Do you have a budgie at home? If so, you may be wondering what they like to eat.
Budgies are small birds that come from the parrot family. They love to eat a variety of things, including seeds, fruits, vegetables, and bird food pellets.
In this blog post, we will discuss some of the best foods for your budgie to eat. So, keep reading to learn more!
Table of Contents
Is budgie a wild bird?
Budgies (Melopsittacus undulatus) are believed to originate from Australia and some parts of New Guinea.
Wild budgerigars derive their nutrition by eating the seeds, fruits and vegetables that grow naturally on the ground made up of eucalyptus trees. This is what gives the bird its green colour as well as the staple of fresh fruit and vegetables we offer today if kept as a pet.
Budgerigars feed primarily on grass seeds in addition to smaller quantities of other seeds, leaves and flowers.
They also eat berries, legumes and grains recorded growing naturally near where they dwell. Insects such as crickets may also be eaten by wild budgies/budgerigars when found.
What do budgies eat?
Budgies are small parrots native to Australia. They come in a variety of colors and make great pets!
Budgies eat seeds, grains, fruits, vegetables, and even meat when necessary. In the wild they feed on grasses, sprouts and leaf buds in addition to mistletoe berries.
Since they aren’t in the wild anymore their diet requirements have changed slightly.
However you can still easily adapt their diet to fit what they would eat in the wild with some supplementation from manufactured food products for budgies or other small parrots such as Zupreem fruit blend pellets or Lafeber’s Avi-Cakes which contain more than just seeds.
Which vegetables do budgies eat?
There are countless veggies out there that can be fed to a budgie and this is by no means a definitive list.
The following list consists of vegetables that I have fed my birds personally or which other people have reported success with over time.
1. Broccoli
Both the stems and florets are good for your bird.
Feed sparingly due to high calcium content, but all other things being equal, budgies will enjoy this veggie! My birds love it when I blanch it in boiling water for a few minutes before serving.
2. Carrot
Uncooked carrots can be fed occasionally as raw vegetables are full of nutrients however do not feed too often as they are rich in sugar!
One or two slices of carrot every now and then is fine.
3. Green Beans
You will see conflicting reports on whether or not green beans are nutritionally valuable for your bird, some people report good results with them, some do not… you’ll have to try it out. My birds like them! Please note… some budgies may simply refuse to eat beans at all so proceed with caution!
4. Lettuce (all varieties)
My budgies love most types of lettuce but Romaine in particular is one of their favourites. Iceberg is less nutritious however still provides water content and makes a nice change from the usual salad leaves my birds get daily. If you can find it, they also enjoy lamb’s lettuce.
5. Peas
Peas are an excellent source of vitamin A and B, fat, protein and fibre. You can feed either fresh or frozen peas to your bird, but do avoid the dried ones which have very little nutritional value!
My birds prefer snow peas (the flat kind) to the traditional round green peas you get in the pod… both kinds are fine though!
6. Pumpkin/Squash
Both of these provide good nutrition for budgies & can be fed cooked or raw (raw is better though). We like them steamed with some olive oil on top!
Just make sure you remove all seeds before serving it up (for health reasons). If buying pre-cut pumpkin make sure it’s pureed and not pieces (pieces contain seeds and will be very difficult for your budgie to digest).
7. Sweetcorn
Another controversial veggie in the sense that some people believe they are too high in sugar, others report success when feeding it. You can feed corn to your budgies fresh or cooked, just make sure you remove the husk & silk before serving it up!
Which fruits do budgies eat?
The budgies diet is among the most important parts of their general care and training, because a balanced diet supplies essential nutrients while avoiding the appearance of health problems.
Food must be taken into consideration as part of any plan to train your bird, because if he is hungry he will not pay attention to you; The love for food works like a drug in these little creatures, so you can use this fact or abuse it at whims.
When getting a new budgie make sure you find out what type of food does it eat, since many times they are fed with commercial pellets that may damage its delicate digestive system; therefore try to alternate them with “normal” seeds (sunflower, safflower etc.), vegetables and fruits.
– Apple:
This fruit is safe for the health of your bird because it doesn’t have any sugar, nor excessive acids that might upset its stomach;
In addition to being nutritious apples are rich in vitamins A,C and P as well as minerals such as calcium, phosphorus or iron. Try to avoid those who have been cultivated with chemical products so you can reap all their nutritional benefits.
– Banana:
The banana is a very nutritious food, providing high levels of potassium which is good for avoiding cardiovascular diseases; It can be given to your pet in small amounts, but try not to overfeed them with it since it may create diarrhoea. Also avoid those who have a brown color because it means they are rotten and will only cause health problems.
– Blueberries:
This berry is very rich in calcium as well as phosphorus; It has high levels of vitamin C which is good for avoiding respiratory diseases.
In addition to this budgies love its sweet flavor and the fact that it doesn’t stain their feathers (unlike many others fruits).
– Melon:
The sugar contained on this fruit can be dangerous for your bird so you should give them only small pieces every other day; however because of its water content it’s very healthy and provides hydration for your feathered pet.
