Your Parrots diet is the foundation upon how it’s life goes and the quality of it, and you as the parent are mainly in charge of it, however picky your Parrot may be. Fruit is an excellent addition to your Parrots diet as they contain many vitamins and nutrients that your Parrot can benefit from.
This leads to asking questions like what fruits can Parrots eat surely every fruit isn’t suitable for our birds. For example blackberries, one of my favorite fruits. I was snacking on them last week and with everything I like to give my Parrot share as I feel bad eating in his face however I wasn’t sure if Parrots could eat blackberries so I researched it and put everything you need to know in this article.
So the million dollar question… can Parrots eat blackberries? Yes Parrots can eat blackberries infact it’s encouraged that they do. Blackberries contain vitamin C, vitamin K, high in fiber and manganese. All these things combined make blackberries a great fruit for your Parrot to snack on. Just make sure they are fresh and organic.
Read on to find out the benefits of feeding your Parrot blackberries, how to serve them and other important information about feeding blackberries to your feathered friend!
Blackberry Benefits For Parrots
We know blackberries are good for our Parrots, but just how good? Let’s take a closer look at the nutritional content.
A one-cup serving of raw blackberries contains :
| Calories | 62 |
| Protein | 2g |
| Fiber | 8g |
| Carbs | 14g |
| Sugars | 7g |
| Fat | <1g |
Let’s take a closer look at the vitamins and minerals packed inside blackberries.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C plays a large role within Parrots it has many benefits like boosting immune system, lowering blood pressure, keeps the cardiovascular system in check by cleaning plaque from your birds blood vessels and keeping cholesterol from oxidizing among many other things.
However the problem? Parrot utilize a lot of vitamin C just from being alive so it’s important to feed them foods rich in vitamin C like blackberries to counter this.
Other foods that provide an excellent source of vitamin C for your Parrot are :
- Peppers
- Kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts
- Strawberries, mango, pineapple and kiwis
Vitamin E
Blackberries also contain Vitamin C which is helps fight against coronary heart disease, support immune function, prevent inflammation, promote eye health and even reduce the risk of getting cancer.
Vitamin K
Along with vitamin C, berries are an excellent source of vitamin K. This is essential in any Parrots diet as it’s essential for synthesis of prothrombin, this means it helps fight against blood clotting along with making your birds bones stronger. Vitamin K also provides additional support to your Parrots immune and regulatory system.
Deficiency in vitamin K can lead to an increase of blood spots in eggs, hemorrhages in the legs and breast along with blood clots so it’s vital your Parrot gets enough vitamin K in his or her diet!
How You Should Feed Blackberries To Your Parrot
Like some fruit and vegetables it’s important to wash before preparing them for your Parrot to eat. This is because they may contain dirt and things like pesticides that could make your Parrot sick.
The easiest way to clean blackberries is rinsing them under some cold water.
Blackberries don’t pose too much of a choking hazard as they are already small enough so you don’t need to worry about cutting them up.
Are There Any Risks To Feeding Your Parrot Blackberries
There are no immediate toxins found in blackberries that will be life threatening to your Parrot, however mentioned in the paragraph above make sure the berries are thoroughly washed before serving.
You should also make sure that the blackberries are organic and you know exactly where they are coming from. This ensures your bird gets the highest quality nutrition possible. You should avoid letting your Parrot eat berries from places you’re not familiar with as the roots could be contaminated with things like the faeces of other animals.
Blackberries also pose a risk to the cleanliness of your Parrot and their cage as they’re a very messy food and Parrots like many pets are also messy. Just be prepared to clean the juices after your bird is finished!
What Other Foods Can Your Parrot Eat?
You know blackberries are safe for your Parrot to eat but if you’re like me then your always looking for new foods to improve your Parrots diet to create some variety and and include vital things that aren’t already in your birds diet.
So what other foods can your Parrot eat?
- Fruit & Vegetables
Foods like asparagus, broccoli, carrots, peppers, bananas, blueberries and pineapples are all fine and encouraged for your Parrot to eat.
- Nuts
Things like almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios and walnuts can be fed to your parrot. Just be wary of the fat content in some of them so they may need to be treated as a snack for your Parrot. We don’t want them getting fat!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Parrots Eat Wild Blackberries?
Parrots should avoid eating wild blackberries as you don’t know what kind of other animals have been around the plant. This could lead to a risk of illness or disease due to the plant being contaminated.
Can African Grey Parrots Eat Blackberries?
African Grey parrots are actually encouraged to eat blackberries more so than other kind of Parrot. This is because blackberries contain calcium, something that African Grey’s are often found deficient in.
Blackberries For Parrots – Final Thoughts
Blackberries are a great source of nutrition for your Parrot containing many beneficial vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants. However like most foods they should be fed in moderation as berries contain high sugar levels, albeit they are natural sugars but caution is still needed.
Be prepared to find your parrot covered in a juicy mess as there is no way your bird is going to be able to devour this fruit without it. However there reward your parrot is going to get in terms of nutrition will be totally worth it!
