Lemon is a famous fruit of the citrus family and it’s a hybrid between citron itself and sour oranges. And citron or citrus medica is the mother fruit of all citrus types we know.
Can Parrots Eat Lemon?
Yes, parrots can eat lemon with no immediate notable problems. But, lemon is extremely acidic, and this nature can cause the parrot to suffer from digestive problems if served extensively. So, feeding lemon to any parrot should be on rare occasions rather than moderate.
This doesn’t deny the wonderful benefit a parrot can get from eating lemons. And in this article, we will dive into everything you need to know as a parrot owner regarding lemons for parrots. And without further ado, let’s get into this…
Potential Benefits Of Lemon
Lemon and without denial, contains many benefits that any parrot can get if it was served occasionally as a treat to your parrot. And maybe serving lemons after exhausting flying round can refresh and hydrate the bird. And according to Healthline, lemons can support the heart and circular systems, could prevent kidney stones, and can reduce cancer, especially in older parrots.
There are many nutrients found in lemon that can provide and make up for any inadequacy if the parrot can eat it. And every 100 grams of lemon contains the following nutrients:
- Protien 0.35 g
- Fat 0.24 g
- Carbs 6.9 g
- Sugar 2.52 g
- Iron 0.08 mg
- Magnesium 6 mg
- Phosphorus 8 mg
- Potassium 103 mg
- Sodium 1 mg
- Zinc 0.05 mg
- Copper 0.016
- Manganese 0.012 mg
- Vitamin C 38.7 mg
- Thiamin 0.024 mg
- Riboflavin 0.015 mg
- Niacin 0.091 mg
- Vitamin B-6 0.046
Lemon also contains folate, choline, and many other nutrients, but in small quantities.
How to Serve Lemon to a Parrot
If you know the parrot likes the sour taste of lemon, then it’s ok to slice a piece of it and serve it after you are sure that you washed the fruit thoroughly to remove any pesticides. However, stick to small slices and know that parrots will eat anything nonstop until they feel full, and if this happened with lemon, some problems may happen to the bird’s stomach and its digestive tract.
Another way which I see the best when serving lemon to parrot is just to squeeze it into the water bowl inside the cage, and this is the best way to avoid the results that might occur because of the acidic nature of lemon, and maybe the only way to serve lemon more often.
However, if your parrot doesn’t like lemon, I recommend just avoiding it and looking for other fruit that has benefits just like lemon, and these include passion fruit, grapefruit, tangerine, and many more.
Can Parrots Eat Lemon Peels?
Yes, lemon peels are safe for a parrot to consume, and it’s in fact highly nutritious and can provide parrots with wonderful benefits. But before you go serve it, make sure it’s thoroughly washed to remove any pesticides.
Can Parrots Eat Lemon Seeds?
Lemon seeds as well are safe for parrots to eat, and they might enjoy them more than flesh and peels. Still, lemon seeds are not the natural food for parrots and they shouldn’t play a huge part in any parrot diet. Formulated commercial food, along with some tasty fruits and bland veggies, is the best you can do to imitate the diet of wild parrots.
Can Parrot Drink Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is also safe for parrots to drink. However, it shouldn’t be one of the commercial juices that comprise a lot of unknown ingredients that will harm the parrot’s health. The lemon juice you intend to serve should be organic and preferably homemade, with no additions like sugar. It should be diluted with water as well to remove any bitterness that may cause an upset stomach for the bird.
Can African Greys Eat Lemons?
Yes, African grey can eat lemon, and perhaps they might enjoy it if they like the bitterness of the lemon. However, this is not the case with every African grey. Apart from that, owners should only serve lemon on rare occasions, because of the potential harm of the acidic components in lemons.
Are Lemons Seeds Toxic For Parrots?
No, lemon seeds are safe for a parrot to eat and they can provide them with wonderful benefits. Yet, lemon seeds are not the natural food for parrots, so avoid serving lemon seeds extensively.
Is Lemon Juice Good For Budgies?
Diluted homemade or organic lemon juice is totally safe for budgies to drink. And it could give them a breeze of refresh on a hot summer day or after an exhausting flying round.
Conclusion
In conclusion, yes, lemon fruit and every part of them are all safe for parrots to eat. Although lemon has wonderful benefits when consumed, the downside of it is it can cause some problems to the digestive system because of the high acidic components in it. Which are not natural for parrots, even in their natural wild habitat. And honestly, lemon wasn’t and won’t be a part of my parrots’ diet. There are a lot of alternatives that taste sweet, and parrots will fall in love with them. The only case that I might use lemon is as a home remedy for sick parrots, and this comes as diluted juice in the water bowl.
And yes, that’s about it. I hope you found this article informative and easy to digest…
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.
