Cheese and my Parrot??

[MikeD91]

I heard that Parrots were lactose Intolerant? I have given my Bill some cheese and a person I met that has some Parrots told me it wasn't good. He really seamed to like it a lot, and I didn't see any weirdness after? What do you guys say. Thanks, I hope I didn't do bad.

 

[Inger]

Birds aren’t mammals. They aren’t designed to digest milk products.

I know that many people share bits of cheese with their birds with seemingly no problem. Seems strange to me though.


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[noodles123]

He will survive just like a kid...the issue is, salt and the disruption of his digestive flora. Avoid it...

 

[cnyguy]

Well aged cheeses like sharp cheddar contain little or no lactose. A small amount now and then shouldn't be a problem.

 

[noodles123]

Still..fat, salt, hormones....good luck finding all of that in the wild.

 

[ChristaNL]

uhuh, unlike that pellet-tree they all love to forage for in the wild

I am a bit more laid back (and I can afford to be, with species that can tolerate and even need a bit more fat in their diet ) and I will smell my birds - digestive issues always show themselves that way- even if the dropping looks okay.

Super-healthy is almost always a better choice, on the other hand if parrots follow dogs... the ones that get fed A-quality-doggyfood all their lives have shorter livespans than those that get tablescraps and leftovers as well ...
so since pellets are relatively new and going good but not great ...I will let them search out other foodstuffs as well

(and yes, the macaw loves cheese, Appie is obsessed with humanfood, so cheese is a favorite and Japie just wants the world to be made out of pellets and the incidentel pommegranate & nut )

 

[LordTriggs]

though not healthy a tiny nibble every now and then isn't going to murder them. Just don't keep it as a staple in their diet.

also as a sidenote, technically all animals including mammals are lactose intolerant, as often times when we're talking about it we mean ingestion of a different species' milk which put simply is something that isn't meant to happen

 

[SailBoat]

though not healthy a tiny nibble every now and then isn't going to murder them. Just don't keep it as a staple in their diet.

also as a sidenote, technically all animals including mammals are lactose intolerant, as often times when we're talking about it we mean ingestion of a different species' milk which put simply is something that isn't meant to happen

Well stated.

To the best of our abilities, the goal is to bring a healthy diet to our Parrots. Even today, we are in search for the perfect diet and diet is always a Hot Button discussion issue.

Once again, 'To the best of our abilities' keeping in mind, if you have a Parrot, you will likely find yourself rushing to your Avian Vet at some grossly early morning hour or the middle of rush hour traffic with a sick Parrot. The reality is that a bit now and then is rarely the issue. The true problem is the ever floating definition of a 'bit'!

 

[noodles123]

uhuh, unlike that pellet-tree they all love to forage for in the wild

I am a bit more laid back (and I can afford to be, with species that can tolerate and even need a bit more fat in their diet ) and I will smell my birds - digestive issues always show themselves that way- even if the dropping looks okay.

Super-healthy is almost always a better choice, on the other hand if parrots follow dogs... the ones that get fed A-quality-doggyfood all their lives have shorter livespans than those that get tablescraps and leftovers as well ...
so since pellets are relatively new and going good but not great ...I will let them search out other foodstuffs as well

(and yes, the macaw loves cheese, Appie is obsessed with humanfood, so cheese is a favorite and Japie just wants the world to be made out of pellets and the incidentel pommegranate & nut )

LOLOLOLOL touché!

 

[Anita1250]

My BFA is 35. Back then in the dark ages, pellets weren't always easily available. My Avian vet used to tell me to get puppy chow and smash it up for him. I only did that once because I felt it was too greasy.

He eats a good diet of mixed pellets, some dried veggies, and occasional seed, and good walnuts. Fresh fruit and veggies round it out. That being said, he LOVES cheese and Italian food. When we eat pizza, he gets a small piece. Otherwise, we don't feed cheese as he is a slightly pudgy Amazon. Overall he is pretty healthy for a 35 year old. I want him to be happy, but don't want my idea of happiness to interfere with his ability to live a healthy life. I want him around at least another 35 years! LOL

 

[GaleriaGila]

Great point, Mr. Boat! 'The floating definition of "a bit" ' !

Well, I'll volunteer to quantify...

Ya know those little shreds that come in bags? The Rb gets a single half-inch thread a couple of times a year... he loses his MIND over it. Then back to regular life. Kinda like me, after a semi-annual Dark Chocolate KitKat.

 

[Scott]

Portion size and frequency is crucial! My birds enjoy a tiny piece the size of a pinky nail roughly every week. They love it; by mass it is a minuscule component of their diet.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

I will break up a small piece and melt it in scrambled egg..when they GET eggs both fids love it.


Jim

 

[texsize]

Most of my birds love cheese and get a small amount now and then.
Healthy is always a good goal to aim for.
But I think happy counts for a lot also. The get so much enjoyment from a bit of cheese I can't say no.

 

[Sandy19]

Peanut likes cheese puffs and cheese flavored goldfish. To her that's fine dining at its best. It's not part of her daily diet, but a little piece here and there makes her happy. She also loves vanilla wafers and the last time I gave her a piece she kept saying "mmmm" while eating it.

 

[MikeD91]

I'm so glad I didn't give Bill something that would hurt him. He is always so interested in what I'm eating, wanting to try different things. I'm glad I can give him a tastes now and then. I would hate to not allow him something he likes so much. Thanks for the input.

 

[Anita1250]

I always wonder where they get their taste for cheese. I am pretty sure it's not available at the jungle branch of Shop Rite! LOL

 

[LordTriggs]

I think it could be something to do with the vaguely nutty smell that a lot of cheeses gives off.

Also it could just be they get offered once, they take it like any food then once they taste it it sets off a flavor explosion in their mouth

 

[clark_conure]

Clark goes nuts for cheese, but I only let him have two or three pieces of shredded or a small corner pinched off a slice. Never had an issue., no change in stool, no change in personality other than he loves me more after. (not counting the other day when he was aggressive for the cheese!)

But...green cheek conures (like clark) are a very hardy species and aren't prone to many problems in general.

Most importantly don't serve a bird soft cheese, cheeze whiz, any soft or mostly fake stuff.

 

[Scott]

Most importantly don't serve a bird soft cheese, cheeze whiz, any soft or mostly fake stuff.

Lol, so true. What passes as cheese in the U.S. is a horror to many across the globe!