Fresh Cherries

[henpecked]

I just handed out fresh Cherries to all the zons,,, I Am The Man. LOL You should hear all the grunting,cooing, happy sounds all around.

 

[weco]

Do you remove the pits/stones first?

 

[henpecked]

Yes i do. Remove the pits. i have noticed they don't eat them , i always find them at the bottom of the cage. But yes ,now days, i remove the pits.

 

[weco]

I figured you did, but thought I'd ask.....

I'd known that like apple seeds/pips, those of apricots, cherries, peaches and plums would generate cyanide if chewed and consumed, but a report that Fox News did last fall kind of made me sit up & take notice when they reported that as little as 1.52 milligrams, little more than what a U.S. dime weighs, can kill a 150 pound man. Apparently a cherry pit/stone can produce 0.17 grams of cyanide.

So figured your post might be a good place to remind us about dangers we may not know about or that we may have forgotten. As to apple seeds/pips, your feathered friend would have to eat around a cup full of the seeds/pips to get sick on, so the few an apple would produce, would be safe.

 

[joecomello1]

wow good to know I have not been taking out the cherry pits but I will from now on

 

[Birdman666]

I just handed out fresh Cherries to all the zons,,, I Am The Man. LOL You should hear all the grunting,cooing, happy sounds all around.

At my house, that would be my daughter when there are cherries around!

 

[Kiwibird]

Kiwi tried cherries for the first time a few weeks ago, and that were a BIG hit. Nothing like those noises happy zons make (and if you watch closely, the crazy eyes!)

 

[prsgirl77]

Kiwi and pickles have been getting fresh cherries as well with the seeds removed of course. They absolutely love them. We enjoy some together over breakfast. They seem to want whatever I m having which is fine with me, I only have parrot safe food when I m eating with them for the sole purpose of sharing. Lots of good memories centered around food. My girls have a healthy appetite lol

 

[BACON]

There is a article in my parrot magazine that says the apple pip thing is just a myth?? Not sure on the others tho. Must try blue on some cherries!!! I think she'd enjoy them!!

 

[weco]

There is a article in my parrot magazine that says the apple pip thing is just a myth?? Not sure on the others tho. Must try blue on some cherries!!! I think she'd enjoy them!!

Although I don't know what bird magazine might print that apple seeds/pips do not contain cyanide, you might want to read a more scientific journal, because they do contain trace amounts and consuming enough can make a bird sick, especially a bird that might have a compromised immune system and not be able to overcome the toxic substance amygdalin, which, when chewed and consumed/digested, combines with digestive juices to produce hydrogen cyanide.

Some older publications have been found to have published erroneous information in past years, but that's usually attributed to incorrect data that the misinformation may have been based on outdated studies or ones lacking efficacy.....

While not a scientific journal, back in 2005, the BBC thought Scotland Yard's determination of the danger of apple seeds/pips sufficient to mention it in an article about poisons and a terrorist:

BBC NEWS | UK | The deadly recipes

It's a good idea to check several sources about whats safe & what's toxic/dangerous to our feathered friends, that one mistake may not be recoverable.....cherries are fine, but not so their seeds.....

 

[Christinenc2000]

Headed to the store. Cherry's are finally in the local store here. Do you guys pit them before feeding ? BB has never had them .

 

[Kiwibird]

Headed to the store. Cherry's are finally in the local store here. Do you guys pit them before feeding ? BB has never had them .

Yes, you should pit them (pits are toxic). And you may want to put up drop cloths to collect the resulting mess

 

[Christinenc2000]

LOL I will thanks . He is out on the deck now so I will feed out there

 

[Scott]

I generally source fresh cherries from Costco; not much cheaper per pound but they tend to be much larger! Will have to try feeding some to my birds!

 

[Christinenc2000]

just fed him about 6 not sure who has more red juice on them me or him. HE LOVES them. Yeah they are messy. LOL

 

[Kiwibird]

Will have to try feeding some to my birds!

You will have reddish-purple faced cockatoos for a while:54: Alfie always gets stained eating cherries, berries and pomegranates

 

[Christinenc2000]

Not to mention your fingers from taking the pits out LOL

 

[henpecked]

LOL, my flock was pigging out on a bag of cherries today. cage day tomorrow.

 

[Christinenc2000]

I think I ate as much as he did.

 

[Doublete]

Sooooo... I don't eat cherries... How might I remove the pits for my fids? Annnd... How many can they have since I don't eat them? Lol