Can parakeets eat celery?
This article will answer the question “Can parakeets eat celery?”, and what other vegetables can be fed to parakeets?
Can parakeets eat celery?
Yes, parakeets can eat celery minus the leaves. Celery provides a good amount of vitamins and fiber. Parakeets enjoy the crunchy texture of the vegetable. This vegetable makes for a great snack and can be fed to your budgie once in a while.
The thing about celery leaves is that they may have pesticide residues on them. You must wash the leaves thoroughly before giving them to the parakeet. It is best If you buy pesticide-free fresh organic celery.
15-23% of your bird’s diet should consist of fresh produce(fruits and veggies). Since celery is not a very nutrient-dense option for your bird, you should consider giving it in small amounts infrequently to your bird friend.
How much celery should parakeets have?
Celery should only be given occasionally to your parakeet friend. It cannot replace the main meals.
As a snack, a 2-3 cm of celery stick is enough to feed to your parakeet. Overfeeding on celery will suppress your bird’s urge to eat pellets which should be the larger portion of your bird’s diet.
Nutrition facts of celery
The following nutrition facts apply to a single ounce or 28 grams of celery.
| Calories | 4.5 |
| Water | 26.7 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Carbs | 1 g |
| Water | 0.4 g |
| Sugar | 0.5 g |
Celery also provides other vitamins, like Vitamin K, and minerals, in decent amounts. This vegetable is not very nutritious as compared to a variety of other parakeet-friendly veggies.
Therefore, it shouldn’t be the only veggie you are feeding your parakeet. To fulfill the nutrition requirements of your bird friend, it is important to feed him a variety of nutritious and scrumptious veggies.
Can celery be toxic to parakeets?
No, there is nothing toxic about celery. The only thing you need to be wary of is the pesticide residual content on celery.
The USDA confirmed the presence of 64 different pesticides on celery. Your best bet is to use celery after soaking it in a solution of water and baking soda.
Another important thing about celery is portion control. Sure the celery is low in calories but it does not permit that you can get away with over-feeding it to your bird.
A large amount of water that comes from over-consuming celery does not sit well with your bird’s tiny stomach. The result is diarrhea and you do not want that. Thus, never go overboard with celery.
What are the best vegetables to feed parakeets?
Parakeets thrive on fresh veggies. Some of their favorite veggies include spinach, swiss chard, podded beans, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, pumpkin, cooked sweet potato, beetroot, eggplant without stalk, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cucumber, kale, paper capsicum, radish, squash, sweet corn, ripe tomatoes without leaves and stem.
Always feed fresh veggies to parakeets. Avoid giving them rotting or canned vegetables. Make sure you give your veggies a thorough rinse before tossing them your parakeet’s way.
Spinach: Dark Lucious spinach leaves with the crisp stem are an absolute favorite of parakeets to nibble on. Besides, it is full of nutrients. It can be given whole or chopped into small pieces before feeding your bird.
Silver Beet (Swiss Chard): It looks a lot like spinach but provides a different array of nutrients. It is a good addition to your bird’s diet for the sake of variety. It can be fed the same way as spinach.
Podded Peas: Podded peas are very desirable among the parakeet because of their crunchy pod. You can attach the podded peas via the pod with a cage or treat clip easily. Parakeets like snow peas and snap or sugar snap peas.
Carrots: Carrots are also song the parakeets’ favorite veggies. They can be clung to the cage or treat clip. Peel and cut the carrots into smaller pieces that are easy to nibble on. You can also feed finely chopped cooked carrots to the chicks.
Cabbage: Shred the cabbage or stick it to their cage or place it in their dish, parakeets love this nutrient-dense veggie. The high water content of the cabbage leaves is accompanied by a large amount of essentials nutrients.
Broccoli: broccoli is another great veggie to be fed to your bird fried. You can stick it to a treat clip or feed with your hand.
Pumpkin: De-seed the pumpkin before cutting it into chunks or grating them. The soaked seeds make for a great treat for parakeets.
Conclusion
This article answered the question “Can parakeets eat celery?”, and what other vegetables can be fed to parakeets?
