If you have ever sat eating a piece of bread while your parrot stares at it with longing, you may be wondering if it is safe for them to eat. The short answer is yes and no; you can feed your parrot small portions of bread, but it is not recommended. Any bread given to your parrot should ideally be a healthy option, like brown bread. Feeding bread to your parrot should be kept to a minimum, though, because bread contains high amounts of sodium. Breads with additives like chocolate are considered toxic to parrots.
If you would like to find out further information about the safety of feeding bread to your parrot and any health issues that may occur, carry on reading because this article has all the information you need.
Is Bread Safe for Parrots?
Chocolate bread is toxic for parrots and should not be offered to them in any amount. The rest of this article discusses non-flavored and additive-free breads.
In most cases, feeding bread to your parrot will not harm or kill them. It can be classified as safe but it is not completely healthy. There are many health aspects you should take into context before feeding bread to your parrot. Parrots that suffer from kidney disease should not have foods high in sodium, which means bread should be excluded from their diet.
Bread has a low nutritional value that is not beneficial to parrots. White bread especially is over-processed and contains little to no nutrients for your parrot in comparison to whole-grain, brown bread.
Bread acts as an empty filler, and dry chunks of bread can increase the risk of your bird choking. Some birds also struggle to digest bread, which can cause a range of other health issues.
So, while it is safe to feed bread to your parrot, the risks and potential health problems that bread can induce in parrots should be taken into consideration to determine if it is a good option for you to feed your parrot, even in small amounts.
Bread vs. Toast for Parrots
Toast is slightly different from bread, as it has been through a heating process that causes the bread to become dry and typically blackened or brown on the surface. There is an ongoing worry that the burnt or crispy pieces of toast have certain carcinogenic potential.
The main ingredient that can pose a risk to parrots that eat toast is acrylamide, which is a compound found in starchy foods once they have been cooked. Animal studies have shown that consuming large amounts of acrylamide may cause cancer. In comparison to the weight of humans and parrots, small amounts are likely to affect them more quickly and in smaller amounts. It is better to stick to feeding your parrot bread that has not been altered before feeding. Bread that has been kept in the heat or the fridge should not be fed to parrots, as it may contain mold spores.
Parrot Nutrition Information
The key element for a healthy parrot’s diet is keeping it as natural as possible. In the wild, parrots eat a wide variety of foods, from seeds and nuts, to grains, vegetables, and fruit. These foods should be replicated in a pet parrot’s diet to ensure optimal nutrition.
The main component of a parrot’s diet should consist of a balanced pelleted diet, with nuts and seeds added according to the species of parrot you keep. Fresh fruit and veggies should be fed as dietary additions a few times a week. Treats like bread, bird treats from a pet store, and human-based foods should be fed sparingly and no more than once a week.
Parrot Dietary Percentage:
| Pellets and complete parrot diets: | 50–75% |
| Seeds, nuts, and grains: | 5–15% |
| Fruits and vegetables: | 10–25% |
| Treats: | 0–5% |
Will Eating Bread Make Parrots Sick?
Unfortunately, it can. Parrots have sensitive stomachs and digestive systems, and if they eat a large portion of foods they have never previously been introduced to, it can cause them to fall ill. Typically, it is not severe but veterinarian treatment is essential.
A parrot is likely to fall ill from large amounts of bread within a short time. The risk increases if the bread is white or has been toasted. Since bread is nutrient poor, your bird can suffer from a low immune system and weight loss. Bread is also filling and can cause your bird to refuse their staple diet. This can be harmful, and some birds may only want to eat bread because it tastes nice.
If you are worried that your bird has become picky with their food after eating bread, you should not cause further severity to the situation by continuously giving them bread to keep them satiated. Instead, get an opinion on how you can control your parrot’s eating habits from a qualified avian nutritionist.
Birds that have been fed a diet high in gluten and starch have an increased risk of developing malnutrition and several diseases relating to dirty and soggy bread. Another worry among parrot keepers is that when bread gets wet, it starts to expand and can lead to deadly bacteria growing inside of your parrot’s digestive system. Bread also acts as a laxative (due to the bicarbonate of soda, which is a common ingredient in bread) in parrots and increases the amount of waste they produce. This causes the cage to foul quickly and increases the likelihood of bacteria accumulating inside of the droppings.
How to Prepare Bread for Parrots
If you do want to go through with feeding bread to your parrot, finding a good type of bread and offering the correct portion is important.
Brown, grainy, and organically produced bread is the best option for parrots. It contains the fewest chemicals and preservatives that can be harmful to parrots.
How Much and How Often Can Parrots Eat Bread?
You should not feed your parrot too much bread. The portion of bread that you give them should be no larger than your natural thumbnail or a small morsel that they can hold in their claws. Avoid feeding your bird an entire slice piece of bread or even a quarter slice. It will expand in your parrot’s stomach and cause illness.
Birds should be fed a small piece of bread no more than once every 2 weeks, if desired. The key to feeding bread to your parrot is offering it sparingly and in small portions according to the size of your bird. Your parrot should not be fed bread too often, but rather a mixture of treats to ensure that their diet is kept balanced. It is acceptable to completely omit bread from your parrot’s diet.
Your bird should be slowly introduced to bread if it is a new inclusion to their diet. Feeding parrots a new food suddenly can cause stomach pain and nutritional issues. Your bird’s behavior should be monitored closely after they have eaten a new food.
Conclusion
While bread is technically okay to feed to parrots, it should be avoided or only fed as a rare treat. The risks are not always worth how much your bird enjoys eating bread. If it is fed correctly and your avian veterinarian has deemed it safe for your parrot to eat, the risks of your parrot consuming bread are reduced.
When in doubt, it is recommended to speak to an avian nutritionist to get advice on the type of foods and treats that your species of parrot should be eating.
You may also want to read:
- Can Parrots Eat Mushrooms? Explanation & Alternatives
- Can Parrots Eat Eggs? Vet-Reviewed Facts & Info You Need to Know
Featured Image Credit: KS.studio, Shutterstock
