Bird foods to avoid

What's your bird's favorite treat? Even when you offer him a selection of foods that usually meet his approval, he always seems to have a hankering for whatever it is you're eating at the moment. You may be tempted to share your snack, but it's not always healthy for companion avians to indulge in certain foods. In some cases, it can be downright dangerous.

Avoid feeding the following foods to your bird, and be sure to keep them out of beak's reach when he's out of his cage:

• Alcoholic beverages: These can cause gastrointestinal irritation, drunkenness, tremors, difficult breathing, and even death. Always place unattended drinks where your bird cannot reach them—and yes, even small amounts can be very harmful.
• Avocados: Hold the guacamole, please! Ingestion of avocados in all forms can result in respiratory distress, the accumulation of fluid around the heart, and death.
• Chives: These can lead to GI upset and damage red blood cells.
• Chocolate: Chocolate is dangerous in all forms—including baking, semi-sweet, milk and dark. Chocolate can be potentially dangerous to companion animals of all species, including birds. Although highly palatable, chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, hyperactivity, increased heart rate, and death. Symptoms of toxicosis can be seen with the ingestion of as little as 1/4 ounce of baking chocolate by a ten-pound dog; with their high metabolisms and smaller size, birds may be even more sensitive.
• Coffee: All forms of coffee, including grounds and beans, can cause the same symptoms as chocolate. You'll also want to nix teas and sodas that contain caffeine.
• Garlic: These can lead to GI upset and damage red blood cells.
• Moldy or spoiled food: These foods may contain molds that can result in GI irritation, seizures, kidney problems, and death. Spoiled food may also contain bacteria that can cause severe food poisoning in birds.
• Onions: These can lead to GI upset and damage red blood cells.
• Potatoes: While potatoes shouldn't pose a problem, potato leaves and stems do. Ingestion of leaves and stems can cause GI upset, drowsiness, and weakness.
• Salt and salty foods: Excessive sodium can result in sodium ion poisoning, symptoms of which include regurgitation, excessive thirst, diarrhea, kidney failure, heart failure and seizures. If enough salt is consumed, death can result.
• Tomatoes: While the ripe, red fruit of the tomato is not a potential problem, the leaves, stems, and unripe fruit are. Ingestion can cause GI upset, drowsiness, and weakness.
• Yeast dough: Dough can be double trouble for your pet. As it rises, the dough can expand the GI tract. The yeast can also form alcohol as it rises, leading to alcohol poisoning.

Experts further caution pet parents to be careful when it comes to food preparation. Wash and scrub all fresh foods you offer your bird, and please remove all pits and seeds from food before you let your pet start snacking. If something smells bad or has mold on it, throw it away ASAP.

And don't forget to take the same common-sense cautions you do when preparing your own food. Wash your hands well and don't chop your bird's fruits and veggies on a cutting board on which you recently cut chicken or other meats. (As we mentioned before, birds can get food poisoning, too!)

If you think your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, immediately call your veterinarian. Be sure to let them know what he has eaten and how much, the estimated time of ingestion, and any problems he is experiencing.