Question regarding "people food"

[osnyder]

This may be silly but forgive me. Geordie is fed quality pellets supplemented by a tiny bit of seed, vegetables (mostly carrots), a little fruit, and nuts. Is it a crime to give our birds things like the occasional piece of bread crust or crackers? I find it nearly impossible to resist handing him a wee piece of organic whole wheat bread crust that's been cut from my son's lunch sandwich or a bit of baguette crust when entertaining guests.

thanks for your thoughts--

 

[Rio Mom]

I think it's fine for a little taste of things like that once in a while.

 

[TeakwoodBirdHouse]

I often feed my birds things like bread, pasta, rice, and other whole grain foods. I also feed them little bits of treats like cheerios, cheez-its, and pretzels. Using common sense, you can feed them most anything that you'd feed yourself. My avian vet suggests an occasional bit of chicken, and chicken thigh bone for the bigger birds to chew on. Do not feed them chocolate, avocado, or raw onions. Also, do not feed them anything people have bitten off, because human saliva is full of bacteria. And it can be deadly to birds.

 

[oled]

I agree, just what i am doing

I think it's fine for a little taste of things like that once in a while.[/QUO b

 

[melinda]

Every time i cook i am cooking for my birds too. All three meals the birds have a share. I stopped frying and started baking to make things healthier so the birds could eat too. Tonight's menu is BBQ chicken boiled then baked corn on the cob mashed potatoes mac and cheese green beans and some baked beans with corn bread. This is always the friday meal that everyone goes crazy over in my home. When the birds moved in my family had a big change in the food that got fixed so we could share with the birds. They eat the pellets in the morning then get a bite of my breakfast then eat pellets through out the day until supper and everyone sets at the table that in its self can keep everyone laughing up to a hour. On pizza night they get a small bite as well. But lets not forget all the fruits and veggys they get daily too. My hubby said if i get to sick to get out of bed one day he would have to hire some one to come in to take care of the birds and kids lol.

 

[Zazusmommy]

This is one of the issues with companies making money out of everything they can and making people think there's a perfect way to feed an animal with the diets they sell, this has been happening not only with bird foods but also dogs, cats etc. People food is just food. think about what a bird would eat in the wild. it probably wouldn't eat anything processed, cooked or altered in any manner, and they also don't count all the fruits or veggies they've eaten, they have instinct and biological pathways to make them want to eat foods containing what their bodies need. Now this being said, a tiny amount of processed foods like organic whole wheat bread or pasta probably wouldn't harm your bird and if he enjoys it it can be used as an occasional treat. when i make pasta for myself Zazu is allowed a little bit and since i only use small amounts of coconut oil, which doesn't get hydrogenated, i think is ok.
well the point is that maybe you can find a fresh fruit or veggie that your bird likes just as much as treat, and if you will give bread or any other "junk" food remember to do so in small amounts as this is unnatural for him and will probably will not get much nutrition anyways. hope it helps

 

[suebee]

lol melinda thats how i feed my nut!

most important thing to remember when feeding your bird people foods, is low fat, literally no salt content and cheak up ANY new item on line before feeding to your birds

things such as advocados an aparagus are on the NO list an onions are in a gray no area and so on

nut always makes me smile, when ever i am cookin she is hoovering when i give her some cut up carrot, she politely drops it ( she hates carrots!) with a look of, and.... lol
if there is egg on the menu, she is extra excited! (though i only feed her the white!)

lets face it, i live for food, i love to try new things etc and great tasting food is a treat

 

[melinda]

My birds are to spoiled for their own good lol. I always check to see if it is a safe food before i fix it. I think my birds would tear the house down if i didn't include them in on meals. What they get would just make us made but they enjoy the flock time eatting more than any thing i think. No diet can cover everything a pet needs so i try to make sure mine eat healthy foods just in case they are missing something. Besides i could never complain about the quiet that takes the house over when chicken bones are handed out

 

[Nimwey]

I always give Saga some bread and other things to taste, as long as it's not directly harmful, I don't think it's something to get worked up over. It has worked for us for nearly eight years now.
I even give her some small french fries, but only a little and with as little salt as possible.
Like I said, we've been doing this a long time and years ago, she would even snatch chips out of my mouth (without my approval...), and it hasn't harmed her.

The macaw is a former aviary bird and is not used to people food (thank the Force, one vulture in the house is enough), but I use to let him taste different fruit juices and some strawberry cream, and he loves it.

 

[Bright Star]

I always cook for my birds, but Finn also seems to enjoy the odd bite of cereal when I'm eating. I always save him one flake from my bowl - no milk, no extra sugar, etc.