[youtube v=”96BI71a4-TY”]
Although birds eat a wide variety of foods, vegetables make up about 70% of the diet of many birds. Fruits follow closely as the second type of food birds rely on to achieve a balanced diet. Many fruit types are recommended as great food sources for budgies. but Can budgies eat banana?
Yes budgies can eat bananas and it is completely safe for them to eat, You should only feed your budgie banana as a treat as an addition to a well balanced diet.
Are budgies allowed to eat banana?
Even though it is not particularly common to see budgies eat bananas as part of their natural staple, these small birds certainly love the taste. Some budgies actually prefer eating bananas to other kinds of fruit. It is helpful to know that there are also other benefits beyond its savory appeal.
Fresh bananas are an excellent source of antioxidants and important vitamins and minerals. Bananas are also a relatively safer fruit option for budgies because they have fewer side effects than other fruits. These qualities make it ideal for incorporation into your budgie’s regular diet.
Budgies generally love eating bananas. However, you may encounter budgies who cannot even stand the taste. When this happens with yours, don’t panic. Your budgie is absolutely normal. There are fruits certain birds just can’t get behind; in much the same way there are foods you don’t like.
Can budgies eat banana skin?
If you’re wondering whether it is safe for budgies to eat banana skins, it sometimes is. Banana skins per se are not harmful to birds. The problem is that many banana peels are exposed to pesticides and other toxic chemicals that can be extremely lethal to these birds. Even when these bananas have been grown organically, the skins may still contain some bacteria or fungi gotten from the garden or through retail handling.
Also, while birds can technically eat banana peels, these peels contain cellulose. These small birds cannot digest cellulose on their own. Notwithstanding, budgies eat a lot of fruits along with their skins; bananas are one of them. Some budgies find eating banana skins very appealing. If your budgies have that refined taste for banana peels, do not get rid of the skin after peeling.
Make sure the banana peels are clean and free of bacteria before then placing them in your bird’s cage. Budgies prefer their banana peels fresh. Dry peels are quite unappealing to budgies.
Are bananas poisonous to budgies?
Many fruits have a lot of side effects and can be potentially toxic if not prepared well before your budgies eat them. Bananas, when they are served fresh, stand out because they do not have as many side effects. Bananas, perhaps most notably, do not have seeds. This removes the anxiety you may have about the safety of some fruit seeds for your feathered friends.
In fact, bananas are actually beneficial to budgies because:
- Bananas are rich in vitamins and minerals such as iron, potassium, Vitamins A and B6, etc.
- They are a great source of antioxidants that help maintain proper cell function in your small avian friends.
- They contain a lot of magnesium which is required in the development of strong bones and beaks.
- Bananas are important for the development of healthy feathers.
- Bananas help boost this bird’s energy, which is great since budgies are active birds with high energy demands.
- They help maintain lung function and are good for heart health.
- They aid in digestion.
- They are important for growth.
Bananas are not poisonous to budgies, but too many bananas can get your pet obese. There is a more serious potential side effect of feeding budgies excessive amounts of banana: it can lead to iron storage disease. This is why it is important to pay attention to the volume of bananas you give them, and the frequency at which you do.
Can you feed bananas to baby budgies?
Absolutely! Baby budgies can be fed soft, ripened bananas. These bananas are delicious and rich in essential minerals and nutrients which are critical for the growth and healthy development of healthy baby budgies. Bananas are also good for a baby bird’s teeth.
While baby budgies while will eat ripe bananas in almost any form you serve them, it is great to feed them directly. Scoop small amounts of banana for your feathered babies. Use a toothpick or similar tool to pick up bite-sized portions and pop the soft, delicious mass into their mouths.
It is important to be patient with your baby budgies when introducing this interesting delicacy to them. Baby budgies are delicate so watch out for any abnormal reactions after feeding them bananas. Most budgies grow to love it. If yours don’t, it is fine. Try something else.
How to feed bananas to your budgie
Preparing bananas for your budgies is many times easier than with other fruits. You don’t need to spend a lot of time washing the skin before serving it if you do not want to.
Simply peel off the skin of the banana. This can easily be done with your hands. Once you have removed the skin, place the banana into the cage of your budgie. You may choose to slice this banana into small bits or serve it whole. Banana is soft so the budgies should have no difficulty nibbling on it however you serve it.
If you’re going to serve your budgies banana peels, then it is absolutely necessary you wash the peels first if you care about your budgie’s health.
Most budgies love bananas, but not all budgies do; not at first at least. If your budgie does not eat it, you remove the banana. You can try to include banana in their diet again to see if they develop an appreciation for it if you will. If they don’t, do not force it on them.
Bananas are soft so they can easily be smeared on the floor of the cage. This can quickly create a dirty mess. Budgies don’t eat dirty things. So once your bananas get dirty, budgies stop eating them. If you’re feeding budgies bananas, be aware that you might have to do extra cleaning after feeding them.