As part of my new years resolution in an attempt to get healthier this year I’ve promised myself to add more vegetables into my diet. I’ve been neglecting them and replacing them with unhealthy snacks and know that it’s not sustainable especially when I know the benefits vegetables can bring.
Me being on a diet also means that my parrot has to suffer with me. He doesn’t complain however because he loves most vegetables and he’s not even aware of all the great health benefits they are bringing. I was having some sugar snap peas the other day and noticed I hadn’t fed him them before so I couldn’t feed them to my bird without doing the proper research, which I’ve put together into this article. Let’s get into it.
Can parrots eat sugar snap peas? Yes parrots can eat sugar snap peas, despite the name there’s not much sugar in them that you need to worry about. Snap peas are safe for our parrots to eat and they are actually extremely nutritious to have in your parrots diet. They can provide your parrot with better immune system health, bone health, an improved digestion system and also contain a variety of vitamins and minerals.
In this article I’ll further explain the benefits of sugar snap peas, if parrots can safely eat them raw among some other things you need to be aware of so read on!
Snap Pea Benefits For Parrots
We know snap peas are good for our Parrots, but just how good are they? Let’s take a closer look at the nutritional content.
A 100 gram serving of sugar snap peas provides :
| Calories | 42 |
| Protein | 2.8g |
| Carbs | 7.5g |
| Fiber | 2.6g |
Improved Immune System
Snap peas are also a wonderful immune system booster. They are high in beta-carotene and vitamin A, which are essential for immune cell formation. Vitamin A supports the creation and proliferation of your immune cells, which helps your body defend itself against invading bacteria and viruses.
Furthermore, the vitamin C in snap peas can promote healthy blood cells, particularly white blood cells, which can help enhance your immune system.
Better Digestive Health
Dietary fiber is abundant in snap peas, especially if the pods are consumed. As a prebiotic, insoluble dietary fiber can help feed the “good” bacteria in your parrots digestive system. This contributes to a healthier and more efficient digestive system. It’s also a good way to bulk up your parrots stool because it doesn’t break down in your stomach, which could aid with constipation. Finally, dietary fiber may lessen your birds risk of developing some types of cancer.
Bone Health
Snap peas are high in vitamin K, which helps to maintain the strength of your parrots skeletal system. Vitamin K aids in the absorption of calcium and its incorporation into bone cells. This can aid in the prevention of bone diseases such as osteoporosis and fractures. Vitamin K is also necessary for good blood clotting and can speed up the healing process.
Vitamins
Vitamin A – Important for your parrots skin, feathers and overall growth
Vitamin C – Great for boosting the immune system along with helping the cardiovascular system
Vitamin K – An important vitamin that helps your parrot with blood clotting to prevent excess bleeding
How You Should Feed Snap Peas To Your Parrot
This can vary depending on the size of your bird, for example smaller parrots may need the pods broken in half for them to have access to the peas, on the other hand if you have a bigger bird then they can do this themselves and actually enjoy it.
However I recommend you wash your sugar snap peas first before serving to your parrot as there can be dirt or even other insects that are still inside or around them like with my vegetables.
There’s no need to cook them as parrots can safely eat them raw but if you wish to cook them that’s also an option. If you are going to cook them then it’s best to steam them as it’s the best way to cook them without having to add any additives that aren’t going to be very nutrient friendly – pretty boring but your parrot will thank you.
What Other Foods Can Your Parrot Eat?
You know snap peas 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!
Snap Peas For Parrots – Final Thoughts
Sugar snap peas are a great addition to your parrots diet as they provide some quality nutrients and vitamins your parrot can only benefit from. They are fine fed raw or cooked but if you’ve got a smaller bird then just make sure to snap them in half so they can get access to the peas.
Remember as they are vegetables they should only make up around 15-20% of your parrots diet and be fed in moderation.
I hope you’ve found this page useful and your feathered friend enjoys this new delicious snack!