We associate monkeys with their love for banana. But do parrots fondly enjoy eating a banana as well? Can they be poisonous to parrots in any way?
Is it okay to add it to their diet?
First off, they are not poisonous to parrots. Parrots can eat a banana as fondly as they eat any other fruit. Unlike the caution we exercise when we give parrots any fruit with pits or seeds, banana poses no problem. It has vitamin A, B-6, C, iron, and magnesium that is good for their health.
Although banana has nutritional benefits, did you know that plantain and green bananas are better for parrots? How do we feed the parrot banana or plantain? Continue reading to know.
How do we feed parrots banana
Give it raw
The best way to feed parrots banana would be to give it raw. But make sure you either peel it or get organic produce (if your parrot fancies the peel as well).
You can dice it or just let your parrot eat it on its own. Same goes for feeding your parrot plantain; you can give it raw. Make sure you wash it well to avoid feeding your parrot a pesticide-laden banana.
Do not cook or pan-fry banana for parrots
We would advise you against cooking a banana to feed your parrot. It will strip off its nutritional values when cooked. It benefits them most in the raw form.
Also, it is only acceptable to give your parrot cooked banana when your parrot is ill and doesn’t have the energy to cheerfully gobble down a banana.
It is not recommended to add banana to a parrot’s chop
Banana is great in strengthening their digestive system so it is a good idea to feed them banana when they are having digestive problems. Also, make sure you don’t add it to a parrot’s chop. Give it to them fresh and try not to store it in the freezer and thaw it later in the form of chop.
Plantains are safe for parrots as well
Plantains are rawer and greener form of a banana. Most of us like to cook plantain when we want to consume it. Many people eat it along with the peel when they cook it.
So how are we supposed to feed plantain to the parrot? Should we cook it or give it raw? The first thing that you need to know is that plantains have lower starch in it. This starch is digestible to the parrot without upsetting its stomach.
You don’t have to cook plantain to wring off the starch from it – you would be straining out necessary vitamins and nutrients that make plantain a healthier choice.
These raw and green bananas have butyric acid, which aids in correcting the pH level of digestive juice in a parrots stomach.
A robust banana contains 64.1IU of vitamin A, 8.7 mg of Vitamin C, and 20 mg of Folate. Whereas, a plantain contains909IU of vitamin A, 10.9 mg of Vitamin C, and 26 mg of Folate.
Make sure not to give more than 1 small banana a day. (Of course, it depends on the size of your parrot)
The variations in which one can feed banana to parrots
As banana bread
Bread doesn’t have any nutritional value for birds. But they are a tasty treat for them regardless. While it is not recommended to feed birds with bread solely, you can feed them a little.
You can also give banana bread to your parrot but not from the departmental store.
If you can bake banana bread without salt, sugar, and oil, you can safely give banana bread to your parrot. Added salt, sugar or oil is not good for your parrot’s health.
You can add some seeds or nuts to make it tastier. Make sure the bread is not stale or moldy as well, as it can upset your parrot’s stomach.
Should I feed my parrot with banana peel?
If your parrot likes to eat banana peel, then you should get them organic bananas to feed. Most of the bananas you get in the market are laced with pesticides.
Try to avoid feeding them banana peel or get organic bananas and wash them thoroughly. Do not feed the stem of the banana to the parrot.
Should you feed your parrot with banana chips
No. You might think that banana chips would be an easier way to feed your parrot. But in a parrot’s diet, you cannot add refined food.
You should only feed them fresh food devoid of any salt, sugar, spices, or preservatives. If you want to dry sliced bananas in the sun and want to feed them, then you can do that.
Make your parrot’s meal interesting to increase its appetite
If you do not spice up your parrot’s diet from time to time, your parrot might develop deficiencies in nutrients. You can add a variety of nuts, seeds, vegetables, legumes, lentils, and fruits to make it tastier and healthier for your parrot.
We get bored with regular meals, so do our parrots. Mix up these food items to make an interesting chop for your parrot.
Fruits:
- Apple
- Apricot
- Banana
- Peaches
- Berries (We recommend feeding blueberries – we explain why here)
- Melon (We show you how to feed watermelon properly in this article)
- Cranberry
- Orange (We explain the dos and don’ts of feeding a parrot oranges in this article)
- Pineapples
Vegetables:
- Peppers
- Leafy vegetables
- Peas
- Cauliflower
- Sprouts, lentils, soybean
- Squash
- Yam
Nuts:
- Flax seeds
- Chia seeds
- Almonds
- Coconut shreds
- Pine nuts
- Hazelnuts
- Macadamia nuts
You can make a smoothie of vegetables and fruits and sprinkle nuts and seeds on it to make it more appetizing. You can also make a chop and freeze it. Thaw it whenever you want to feed your parrot.
These chops should not be stored for more than 3-4 days. Also, you can add pellets to their diet to make up for nutrients that get lost in their digestive tract. Add some more flavor to your parrot’s diet by making a smoothie or juice for them.
Make sure you do not add sugar or salt to it. If you want to share a drink with them, get them unadulterated fresh juice or a smoothie! Say cheers to great bonding with your parrot as you both take a sip.
Related Questions
Which food items are not good for parrots? Onions, chocolates, alcohol and beverages, mushrooms, avocado, Rhubarb, apple’s seeds and pits of other fruits, garlic, cabbage, and kale are not good for your parrots. You can avoid these food items to avoid upsetting their stomach and causing other serious ailments.
Can I feed my parrot with my food? You should not feed parrots with what you eat. The food that we eat is salted, contains sugar, and other spices. This is not good for a parrot’s health. You should also avoid feeding them with any junk food or beverage, as it will spike their blood-sugar level.
Should I feed my parrot with banana leaves? Banana leaves have antibacterial properties and it is a good substitute for a chew toy. Not much research has been done to identify if banana leaves are harmful or not when eaten by parrots. Nor there have been cases where it was found that banana leaves are poisonous for parrots.
