Hard boiled eggs and peanut butter

[Jollyjess80]

Is peanut butter bad for parrots? I seem to find 50/50 answers about this when I did my own research online. And also what about hard boiled eggs? How often is it ok for me to give my ekkie hard boiled egg? Thanks!

 

[MonicaMc]

Probably not a good idea to offer cooked eggs more than 1-2 times a week.

If the peanut butter is pure peanuts, then it may be fine to feed... however, I would recommend steering clear of peanuts altogether and using actual nuts (peanuts are not nuts, they are legumes) and their butters instead. Healthier, and less worry about salmonella poisoning or aspergillus.

 

[Jollyjess80]

I think I have decided to stay clear from peanuts, better safe than sorry

 

[wenz2712]

Codie has a finger of Toast every morning with smoothe peanut butter on it

He would scream blue murder if he didnt have it lol

 

[Kiwibird]

Neither peanut butter nor eggs are toxic or harmful to parrots in reasonable quantities. Because peanut butter is high in fat, it should only be fed as an occasional treat (same with any type of "nut butter" or nut based food). Eggs, as well as the shells, are actually very nutritious for parrots (it shouldn't be a staple in their diet, but is healthy as an occasional treat). Eggs should never be fed undercooked or raw, due to the risk of food borne illnesses, but fully cooked eggs and shells of hard boiled eggs are a great treat enjoyed by many parrots.

We don't give Kiwi peanut butter often (he becomes a ravenous monster when we do lol, and it's VERY hard to refuse his demands for more), but he eats eggs several times a week. He especially loves scrambled eggs. My general rule of thumb with healthy table foods, including eggs, is about a tablespoon is a good portion for him of our food. Fattier/sugary foods (like peanut butter) he only gets a smidgen of for taste. We don't want him filling up on foods that are less nutritious or fattening and refusing healthier foods because he's full or just doesn't want them.

 

[Chikoo]

If you feed your parrot peanut butter, feed very little, as it is high in fat. And don't feed conventional brands like JIF and so forth, because that peanut butter has vegetable oil, corn syrup, and preservatives, and IS toxic to birds. Organic peanut butter is fine, but really I wouldn't feed my bird peanut butter. Its just really fatty.

 

[weco]

I agree that peanuts and/or peanut butter should be offered sparingly, not all food preservatives are toxic. The major problem with feeding peanuts or peanut products, other than allergies, at least for parrots, is the asperigillus aflatoxin that causes aspergilliosis. While mold spores are all around us everyday of our lives, I re-roast any peanuts (in the shell) I offer my birds, as that will kill any spores that may have survived initial roasting...and...I wash my hands before handling the re-roasted peanuts to keep from transferring live spores back. I also wash after handling and cracking any raw nut.


In addition to peanuts, aflatoxins have been found in milk, cheese, corn, cottonseed, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, various grains, soybeans, almonds, figs, spices, as well as other foods.I was curious about Jif peanut butter and since I had a jar, I checked the label and found molasses but no corn syrup. The vegetable oils are rapeseed (canola) and soybean. It does have sugar, but does not specify what type.


The biggest problem to finding the right information about what’s right or wrong for our feathered friends is all the misinformation that is out there…there’s also a lot of just plain wrong information flying around too.

 

[Chikoo]

Sugar is not good for parrots either.