Melons are very nutritious and they contain minerals such as potassium, sodium or magnesium; Also they’re rich in vitamin A and C so it’s good for the immune system of birds.
– Peach:
This is another safe fruit to give to your pet budgie since it doesn’t carry any sugar nor acids which may upset his stomach.
It has high levels of phosphorus, calcium, iron and magnesium. Peaches are very healthy but you should avoid giving them those who have a green color because this means they weren’t ripe yet.
– Pear:
These fruits don’t have much nutritional value, but their high water content makes them perfect for watering down other vegetables while providing hydration to your feathered friend.
Can budgies eat grains?
The short answer is yes, they are able to eat grains. However, there are some caveats when it comes to feeding your bird anything outside of their usual seed-based diet.
Grains are not a great source of nutrients for your pet bird and can in fact do more harm than good if fed regularly or in large quantities.
Grains provide very little in the way of vitamins or minerals that aren’t already supplied in a balanced seed mix, they’re also high in fat which is bad for birds just as it is for humans.
On top of this, most grains have been heavily sprayed with pesticides so even if you buy organic options you’ve no idea what chemicals have been used on them.
The safest way to feed your budgie any kind of grain is to sprout it first.
Soaking the grains overnight will activate the process of germination and release some of the nutrients stored in the seed husks which makes them safer for your bird to eat, they still aren’t a great food source but this at least partially negates their negative aspects.
Can budgies eat herbs?
Herbs are plants that are used mainly for culinary purposes. They can be eaten either fresh or dried, and some of them contain essential oils which give the food they’re used in its special flavor.
Some examples of herbs are basil, oregano, cilantro (coriander), thyme, sage, rosemary and lavender. Now, I’m sure you already know what herbs look like- do you know whether your pet budgie can eat them?
Many types of human food should not be fed to birds because their digestive systems cannot cope with them; however, some foods that people eat are perfectly fine for parrots to consume too.
These include common table salt (sodium chloride), sugar (sucrose), and water (which budgies should only drink room temperature at most, though).
There are also many human foods which can be fed to budgies in small amounts- several examples include cucumber, romaine and iceberg lettuce (which should be limited because it contains very little nutritional value), corn on the cob (most types of corn), blackberries, strawberries and blueberries.
Can budgies eat cheese?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Cheese contains too much fat and salt for a small bird to digest properly.
This can lead to health problems/issues such as: diarrhea, dehydration, malnutrition, high cholesterol levels and more.
If you were hoping that you could give your budgie a treat of cheese now and then – sorry!
The best thing that you can offer a small bird is healthy food from its regular diet. There are so many things for birds to eat out there – why have something as unhealthy as cheese?
You don’t want your budgie to become ill because of something so simple as having some dairy products once in a while, do you?
If it’s cheese or nothing – nothing every time! It might be worth your bird’s health to not have anything at all.
Which foods to avoid feeding budgies?
While there are many foods that can be fed to budgies, there are still some things you should avoid. Below is a list of six no-nos when it comes to feeding your budgie:
1) Avocado
Avocado contains the toxin persin which has been found to cause heart disease in birds.
While avocado used to be considered safe, newer studies have found that its toxicity level may not warrant this belief any longer.
With that being said, it would be wise for owners to exercise caution when serving their bird items containing avocado as it may pose a risk to one’s pet’s health if consumed in large quantities.
It should also be noted that avocados grown in Australia contain more persin than those grown elsewhere, which is why you should exercise caution regardless of where your avocado comes from.
2) Onions, garlic and chives
These vegetables contain sulfur compounds that destroy red blood cells, causing anemia in birds. These foods also pose a threat to the human handler as they can cause irritation to the eyes and skin upon contact or ingestion.
When cooked, these vegetables lose their toxicity but only when completely cooked through.
Garlic powder is typically considered safe for use in dishes because it contains a minimal amount of these compounds. However, this does not mean that it’s okay to feed your budgie raw garlic powder or even small amounts raw fresh garlic cloves.
Instead, if you decide to use garlic powder for flavouring purposes it’s best to play it safe and avoid feeding them to your bird.
3) Rhubarb
Rhubarb is high in oxalic acid, which binds calcium in the gut and prevents its absorption by the body.
This can lead to calcium deficiency and subsequent diseases such as egg binding in females and rickets in growing birds. Any foods containing rhubarb should be considered totally off limits when it comes to budgies!
Conclusion
It is important to know what foods not to feed your budgie in order for them to live a long and healthy life. Your little friend may be able to eat many fruits, vegetables, grains, herbs, and even cheese!
If you are wondering if they can eat these things or which ones they should avoid at all costs then you need this blog post.
We have compiled the most common food items that people give their pet birds without realizing it will harm them so continue reading!
You’ll learn about what types of foods are best for your bird as well as how often they should be fed.
Our other articles on bird feed: Can budgies eat banana?
Hi there! My name is Sarah, and I’m the author behind “Bird Sector,” a website dedicated to helping bird owners learn more about their pets and how to take good care of them. I’m passionate about birds and love sharing my knowledge and experiences with others.