Dear Parrots magazine,
Must be organic
We all know that fruit and veg are good for all of us including our birds that provide us with all the nutrients we need for good health. And all year round, there is plenty of produce available in our supermarkets and grocery stores. So is there any excuse for not providing this valuable source of foods to our birds.
However, we need to be aware that our parrots have sensitive digestive systems, which means all fruit and veg must be safe and free from chemicals and any other additives, but most are not. The majority of such produce is treated with pesticides otherwise we would see lots of pests, particularly in apples and other fruits. As most produce we buy has been treated, we must be aware of what we feed our parrots.
There is an answer and that is to always buy organic where possible. Organic produce is as safe as can be and should always be the first option. The reason I say this is that a friend of mine had two budgies and one sadly died soon after she put some new cabbage leaves in their cage, The other budgie didn’t have any and has been fine. She is adamant it was the pesticides on the cabbage leaves that lead to the death of her budgie, although there is no definitive evidence. She now feeds only organic!
Emma Reynolds, by email