work.
Persin exists naturally in avocado, of course, is not that concentrated to use just avocado to protect crops, nor enough to intoxicate humans. However, these toxins are harmful to all parrots and can lead to death in less than 24 hours of consumption. All birds are highly sensitive to Persin.
What Will Happen When a Parrot Eat Avocado
When any parrot consumes avocado, the symptoms will start showing after a few hours and will escalate to where the bird’s system won’t be able to function normally. And when the avocado is consumed, the poison will work in different ways depending on the species of the bird.
And in parrots, it’s going to affect the heart and will cause rapid beating, increasing the cardiac attack chances.
Not to mention other symptoms that may occur after avocado consumption, and these include myocardial tissue damage, labored breathing, disordered plumage, unrest, weakness, and apathy.
How Much Avocado is Deadly For Parrots
With small breeds of parrots, almost any amount of avocado can be deadly. Larger breeds might have more tolerance to avocado intoxication. However, larger breeds will suffer from pain as a side effect of eating an avocado, and there is no guarantee avocado won’t kill larger parrots.
And to be more specific, 3.5 grams of avocado is the lethal dose for budgies, 20-30 grams for cockatiels, 2 grams for canaries which is a really low quantity. The bigger the breed, the more avocado is required to cause death.
How To React?
Sometimes, parrots will access some pieces of avocado by accident, and sometimes just out of curiosity. Yes, parrots are curious about anything related to food, and this includes food that is highly toxic to them, like avocado.
When you suspect your bird has eaten some, immediately take it to a vet and preferably an avian vet that knows how to deal with and treat parrots. Do not wait for the symptoms to show before getting the help. Some parrots will show symptoms after 12 hours and sometimes the next day.
So you don’t want to wait while you could have reached the vet and asked him to put your bird under observation, where quick action can be taken. Even though, Death is highly possible.
Do Parrots Like Avocado
Yes, parrots like avocado and they won’t be able to sense the toxicity of it for them. So, be Aware and put away any avocado pieces out of your bird’s reach.
Parrots only refuse food when they dislike the taste of it, and yes, they are picky about food, but with avocado, most parrots will enjoy eating it without knowing it’s dangerous.
Final Thoughts On “Can Parrots Eat Avocado”
In conclusion, avocado is highly toxic to parrots and it can cause death in a matter of few hours. The flesh, skin, and pit are all highly toxic to parrots and can cause death, even in small amounts. Just be aware that the quick intervention of a vet is essential for parrots when they consume avocado. And if the bird is very lucky, it might survive.
However, not all damages are recoverable, and the bird may have to deal with many symptoms regarding the cardiac and respiratory systems for the rest of its life. And of course, will require more care and diet change, hoping to help the bird live its life fully with the expected lifespan of each breed.
And yup, that’s about it, I hope you found this article informative and easy to digest. Thank you For Reading…
Hello, my name is sadeq and I am obsessed about parrot And I am here to share everything about raising pet parrots and how to be good owners to your bird.
