Did you know different species of parakeets can live up to 10-30 years? But why do most of our pet parakeets perish young? The answer lies in their food habits. As a parakeet owner, you should have a good understanding of their food habits.
This article will discuss whether parakeets can eat peanut butter and other facts about their food habits.
Can parakeets eat peanut butter?
Parakeets eat peanut butter, but there is a lot to consider before feeding them. You can feed it as an occasional treat and in a minimal amount. Regular feeding can cause obesity-related disease as it is high in fat and energy. Parakeets should eat peanut butter that has fewer ingredients in it.
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Captive birds and wild birds have differences in daily activities and nutrition requirements. In the wild, parakeets need foods full of fats, protein and energy, as they have to fly around a lot for food and shelter. For wild parakeets, high-energy foods are essential.
Meanwhile, although the pet parakeets are cousins of wild parakeets, feeding high-energy foods is not suitable for the pet parakeets. Pet parakeets get too little exercise, and they can not burn all the energy from high-calorie food.
Parakeets can gain weight fast and perish young from heart, kidney or liver disease.
Now, let’s talk about peanut butter. In 100 grams of peanut butter, there is above 50% fat, and the overall energy content is 72%, which is sky high to feed your parakeets frequently or a large amount.
Moreover, peanut butter does not have any essential nutrients that a parakeet needs from food. Furthermore, feeding too much salty peanut butter or peanut butter with a high quantity of preservatives can cause kidney problems to your feathery friend.
But good-quality peanut butter doesn’t have this issue.
Are you thinking, if there is so much problem with feeding peanut butter, why should I provide it? The answer is pretty simple. Parakeets just love the taste of it. And potential dangers from eating peanut butter are pretty avoidable if you know the facts.
So, peanut butter can occasionally be fed to your parakeets as a luxury treat.
Feeding less than half a spoon of peanut butter not more than three times a month will keep them happy and not cause any health issues.
Many high-energy food parakeets may love, but you should not feed them daily. Seeds with high fat and energy can cause obesity to pet parakeets, although their wild cousins eat high-fat seeds daily. They like high-energy seeds, as those are natural foods.
But pet birds can easily get fat by eating them as they do not work out like wild birds.
Do parakeets like peanut butter? Is peanut butter harmful to parakeets?
Parakeets love peanut butter. In nature, nuts are one of their typical foods. Peanut butter is smashed nuts with oil, salts and sugar. As those ingredients are not harmful in low quantities, parakeets can eat peanut butter but a tiny amount as a treat.
Feeding too much peanut butter or feeding too frequently can be harmful to those little birds. They can have heart and liver problems due to obesity if you often provide it.
Feeding peanut butter too much at once to your parakeet may cause kidney damage due to overeating salt and preservatives. Moreover, it may cause digestive problems to them.
Always buy natural peanut butter with less salt and sugar for your parakeets. Sugar is also unhealthy for the birds.
Feeding it a small amount, not more than three times a month, is not harmful to them, and it can make them happy. But overfeeding peanut butter can be hazardous for the parakeets.
3 reasons why parakeets can eat peanut butter
Aside from some health risks, it’s worth feeding peanut butter to your parakeets. Find out how in the following points.
You can avoid the health risks:
Let’s recap the health risks once more. The high energy of peanut butter can make them fat, which can cause heart and liver disease leading to a smaller lifespan. The salt and preservative can cause kidney problems to them. Overeating can cause digestive pain.
There is one more risk factor that we didn’t mention before. The texture of peanut butter can cause choking in the parakeets. The peanut butter can get stuck in their mouth and cause a severe issue by blocking the breathing hole.
However, this case is rare, but the possibility is not zero.
Now, let’s talk about how you can avoid the risks. If you occasionally feed a little peanut butter, it will not cause obesity. They can digest little salt and preservatives without issues, so providing a little solves the problem too.
Choking is not an issue if you feed them while you are present. Just make sure the parakeets are not eating the peanut butter too quickly.
It makes them happy:
Wild birds spend most of the time of their days finding food. They fly around to find food. Flying needs a lot of energy, so they must find more food. It is a circle that keeps them busy.
This is why any food with high energy makes them happy as they need to work less and have some free time to play around.
Our pet birds are close relatives to those wild birds, and loving high-energy food is in their instinct, although they don’t need to fly and find food. As they can’t spend much energy, you can only feed them a little occasionally to make them happy.
For caged birds, happiness should be a major concern. If you have a single parakeet, spending time with the bird and keeping him happy becomes more critical.
Variety in the food menu:
Feeding many different fruits, vegetables, and seeds is essential to good health and happiness for your pet parakeet.
Feeding peanut butter occasionally will make them happy, and they will get to taste something different which is also very delicious to them.
How much peanut butter can a parakeet eat?
Parakeets can eat a small amount of peanut butter but not more than three times a month. Less than half a spoon of peanut butter is enough for an adult parakeet.
Stay with the bird while he is eating the peanut butter to make sure the bird is not eating too quickly, which can cause blockage in his mouth.
If you notice a parakeet has breathing difficulties after eating peanut butter, quickly visit a veterinary hospital for treatment. But as we mentioned earlier, the chances are pretty low.
70-80% veggie and fruits are ideal for pet parakeets. Young parakeets don’t like eating greens and fruits, but if you provide them regularly, they will happily eat most types of fruits and veggies. Don’t feed onion, garlic, etc.
What types of peanut butter can Parakeets eat?
Peanut butter with small crunchy peanut pieces is suitable for parakeets. The smooth peanut may be difficult for the parakeets as they are more sticky.
Always choose peanut butter with fewer chemicals and ingredients. Try to find fresh and high-quality peanut butter with less sugar and salt.
However, as you can not feed your parakeets a lot of peanut butter at once, buying peanut butter for yourself and providing a little to the parakeets is a good idea.
Make sure your parakeet is eating the peanut butter comfortably, and there is no peanut butter falling under the cage. Leftover peanut butter can attract ants and pests, which can be dangerous.
How to prepare peanut butter for my parakeet? – Things to consider
The first rule of feeding your parakeet peanut butter is no overfeeding and not too often. There is nothing such a recipe as peanut butter for your parakeets. You can feed them straight from the jar.
Here are some essential things to consider before and while providing your parakeets with peanut butter.
Check the ingredients:
When buying peanut butter for your parakeets, check the ingredients list. If there are too many ingredients, it’s not suitable for your bird. Get peanut butter to have the lowest number of components, and most of them are organic.
Check the date:
Peanut butter lasts only 2-3 months once you open the jar. So, after opening the jar, write down the date on the pot and check the date before feeding your parakeets with peanut butter.
Pay attention while the bird is eating:
Peanut butter can get stuck in the parakeets’ mouth, and it can be hazardous as they have a small tongue and can not remove it by licking. However, it can happen on rare occasions.
Final thoughts
Parakeets can eat peanut butter, but it’s not something you can feed them as much as you want. Provide a small amount of peanut butter, but not before ten days from the last peanut butter feeding. Feeding often or too much can lead to many crucial health problems.