As a proud parrot owner I’m always looking for new foods I can introduce into his diet to try and provide him with vitamins and nutrients that he’s not already getting in his current diet. We know fruits and vegetables are encouraged for our parrots to eat but which are the best? Each different fruit and vegetable come with different positives, one of which is the eggplant.
Eggplants, or often referred to as aubergines. They are that weird shaped purple food but can vary to white or green. I usually share my food with my parrot because I feel bad having him watch me and not give him any, however I was eating some eggplant and was unsure if he was allowed to eat it so I researched and put all the information into this article.
Can parrots eat eggplant? Yes parrots can eat eggplant. It’s a great food to include into your parrots diet as it includes things like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid and antioxidants. These things combined make eggplant a great addition to your birds diet and it’s actually encouraged you feed it to them.
In this article I’m going to go into detail about the benefits, are there any risks and much more so please read on!
Eggplant Benefits For Parrots
We know eggplant is good for our Parrots, but just how good is it? Let’s take a closer look at the nutritional content.
One cup (82 grams) of raw eggplant contains the following nutrients :
| Calories | 20 |
| Protein | 1g |
| Carbs | 5g |
| Fiber | 3g |
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 eggplant 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 A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, and an antioxidant that helps in the growth and repair of body tissues. It’s also vital for the proper functioning of your parrots eyes, skin, bones, mucus membranes and hearing. That’s a lot of things vitamin A is crucial for so you need to make sure your parrot is receiving enough vitamin A in his or her diet.
Sadly, a vitamin A deficiency is quite common in birds more found in birds on an all seed diet. This is due to bird seeds not being very rich in vitamins. However this doesn’t mean parrots not on an all seed diet are out of the clear from vitamin deficiency, this is because cooking food tends to burn away a lot of the nutrients in food that your originally eating it for.
Vitamin A is found in lots of uncooked fruits, vegetables and herbs.
Signs and symptoms of vitamin A deficiency include :
- Sneezing
- Loss of appetite
- Thirsty all of the time
- Difficulty breathing
Folic Acid
Folate is the natural form of vitamin B9, water-soluble and naturally found in many foods. Vitamin B9, also called folate or folic acid, is one of 8 B vitamins. All B vitamins help the body convert food (carbohydrates) into fuel (glucose), which is used to produce energy. These B vitamins, often referred to as B-complex vitamins, also help the body use fats and protein.
The benefits they give to your parrot include healthier : liver, eyes and skin. Folic acid also helps the the nervous system to function properly.
How You Should Feed Eggplant To Your Parrot
The best way to feed your parrot eggplant is to cook it. Cooking it will make it much more delicious therefore giving you a higher chance that your parrot actually likes and eat it.
Are There Any Risks To Feeding Your Parrot Eggplant?
Every parrot is different and can react differently to the same foods. For example one parrot might eat eggplant and be fine and another might eat eggplant and experience some digestive problems.
If you are to feed your bird eggplant for the first time, I recommend doing so in a small portion and see how your parrot reacts. For some the risk of harming their parrot isn’t worth feeding them eggplant, however luckily there are a number of other vegetables your parrot can have so they aren’t missing out on anything.
The risk found in eggplant is a compound inside it called solanine. Solanine is a bitter-tasting steroidal alkaloid saponin that has been isolated from all nightshades, including tomatoes, capsicum, tobacco, and eggplant.
Solanine poisoning presents itself in many different ways like : nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps and burning of the throat.
If you fed your parrot eggplant and think they may be experiencing some of these symptoms don’t hesitate to take them to an avian vet right away.
What Other Foods Can Your Parrot Eat?
You know eggplant is mainly 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
Is Eggplant Safe For Cockatiels?
Eggplant in small amounts are safe for cockatiels. Eggplant contains a compound called solanine that can potentially harm your bird when given in large amounts.
Eggplant For Parrots – Final Thoughts
Eggplant is a vegetable full of healthy vitamins and nutrients that your parrot can benefit from. However given in large amounts eggplant can potentially be dangerous to parrots. If you are going to feed eggplant to your bird then it’s recommended to do so cooked.