Parrots that are kept as pets rely on us to feed them foods that are safe and provide plenty of nutrition. They are highly sociable animals, which means that they may want to copy whatever their caretakers do, including their eating habits. If your favorite snack is a pear, you may be wondering whether or not it is safe to give a little piece to your feathered friend.
Yes, you can feed pears to parrots. Not only are pears safe for parrots, but they also provide many nutritional benefits that are essential to a parrot’s diet. That’s why they are often used as an ingredient in parrot food. But don’t just take our word for it. As with any food, there are certain things to know before giving anything to your pet that they don’t normally eat. We’ll provide that information in this article.
What Nutritional Benefits Do Pears Have For Parrots?
We know that pears are nutritional for humans to eat. Many of the nutrients that are found in pears are also good for parrots too. They help to keep their vision, hearing, immune system, bones, and nerves in tip-top shape. Let’s take a closer look at some of the specific vitamins and minerals that can be found in pears and what benefits they provide.
Antioxidants
Sometimes birds are more susceptible to diseases that they may or may not transmit to humans. Pears are high in antioxidants, which help to support the immune system and keep your parrot healthy.
Specifically, antioxidants called phytonutrients have antibacterial properties that protect your parrot by acting as a natural defense against harmful bacteria and other diseases. In the pear skin, other antioxidants known as flavonoids are also present. Flavenoids help to prevent cancer and heart disease, as well as control blood sugar.
Fiber
Pears also contain fiber, which not only makes them a filling snack but also helps to regulate their digestive system. Fiber also provides additional health benefits, including preventing respiratory disease and minimizing the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a key mineral found in pears that helps make bones, muscles, and nerves strong. And since pears don’t contain vitamin D, magnesium can also boost vitamin D production inside a parrot’s body. This lowers the risk of calcium deficiencies that negatively affect bone health and cause diseases such as rickets.
Phosphorus
In addition to magnesium, the phosphorus found in pears also plays a key role in forming bones and teeth. In parrots, this means that phosphorus can also keep their beaks healthy and in wild parrots, it keeps the shells of their eggs strong so that they aren’t as easily damaged.
Phosphorus can also aid in a parrot’s metabolism by burning off some of the fat that is naturally found in food. It can also help in rebuilding any cells that may have become damaged.
Potassium
Whether we’re talking about humans or animals, potassium is one of the most essential nutrients needed for the body to function properly. One of the most important jobs of potassium is to help keep a parrot’s muscles working the way they should, particularly the heart. This is important because if your parrot should become injured, potassium also helps blood clots to form.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is one of the most essential nutrients for parrots because many pet birds have a deficiency of this nutrient. This is due to the fact that a lot of pet birds are fed a diet that consists entirely of seeds and nuts which don’t naturally contain this vitamin.
Feeding fruits and vegetables such as pears that are high in vitamin A to your parrot can help to keep their hearing and eyesight healthy. Vitamin A also helps to maintain mucus membranes around their eyes and nostrils. Without it, your parrot may be more prone to sinus infections and abscesses and in worse cases, may even become depressed.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant, but because it has other health benefits besides boosting your immune system, we’ve listed it separately. While potassium helps to create blood clots initially, vitamin C plays an important role in helping to heal any wounds that your parrot may receive.
Vitamin C also helps with the absorption of iron into the bloodstream and regulates blood sugar, in addition to helping keep cholesterol levels stabilized. It also works alongside magnesium to help develop healthy bones.
Vitamin K
Last but certainly not least, the vitamin K found in pears works along with potassium to help form blood clots. But that’s not all it does. Vitamin K also aids in bone health, making bones less prone to fracturing and breaking.
Can All Species of Parrot Eat Pears?
All species of parrots can eat pears, however, not all species should have the same amount of pears. Pears and fruits, in general, should never be the main food source for your parrot because fruits lack other essential nutrients such as proteins that are essential to the bird’s health. But the amount of pears your parrot can eat per week depends on the size, weight, and nutritional needs of the particular species.
African Grey Parrot
African grey parrots should be given a small amount of fresh fruits and vegetables every day, but those fruits and vegetables should make up no more than 25% of their diet. That means that you shouldn’t feed them a whole pear every day. Rather, you can cut a pair into pieces and give them some two to three times per week.
Eclectus Parrot
A large portion of an eclectus parrot‘s diet should consist of fruits and vegetables. This is due to them having a longer gastrointestinal tract, which means it takes them longer to digest their food. Fruits and vegetables have just the right balance of nutrients to keep them healthy. However, a large variety of fruits and vegetables is better for their health, so pears should only be given occasionally.
Quaker Parrot
Quaker parrots are smaller and therefore don’t require as much fruit as some of the larger parrot species. Fruits contain a lot of sugar, and too much sugar can actually be unhealthy for small birds. In general, fruit such as pears should only make up around 20% of their diet and be given around one to three times per week.
How Should You Prepare Pears For Parrots?
To keep your parrot safe, there are several things you should know when feeding him pears. The first thing you should know is that only raw pears should be given to your parrot. Don’t give them cooked pears, as the nutrients and sugars behave differently in cooked pears and may harm the bird if eaten.
When feeding your parrot raw pears, it’s extremely important that you wash the pear first to remove any pesticides that could harm your bird if ingested. After washing the pear, you can choose to leave the skin on or peel it off. But remember that the skin contains some of the beneficial antioxidants.
You can feed the pear to the parrot whole, or you can cut it up into smaller pieces and place it on a dish. Whichever way you choose, don’t leave the pear with your parrot for longer than an hour. It will start to oxidize and turn brown, which messes up some of the nutritional value.
What Other Fruits Are Safe For Parrots?
In addition to pears, there are many other fruits that are safe for parrots to eat. Some of these fruits include:
Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Mangos
Oranges
Papayas
Peaches
But again, don’t feed your parrot too much fruit because it can make him sick. You can mix up the fruits that you do give him by giving different fruits on certain days of the week.
Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Mangos
Oranges
Papayas
Peaches
- Apples
- Apricots
- Bananas
- Mangos
- Oranges
- Papayas
- Peaches
What Fruits Are Not Safe For Parrots?
Not all fruits are safe for parrots to eat. You should never give your parrot avocados or rhubarb, as they contain toxins that could harm your bird. And while apples and fruits with pits (apricots, peaches, plums, etc.) are safe for parrots, they should not eat apple seeds or fruit pits because they contain toxic cyanide.
Final Thoughts
Parrots benefit from many of the nutrients that are found in pears, particularly vitamin A. But fruits such as pears should not make up the whole of your parrot’s diet. Pears should only be given up to three times per week. You can also substitute other fruits and vegetables daily in place of pears to give your parrot a well-rounded diet.
- Here’s another interesting read: Can Parrots Eat Dates? What You Need to Know!
Featured Image Credit: Creative Zone, Shutterstock
