Truly definitive food list?

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Everyone seems to agree that caffeine, alcohol, chocolate and avocado are bad for birds. Plants in the onion family and garlic are often also listed as off limits as are the pits from stone fruits. From there it seems to diverge.

It is often said that anything else which would be healthy for use (low fat, low sodium, no added sugar) is also good for them. But there is a confusing list of things that appear and disappear from both good and bad food lists. Is there a really definitive well-researched list somewhere? Here are some of the items I've seen listed by some sources as good and others as bad with explanations where I have heard any proposed:

Tomato (too acidic, but many sources say cooked sauce is OK)
Spinach (too MUCH iron, ironically)
Mushrooms (prone to spoilage)
Sprouts (prone to contamination and spoilage)
Fava beans (but what about peas, limas, edamame.... never seen them listed as bad and they are similar)
Celery (fiber strands could lead to crop impaction)
Citrus fruit (too much acid)
Potato (uncooked, but sweet potato and yam are considered fine)

Then there are things that don't appear on lists, like some tropical fruits that are just not that common. Or, say, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. And what about herbs? I often have culinary herbs left over and wonder if Scooter might like them, but I've never seen them on a list as good OR bad.

[ptuga72]

well, I have heard the same things however this is what I know or have been told about the items on your list:
Onion/garlic: it is my understanding that it is uncooked onions/garlic that is the problem, but if it is cooked it is fine (as in if you made some sauce with a little onion in it, it should be fine
Tomato (too acidic, but many sources say cooked sauce is OK)I've also heard rumors that the seeds are bad for parrots as well
Spinach (too MUCH iron, ironically)I've heard that it is fine in moderation, but if given to often can cause iron binding
Mushrooms (prone to spoilage)mushrooms are a fungus which is no bueno for birdies
Sprouts (prone to contamination and spoilage)if you make your own, sprouts are a wonderful LIVE food to give. just don't keep them longer then 1-2 days
Fava beans (but what about peas, limas, edamame.... never seen them listed as bad and they are similar)Many beans are not okay for a bird to eat. BUT many like kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans are fine but must be cooked thoroughly and not used for sprouts (except garbanzo but it's not a real "bean" anyways). I feed cooked, unsalted edamame occasionally and is a big hit
Celery (fiber strands could lead to crop impaction)this is very true, but can be fine if chopped very fine. Although celery has very little caloric and nutritional value so I don't bother
Citrus fruit (too much acid)I've also heard that too much citrus can cause iron problems, but a small amount as a treat is fine
Potato (uncooked, but sweet potato and yam are considered fine)I've know sweet potatoes/yams are excellent fare for birds, but uncooked potatoes and if they have eyes, they can be very bad. although Jake has been known to steal a bite occasionally of cooked, mashed potatoes without problem


Anyways, hope this helps!

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Well mushroom seems to be a good example of what I'm talking about -- I've seen mushrooms on a good food list prepared by a prominent avain vet!

[ptuga72]

Well mushroom seems to be a good example of what I'm talking about -- I've seen mushrooms on a good food list prepared by a prominent avain vet!

That's interesting. So much contradictory information! I prefer to just take the extra cautious route and not feed anything I don't know is 100% safe.

[Kim S]

About the garlic. I have a recipe by a large (and well respected) breeder who makes tea from garlic and nettle. Nettle is a source of vit. C.
Both nettle and garlic clear the bloodstream and are diuretic.
The garlic is suppose to keep parents from plucking young, giving the feathers a bad taste, and might even be a sollution to some pluckers.

On a personal note. I know a lot of dogbreeders using garlic-tablets to keep ticks and fleas away, the garlic is suppose to give the blood a bad taste. For me this confirms the above about featherplucking.

[skeetersunconure]

ive seen some very very excellant parrot owners and trainers use garlic as a spice for good health

[ptuga72]

About the garlic. I have a recipe by a large (and well respected) breeder who makes tea from garlic and nettle. Nettle is a source of vit. C.
Both nettle and garlic clear the bloodstream and are diuretic.
The garlic is suppose to keep parents from plucking young, giving the feathers a bad taste, and might even be a sollution to some pluckers.

On a personal note. I know a lot of dogbreeders using garlic-tablets to keep ticks and fleas away, the garlic is suppose to give the blood a bad taste. For me this confirms the above about featherplucking.

Wow, that makes total sense! Learn something new everyday!

[entrancedbymyGCC]

This is where I start to get a bit nervous, though. If something has a measurable physiological effect then I want to know it has been well studied and that dosages are well understood. Especially with these guys since their systems seem to be so delicate.

I know there is a tendency to think if it is "natural" it is safe, but some of the deadliest substances are 100% natural... with onion and garlic it was my understanding that the sulfur compounds in them aren't great for birds -- these do break down when heated, which is why the sharp taste becomes sweet when you roast garlic or caramelize onion with long slow heating. But it all goes to prove my original point! Once you get past the top 4 "bad" things, the whole thing becomes very confusing and it is all hearsay and opinion. Sigh.

So what about basil, cilantro, thyme and other culinary herbs? Any rumors or hearsay around those? Chives being in the onion family I'd put on the "no" list.

[Kim S]

I understand you work with chemistry and such? I think that the more you know about a subject the more you start to freak out about it. Blissfull ignorance!

But I completely agree with you. There should be more studies about natural foods.

[ptuga72]

So what about basil, cilantro, thyme and other culinary herbs? Any rumors or hearsay around those? Chives being in the onion family I'd put on the "no" list.

I would think that some would be ok, but how would we know which ones?

Here's a link to an article on the LandofVos website. I frequent it often (including the forum) because of the eclectus specific information, I have found them very informative.
http://www.landofvos.com/articles/kitchenxv.html

but it still doesn't say which ones are bad! grr, still good info though.