Can African Greys Eat Almonds?

African Greys are known for their intelligence and beautiful feathers, but did you know they need a healthy diet too? Can African Greys Eat Almonds? Let us find out!

African Grey Parrots can eat almonds and are actually quite fond of them! African Greys can eat a large variety of foods in captivity including fruits, berries, vegetables, a variety of nuts, and seeds.

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What Are The Benefits Of Feeding Almonds To Your African Grey?

Almonds have a host of benefits for your African Grey as they are rich in healthy fats.

• Almonds have an abundance of healthy fats which is good for your African Grey’s heart, skin, feathers and brain.
• Almonds are a great source of vitamin E (natural antioxidants)
• Can help keep your bird’s heart healthy and maintain the circulatory system
• Can promote strong bones.
• Can slow down the aging process.
• Can lower blood pressure
• Can work as a digestive aid
• And has so many more benefits.

How To Feed Almonds To African Greys

You can choose to purchase shelled unsalted almonds or buy them whole and let your parrot crack the shell on its own. Sometimes smaller parrots struggle with cracking the shell so you can choose to purchase shelled unsalted almonds.

If you are purchasing whole almonds, you have the option of buying either raw or roasted. And crack them a little for your bird’s convenience.

You can also feed your bird mixed nuts as African greys love other nuts like walnuts. Feed the almonds to your bird from the palm of your hand rather than one at a time.

Alternatives To Almonds You Can Feed To Your Bird

African Grey parrots eat a variety of nuts, such as;

• walnuts
• peanuts
• cashews
• Brazil nuts
• hazelnuts

Can African Greys Eat Almond Butter?

Yes. It is safe to feed your bird almond butter, whether crunchy or smooth. As long as it does not have any preservatives, additives, or sugar. In this case, it would be best to make your own almond butter for your bird.

Can I Feed My Sick African Grey Almonds?

If your bird is sick and unable to eat solid foods, you may want to try giving him/her some almond butter instead. It is softer and easier to digest and as your vet would recommend, softer foods are best for weak birds as they help stimulate the swallowing reflex without causing any unnecessary stress to the digestive tract.

One of the best ways to help your bird recover from illness is to offer him/her a variety of foods so that he/she can gradually begin eating solid foods again as they recuperate.

How Can I Make Almond Butter At Home For My African Grey?

You can make your own nut butter at home and feed them to your bird by following the steps below:

1) Soak the nuts that you are using in a bowl of water overnight.  Make sure that the water is 3 inches above the nuts.  Add about 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar to prevent mold from growing and help soften the shells.

2) Once you’ve soaked your nuts, drain them in a colander and then rinse them thoroughly with cool tap water for 5 minutes. Put your drained almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer.

3) Put the baking sheet with almonds in the oven and bake them at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Make sure that you place aluminum foil under the baking tray as it will make cleanup easier.

4) Once your almonds are finished roasting, let them cool off for about 15-20 minutes outside of the oven.

5) Put your almonds in a food processor or blender with about 2 tbsp of water and blend it until you get the consistency that you want.  If it is too thick, add more water to thin it out while if it is too thin, add a few more almonds to thicken it back up again.

Both you, and your bird can indulge!!

Can Baby African Greys Eat Almonds?

Once your baby African grey is old enough to eat solid foods, you can feed him/her almonds but make sure that the shell of the almond is removed first. You don’t want your baby parrot to choke!

Can You Feed Your African Grey Too Many Almonds?

It is unlikely that your bird will eat too many almonds if it is eating a balanced diet of seeds and vegetables. But if it eats too many, it is likely to throw off the balance of its diet and can cause your bird to be ill.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve explored how your pet bird can indulge in the delicious delight of eating an almond. We hope that you now have all the information needed to make healthy choices for your pet’s diet. Let us know if you want help implementing these principles!