Persimmons are little orange edible fruits, berries more specifically. A perfect persimmon should taste sweet, mild and rich if eaten at the perfect time and they are not too ripe. You’ll know if a persimmon is too ripe if you bite into it and it tastes extremely bitter with the amount of tannins making your mouth go dry. But you’re not here for yourself if your on this page I’m assuming you want to know if this little berry is safe for your parrot to have. Let’s find out.
Can parrots eat persimmons? Yes parrots can eat persimmons given that they aren’t ripe, when fed correctly persimmons are safe for parrots to eat and also very nutritious for them. They are known for their antioxidant properties meaning they can lower the risk of disease among other things. Vitamin A, B, C and fiber are also among the nutrients packed inside this delicious fruit.
In this article I’m going to explain how to make sure your parrots persimmon isn’t ripe before feeding, the health benefits they can bring to your parrot and some other things so make sure to read on!
Persimmons Benefits For Parrots
We know persimmons are good for our Parrots, but just how good is it? Let’s take a closer look at the nutritional content.
In fact, one persimmon (168 grams) contains :
| Calories | 118 |
| Protein | 1g |
| Carbs | 31g |
| Fat | 0.3g |
| Fiber | 6g |
Vitamin A
A vitamin parrots are prone to be deficient in, usually in parrots who are on an all seed diet as they lack vital vitamins and nutrients. Some signs to look out for that indicate your parrot is deficient in vitamin A are :
- Swelling around the eyes
- Nasal discharge
- Feather picking and overall poor feather health
- Weight loss
- Sneezing
Vitamin A is important for your parrot as it’s needed for growth and repair of your parrots body tissues. As you can probably tell from the symptoms of a deficiency in vitamin A it’s also vital for your parrots eyes, vision, skin and bones.
One of the most important things vitamin A does for your parrot is support it’s immune system. When they lack vitamin A they are more prone to disease and illness as their immune system isn’t healthy enough to fight them off.
Foods that contain vitamin A are things like carrots, mango, cantaloupe, squash and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Vitamin B6 is important for helping improve your parrots mood. This is because pyridoxine creates neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin in the brain – the chemicals that make you feel happy. It’s also necessary for :
- Creating blood cells
- Keeping cells healthy
- Helping with metabolism
Watermelon, spinach, raisins and squash are all other safe examples of foods containing vitamin B6.
Vitamin C
Persimmons are a great source of vitamin C, an important vitamin for supporting your parrots immune system and lowering blood pressure therefore reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Other health benefits of vitamin C include :
- Cleans plaque from blood vessels
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Regulating blood sugar
- Antioxidant properties to reduce the risk of cancers and heart disease
Broccoli, pineapple, mango, kiwi, cauliflower and strawberries are all alternatives to persimmons if you need some other ideas of foods that contain vitamin C.
Full Of Fiber
Fiber is important in a parrots diet if you want them to have a healthier digestive system and better overall digestive health.
A diet high in fiber will mean there’s a lower chance of constipation due to fiber making stools heavier and softer meaning an easier ‘journey’.
Fiber can also be great if you are trying to control your parrots weight, this is because foods high in fiber are typically more filling meaning they won’t be as hungry and less chance they overeat and become fat.
Great Source Of Antioxidants
In the body there are things called free radicals, these are unstable atoms in the body that slowly cause harm by causing age related diseases like cancer. However in persimmons there are things called antioxidants these things work the opposite to those free radicals and slow down or even prevent the damage done by them.
The skin and flesh of persimmons are high in flavonoids, a type of antioxidant, that have been found to lower the risk of heart disease, lung cancer and other deadly illnesses.
How You Should Feed Persimmons To Your Parrot
As we mentioned in the introduction it’s important to feed your parrot persimmons that aren’t ripe. There’s a number of ways to tell if a persimmon is ripe or not and the one I usually pick is the taste test.
Ill cut some off and take a bit before feeding to my bird and if it’s too bitter or sour I know it’s not suitable to give to my bird.
Another way without having to bite into the fruit is by the look and fell of the persimmon. Ripe they will have a reddish orange color to them. You can tell it’s good to eat when it changes color and has a softer texture to it.
What Other Foods Can Your Parrot Eat?
You know persimmons 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!
Persimmons For Parrots – Final Thoughts
Persimmons are a delicious fruit that come with a range of health benefits that can only improve your parrots quality of life. Make sure that the fruit isn’t ripe if you do decide to feed it to your bird as ripe persimmons will be toxic to them and make your feathered friend ill.
As it’s a fruit you shouldn’t feed it to your parrot too much remember moderation is key. Persimmons are also high in carbs that isn’t healthy for your parrot to have too often. It’s important to mix up the fruits you feed to your parrot as they all come with different vitamins and minerals that can benefit your bird differently.
I hope your parrot enjoys a new addition to their diet!
Related reading : Can parrots eat apples?