Squash Seeds?

[owlyssa]

Hey, all! I hope everyone's well. I apologize for not really being on the forum as much; between Kona and real life, I've been a bit busy.

I had a quick question for you lot. I bought some butternut squash for Kona and I to enjoy, but I wanted to double check to see a) if it's safe to feed parrots squash seeds and b) how they should be prepared (raw/roasted). I roasted some off anyway (unsalted!!), since I didn't want them getting sludgy and gross, but I just wanted to know for future reference.

Additionally, any info on other squash varieties' seed safety for parrots would be much appreciated! I know pumpkin seeds/pepitas are good for them.

Thank you, everyone!

[seagoatdeb]

if they like the seeds they are safe to eat, you do have to cook squash.

[Wolf]

I give them to my birds after toasting them ( same as roasting them).

[Pajarita]

I have tried and tried and my birds consistently refuse to touch them but they are healthy for them (I would dry them a bit first and then roast or toast them)

[seagoatdeb]

Squash is one of the few cooked food i feed and mine will eat them better if the squash is served warm, and they will eat some of the seeds and i serve them along with the squash. i am not sure if they like it that way because that is the way I eat it or not.

[owlyssa]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone! I had to toss the small amount I toasted specially for him because I left them out on the counter to cool for a bit, only to return 15 minutes later to a horde of ants attempting to colonize the bowl... I'm looking forward to trying again soon!

Squash is one of the few cooked food i feed and mine will eat them better if the squash is served warm, and they will eat some of the seeds and i serve them along with the squash. i am not sure if they like it that way because that is the way I eat it or not.

I'll have to give that a go, seagoatdeb! I'm sure Kona would at least pick at it, given how he is currently quite amenable to trying new foods. I also might try eating my squash this way too, though I usually wind up inhaling the seeds pretty much straight from the oven.

[liz]

Put a Terro on your counter. Aunts are the easiest pests to get rid of. As long a it is in the path of the scout ant it will be found. You can even put something on to hide it from your critters.

[owlyssa]

Put a Terro on your counter. Aunts are the easiest pests to get rid of. As long a it is in the path of the scout ant it will be found. You can even put something on to hide it from your critters.

I'll definitely get out and pick some up!! It's about that time of the year, and they're turning up EVERYWHERE. I'll be thrilled beyond words if a Terro solves the pest problem!!

[Chantilly]

if they like the seeds they are safe to eat, you do have to cook squash.

Is squash bad otherwise I have given Tilly raw squash before. (as in zucchini type squash)

[Wolf]

I have never seen anything that suggests that raw squash is bad for them, but that is all that I can say.