African grey parrots are known for being one of the most intelligent birds in existence, but they’re also notoriously picky eaters. If you plan to adopt an African gray and want them to be healthy, it’s important that their previous diet is taken into account when transitioning them over!
African Gray Parrots are known for their intelligence and beautiful feathers, but did you know they need a healthy diet too?
That is why it’s important to read up on the African Grey Diet. Some of the most common questions new owners have include “can African greys eat oranges?” or “what can I feed my parrot besides pellets?”.
The answer depends largely upon what your individual bird prefers as well as whether he has any food allergies. This article will give some insight into how to provide an adequate meal plan that contains everything from watermelon rinds all the way up to vitamin-rich veggies like carrots!
To answer your question, the answer is YES! African greys can eat oranges, and, in fact, they love them and thrive off of fresh, juicy oranges.
When you bring your bird home, one of the first foods you can offer him is some orange wedges.
- What Are The Benefits Of Feeding Oranges To Your African Grey?
- How To Feed Oranges To African Greys
- Alternatives To Oranges You Can Feed To Your Bird
- Can African Greys Drink Orange Juice?
- Can African Greys Eat Tangerines?
- Can I Feed My Sick African Grey Oranges?
- Can You Feed Your African Grey Too Many Oranges?
What Are The Benefits Of Feeding Oranges To Your African Grey?
Oranges are a great source of minerals and vitamins for your bird, such as;
- Vitamin C – which helps to strengthen their immune system.
- Potassium – for a healthy heart and blood pressure; this helps them have long lives.
- Oranges are also known as the “happy fruit” because of it’s high content of tryptophan, which is an amino acid that helps with good moods.
Plus, your African grey parrot will absolutely love the sweet taste of a juicy orange!
This is just a small list of the benefits an African grey can receive from oranges.
How To Feed Oranges To African Greys
As African greys are quite large birds with large beaks, you can peel the orange and cut it into wedges or slices for your bird.
The size of the orange should be proportioned to your bird’s beak so that he can easily grasp and put them in his beak on his own.
Alternatives To Oranges You Can Feed To Your Bird
The great thing about oranges is, one kind or another is always in season! However, if oranges are not in season, you can substitute them for any of the following common fruit or vegetables that African greys love.
- apples
- pears
- peaches
- grapes
- watermelon
- strawberries
- blueberries
- raspberries
- nectarines
- figs
If you have more range and access to tropical fruit. This will be your bird’s preferred fruit. Your African grey parrot will be delighted to eat tropical fruit such as;
- mangoes
- papaya
- cantaloupes
- fresh peppers
- peanuts
- raspberries
- kiwi
- pineapple
- star fruit
I also recommend this organic gourmet bird food which our parrots love! It is all-natural and they will appreciate the cooked meal for once if they typically do not eat it. It is very easy to prepare and you can get different sample packs. Our birds absolutely love the apple and berry pack!
Can African Greys Drink Orange Juice?
I would not recommend feeding your African grey shop-bought orange juice or certainly not orange juice from concentrate. While it does contain all of the vitamins and minerals that an orange has, it doesn’t contain any fiber. It is also very high in sugar, which is not good for your African grey parrot.
However, you could create your own fresh orange juice in a blender or using a juicer to make sure there is plenty of fiber for your African grey parrot.
Can African Greys Eat Tangerines?
Tangerines are a type of orange and most of the time they can be substituted for an ordinary orange when feeding your bird.
Likewise, other fruits from the orange family, such as green oranges, satsumas and clementines are just as good and tasty for your African grey.
Can I Feed My Sick African Grey Oranges?
If your bird is sick and you want to give him food, offer soft food or puréed vegetables rather than oranges.
You can prepare smoothies yourself using oranges and mixing in some poppy seeds and berries.
Can You Feed Your African Grey Too Many Oranges?
African greys thrive off of fruits, vegetables, seeds, and pellets. But, can you feed your African grey too many oranges?
The fact is, if your bird is eating a balanced diet of pellets, fresh foods, treats, and fruits, he will get all the necessary vitamins and minerals he needs and thus, cannot eat too many oranges.
It is alright to feed your bird a portion of oranges every day if you’d like!
