Depending on how it’s done, sharing your meals with your pet bird can be a great way to bond. More than that, however, it can be the best reason you’ve ever come across to start eating more healthy meals and perhaps even lose weight too.

When it comes to meal sharing with your favorite feathered friend, there are a few things you definitely shouldn’t do. The first thing is that you don’t want your pet bird eating out of your mouth. Why? Because the food that you touch with your saliva on your plate (whether with a fork or directly with your teeth) carries a lot of bacteria which is foreign to birds and will usually make them sick. Even if they have done this for some time, it is virtually inevitable that they will get a bad infection sooner or later. So whether you prefer to keep your bird in its cage or to give it its own seat at the table during meals, make sure it has its own plate and will not be nibbling from your food at any time during the meal.

Ok, so now what do we feed the bird? Do we need to hire a special birdie caterer to take care of the job? Not at all. According to veterinarian Julie Burge, you can make your bird a plate with “two or three bird-sized bites of each of the foods on the menu”. As long as you’re eating healthy food, your bird can almost always have a little of what you’re having. For example, you can give your bird a spoonful of corn, a little bit of the vegetables you use in your salad, a portion torn off from your roll, and maybe even a bit of apple pie. As long as you stay away from the fast foods and comfort foods that most humans sometimes feel drawn to, your bird will be more than able to share a meal with you in this way – with no extra expense to you. However it is helpful to remember this while preparing the food as any extras such as salt, fats, seasonings or salad dressings will not be good for the bird. If you plan to feed your pet bird a little meat, you can cook the meat without seasoning, take a portion of it for your bird and then add the seasoning for your family. Any cooked food must be cooled down to just on room temperature before it is served to the bird to avoid it getting a burnt tongue and certain foods should obviously be avoided – such as sushi, guacamole or chocolate chip cookies. If these items form a part of your menu, you can try to find a like-looking alternative that is healthy for your bird.

Many people find that they enjoy sharing their meals with their birds in the morning and evening. However it should not be done during the day as the bird’s pellets should form the base of its diet. With that in mind, you will be feeding the bird far too much if it stops eating its pellets. The idea is to simply provide some nutritious and tasty, and often raw, alternatives which can be added to its diet, not to replace its diet altogether. If you feed your bird too much, it will lose its appetite for its pellets and may end up suffering from nutritional deficiencies. Another thing to keep in mind is that any fresh food place in the bird’s cage or made available to the bird should be removed and discarded after an hour as this is when bacteria settles in to start breaking down the food. Sharing your meals with your birds is a great way to get yourself planning and eating more healthy meals with the result that both you and your birds will start to benefit from your mealtimes.

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Due largely to their intelligence and entertainment value, birds from the Psittaciformesorder, which includes Parrots and Cockatoos, are very popular as household pets. Bird-lovers who have welcomed one of these fascinating birds into their family are generally quick to tell you what a rewarding experience it is. Ongoing research confirms that the best way to ensure that your beloved pet bird stays in peak condition is to pay attention to its diet. Recently the role of fruit in a bird’s diet has come under the spotlight, with varying opinions on the matter.

It is true that psittacine birds have very specific likes and dislikes, just as people do. However, just as we would not allow our children to dictate what they will or won’t eat, because as parents we have the responsibility to ensure an adequate diet, for the same reason it is not wise to allow our pet birds to dictate what they will and won’t eat. So what role does fruit play in a pet bird’s diet?

All birds require a wide range of nutrients, including fatty acids, carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, disaccharides and simple sugars, as well as water soluble vitamins, fat soluble vitamins and minerals. Fruit is mostly composed of water and sugars, with some minerals and fiber, and therefore cannot fulfill your bird’s nutrient requirements. Whereas previously it was thought that fruit and vegetables cause diarrhea in birds, this is not the case. However, due to the high water content of fruit and vegetables, your bird will urinate more frequently, and as birds excrete both liquid and solid waste at the same time, this may be mistaken for diarrhea. It is important to know what your bird’s droppings normally look like, in order to detect changes that may signal a health problem.

For healthy bone maintenance, the calcium to phosphorous ratio should be roughly 2 to 1. Fruits do not contain anywhere near this ratio and should therefore be seen as a treat, rather than an essential part of a daily diet. The question of “how much is too much?” can be difficult to answer, but a good rule of thumb is about a teaspoonful of fruit a day for budgies and cockatiels, and about a rounded tablespoon for macaw-sized birds. A balanced diet should consist of pellets, healthy table foods, nuts, seeds and some fresh vegetables and fruit.

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