The first and foremost thing you should learn about keeping a pet bird is to know what and what not to feed them. If you’ve never owned a bird, you might not know it, but feeding a bird is much trickier than a dog or a cat. It is because a bird’s body is smaller and thus more fragile than other animals. Feed them one wrong thing, and you could end up losing them forever. Birds are known to love fruits and can eat most of them safely. But what about watermelon?
Can parakeets eat watermelon? They certainly can. Rich in nutrients and, more importantly, water, these sweet treats are great for both you and your feathered pet. Parakeets can also easily bite into the soft flesh of these fruits, which is why you don’t need to put a lot of effort into prepping these. All you need to know is to remove all the seeds to avoid any choking hazard. Just make sure you’re feeding you bird watermelon in moderation; you don’t want them consuming too much sugar.
Are you wondering how watermelon is healthy for parakeets? Or do you want to know if it is okay to feed it to a baby parakeet? Whatever your queries are, you will find the answer to them in this article.
Do parakeets enjoy eating watermelon?
Watermelon is sweet, crunchy, easy to bite into, and contains a lot of water: everything birds like parakeets are crazy about. It is rare to come across a parakeet who doesn’t like watermelon.
However, parakeets are picky eaters. Thus, it is not impossible for your pet bird to not like it. If you’ve fed them watermelon several times and find it untouched at the end of the day, your bird is probably not into them.
There’s no point in force-feeding them watermelon if they don’t like it when you can choose from a variety of fresh fruits to feed them.
Is watermelon healthy for parakeets?
Let us take a look at the nutritional value of watermelons.
| Nutrients | Quantity |
| Vitamin A | 569 IU |
| Vitamin C | 8.2 g |
| Vitamin E | 0.05 g |
| Folates | 3 mcg |
| Niacin | 0.178 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.226 mg |
| Pyridoxine | 0.043 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.034 mg |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
| Potassium | 112 mg |
| Calcium | 7 mg |
| Iron | 0.12 mg |
| Copper | 42 mcg |
| Magnesium | 10 mg |
| Manganese | 0.037 mg |
| Zinc | 0.11 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 7.6 g |
| Protein | 0.6 g |
| Total fat | 0.15 g |
| Dietary fibers | 0.4 g |
| Energy | 30 kcal |
Serving size: 100 grams
We’ve gathered from the chart above that watermelons are indeed nutritious fruits. However, which of these nutrients is healthy for your feathered pet? Let’s find out.
Water
Watermelon has been named so for a good reason. Almost 92% of the fruit is water, which is great for parakeets. These little birds can often get dehydrated, especially in summers.
Vitamin A
Watermelon is ranked among the fruits that contain the highest amount of vitamin A. This is good news for your parakeet, for they need this vitamin in high amounts to keep their respiratory functions smooth-running.
Vitamin C
Immunity is essential for all living beings, even more so for small birds who cannot survive with a weak immune system.
Vitamin C takes charge of maintaining the immune system in parakeets. This vitamin is also beneficial if your bird doesn’t contain sufficient iron, for it takes the place of iron in red blood cell formation if required.
Lycopene and other antioxidants
Lycopene is a plant nutrient with antioxidant properties that are found in the red pigment of fruits, such as watermelons. This nutrient helps parakeets to fight against sunburns and severe health conditions like cancer.
Apart from lycopene, other antioxidants in watermelon also improve the health of cells in parakeets.
Protein
Protein is the nutrient from which birds like parakeets draw their energy. This is why they need sufficient energy in their daily diet.
Potassium
Potassium plays a major role in maintaining the fluid balance of a parakeet’s body. It also improves and protects their nervous health.
Watermelon also contains calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, carbohydrates, and B-vitamin series that benefit your pet’s health. Watermelons are, therefore, healthy for parakeets.
Can parakeets eat watermelon with its rind?
The rind or outer skin of watermelon doesn’t contain any toxin for parakeets and thus poses no threat to your pet. However, the rind of the watermelon is much tougher than other fruits. Even if you cut it into smaller pieces, it can be a potential choking hazard for your pet.
Therefore, it is best to remove the rind before feeding watermelon to your parakeet. You can also cut the watermelon into large pieces so that your birdie can eat the flesh and ignore the rind without you having to cut it off.
Are watermelon seeds safe for parakeets?
Unlike apple seeds, watermelon seeds contain no toxic compound that is harmful to a parakeet’s health. But these seeds still pose a potential choking hazard to small birds such as parakeets. Therefore, it is wise to remove all the seeds from the watermelon before putting it into your pet’s cage.
Can baby parakeets eat watermelons?
Yes, watermelons are perfect for baby parakeets to eat. Unlike other fruits, the inner flesh of watermelon is soft and squishy and easy to bite into. The high-water content in watermelon is an added bonus to keep these little birds hydrated.
Moreover, as long as you feed these to your baby pet in moderation, watermelons can prove to be healthy for them, too.
Too much watermelon can cause diabetes in parakeets
Too much sugar is unhealthy for all animals and birds, including humans. However, in the case of parakeets, we often misjudge the quantity they should intake.
Birds are much smaller than us, and can thus consume a very limited amount of sugar without hampering their health. If your pet eats watermelon frequently, they can suffer from diabetes.
Symptoms
If you think your parakeet might have diabetes, you should be on the lookout for these symptoms.
- Sudden weight fluctuation – your parakeet might gain some weight without an apparent reason and then lose some as quickly.
- Increased thirst – you can notice your bird’s water bowl being empty sooner than usual. They will also pee more often.
- Infections – Is your bird lately more prone to infection?
- Seizures and coma
Diabetes often results in killing your pet bird. It is, therefore, essential to feed your bird watermelon in moderation.
Watermelons for parakeets: serving ideas
Since your pet bird isn’t going to eat the watermelon’s rind, you don’t need to wash it thoroughly. A nominal wash will do.
A vital part of feeding parakeet watermelon is to remove all the seeds from it beforehand, as we’ve already talked about how it can become a choking hazard for your pet.
Do you have more than one pet parakeet? If that’s the case, it is best to simply slice the watermelon into 2 or 4 large chunks and serve it to them. Together they can nibble away on it. If you want your pet to eat watermelons whole, you can chop it up into tiny bite-sized pieces that perfectly fit into their mouths. Offering your pet bird watermelon by hand is a good idea as well.
Another, more creative way of feeding parakeet watermelon is to make a fruit salad of it, using a few other fruits in the mix as well. Your parakeet will definitely love the varied salad more than watermelon alone.
Frequently asked questions
What other kinds of melon can my parakeet eat? Apart from watermelon, you can also feed parakeets cantaloupe, honeydew, Galia, winter melon, etc.
Why should parakeets not be fed blueberries? The reason why many pet owners recommend not to feed parakeets blueberries is not health-based. In fact, blueberries are quite nutritious for your birds from a health perspective. The problem with these berries is that their juice can leave behind a lasting stain on your furniture, clothes, etc. Your playful pet might throw it around for fun, and you will end up paying the price for it.
Do parakeets eat popcorn? Yes, they can eat both popped and un-popped kernels of corn. However, if you want to feed them the un-popped kernels of corn, it is best to boil them.
Summing it up
To sum it up, watermelons make a healthy and delicious snack for your parakeets, especially on hot summer days. They are soft, easy to eat, and crunchy in taste. You just need to remove the seeds, and you’re all set to feed them to your feathered pet.