can parrots eat almonds? What You Need to Know!

There’s no doubt that almonds are a nutritious snack, but can parrots eat them?

The answer is yes, but there are some things you need to know before feeding your feathered friend this healthy snack.

Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of almonds for parrots and how much is safe to give them.

can parrots eat almonds? parrots can eat almonds, yes. There are two types of almonds; sweet ones that we eat and bitter ones which may be toxic to birds if they aren’t careful about what their pet eats!

Are Almonds Toxic to parrots?

There is some grain of truth to the urban legend that almonds are poisonous to animals, which you may have heard.

There are in fact two varieties of almonds that couldn’t be more distinct from one another:

Bitter almonds- These are just the almonds that should be avoided since they have been found to contain small amounts of hydrogen cyanide.

Sweet almonds – These are just the almonds which are most frequently found at retail establishments across the country.

Much like the pits of some fruits, like peaches, apples, and cherries, bitter almonds contain hydrogen cyanide which is a toxin that’s potentially very dangerous.

These almonds contain a much higher amount though, and even eating a couple of them can cause some serious health issues.

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This is where the rumor comes from that almonds are toxic to pets. The bitter almond variety is not commonly sold in stores across the U.S. as far as I’m aware though.

Are Almonds Healthy for parrots?

According to Healthline, almonds are basically a bunch of beneficial nutrients, just like the majority of other types of nuts.

The majority of which is wonderful for parrots, only one ounce of almonds gives the following benefits:

  • 14 grams of fat
  • 6 grams of protein
  • 3.5 grams of fiber
  • And a wide range of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other good nutritional content.

It should come as no surprise that parrots cannot get all the nutrients they need from nuts alone. They should be obtaining the majority of the calories and nutrients they need from the high-quality commercial feed.

However, almonds and other types of nuts make an excellent snack food choice.

How to Feed Almonds to Your parrots?

In light of what I just stated, it is imperative that you verify that the almonds in your possession are, in fact, sweet and not bitter.

If you have the proper almonds, the basic guideline when feeding any nuts to parrots is to make sure that they are not salted and to cut them up into bite-sized pieces. This rule applies even if you have the right almonds.

Keep in mind that parrots do not possess any teeth. They will chew on things to help break them up, but ultimately everything is swallowed and processed in their gizzards.

Nuts are the perfect item to disperse throughout the area so that your parrots have something to hunt for. Therefore, you may either scatter some of them or put some of them directly into their feeder.

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Safe Foods That parrots Can Eat and enjoy

Nectarines are one of the fruits that parrots enjoy eating, even if they have a liking for a broad range of other fruits as well. In conjunction with that, they take great delight in the consumption of grains and vegetables.

The following is a list of common meals that people who keep parrots:

  1. Seed and Nuts – &1% of the diet
  2. Dairy and Meat – 5% of the diet
  3. Vegetables and Fruits – 45% of the diet
  4. Grain Products – 50% of the diet
Fruits
  1. Blackberries
  2. Blueberries
  3. Apples (remove seeds and stem)
  4. Clementine oranges
  5. Guava
  6. Dates
  7. Grapefruit
  8. Plums (remove pit and area around the pit)
  9. Mangoes
  10. Pomegranate
  11. Bananas (remove peel)
  12. Nectarines (remove pit and area around the pit)
  13. Oranges
  14. Kiwis
  15. Raisins
  16. strawberries
  17. Cactus fruit
  18. Pears (remove seeds)
  19. Currants
  20. Passion fruit
  21. Peaches (remove pit and area around the pit)
  22. Cranberries
  23. Lemons
  24. Pineapple
  25. Kumquats
  26. Coconuts
  27. Grapes (i.e. black, green, red, etc.)
  28. Figs
  29. Mandarin oranges
  30. Honeydew (no rinds)
  31. raspberries
  32. Cherimoya
  33. Cherries (no pits)
  34. Loquat
  35. Apricots (remove pit and area around the pit)
  36. Cantaloupe (no rinds)
Recommended Vegetables
  1. Endive
  2. Broccoli flower
  3. Kohlrabi
  4. Chard
  5. Lettuce
  6. Broccoli
  7. Parsley
  8. Cherry pepper
  9. Corn
  10. Cabbage
  11. Ginger root
  12. Cauliflower
  13. Jalapeno peppers
  14. Eggplant (ripe and cooked)
  15. Beans (cooked) (i.e. adzuki, butter, garbanzo, green, haricot, kidney, mung, navy, pinto, pole, soy, wax, etc.)
  16. Banana peppers
  17. Mustard greens
  18. Bean sprouts
  19. Celery
  20. Lentils (cooked)
  21. Arugula
  22. Cayenne
  23. Bamboo shoots
  24. Cilantro
  25. Baby corn
  26. Beets
  27. Okra
  28. Collard greens
  29. Asparagus (cooked)
  30. Chayote
  31. Leeks
  32. Carrots (including tops)
  33. Chicory
  34. Peppers (i.e. chili, green, jalapeno, poblano, red, serrano, yellow, etc.)
  35. Chili peppers
  36. Bell peppers
  37. Peas (i.e. green, snow, sugar snap, etc.)
  38. Comfrey
  39. Cucumbers
  40. Kale
  41. Alfalfa sprouts (you can sprout them yourself)
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Recommended Nuts
  1. Hazelnuts
  2. Peanuts
  3. Pecans
  4. Pistachio nuts
  5. Brazil nuts (whole only for x-large parrots)
  6. Filberts
  7. Cashews
  8. Pine nuts
  9. Walnuts
  10. Macadamia (high in fat)
Recommended Grain 
  1. Oatmeal
  2. Melba Toast
  3. Noodles and pasta (i.e. macaroni, ravioli, spaghetti, etc.)
  4. Pearl barley
  5. Quinoa
  6. Pretzels (low- or no-salt
Some Foods parrots Should Not Eat

Raw or undercooked beans- They also include lectins that are toxic to you, so use extreme caution.

Sugary treats- They should avoid soda, candy, and other sugary things because they are bad for them.

About Samuel Woods

Samuel is a dedicated and talented freelance writer who has been in the industry since 2006. Throughout his career, he has had the opportunity to research and write about a wide range of topics while working to hone his skills in crafting high-quality content and implementing effective content marketing strategies. In addition to his writing career, Samuel is also an avid reader and enjoys spending his free time exploring new books and authors. As an animal lover, he is particularly passionate about advocating for animal welfare and works to make a positive impact on the lives of animals in his community and beyond. Samuel currently resides in a beautiful, rural location with his family and a small menagerie of pets, including dogs, cats, and birds.