We love parakeets, and if you’re here, we’re guessing you do too. Budgies are some of the smallest, cutest, and peskiest birds, and how they slowly nibble and make small bites on fruits are to die for.
But most early budgie owners have a common question: can budgies eat blackberries? Yes, they eat blackberries. When cut into small digestible pieces, blackberries provide essential Vitamins like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and other nutrients like crucial antioxidants and are a source of calcium — all completely safe.
But blackberries alone don’t suffice. You can create the ideal diet for your parakeet when paired with other fresh vegetables and seed mixes. We’ll be going over how in the later sections.
Can You Feed Blackberries To Budgies?
Budgies don’t have that many food restrictions besides processed foods with high salt content, like chips or chocolate.
Besides, most natural and organic items like berries, seeds, and even human food are good. There isn’t any restriction with berries and similar food items, so blackberries are good to go.
Blackberries are one of the best food sources for parakeets. These berries aren’t native to budgies in nature, but they’ve responded well to the fruit since their domestication. They’re filled with tons of essential vitamins and minerals, which are crucial in the growth and development of the bird.
Health Benefits For Budgies Eating Blackberries
Firstly, let’s cover the vitamins. Blackberries have Vitamin C, actively preventing kidney failure in parakeets and reducing stress levels, and they work as an active body booster for your pet. Vitamin A and calcium play a vital role in strengthening the bones and increasing strength and rigidity.
Next, blackberries are filled with various antioxidants, improving insulin regulation and strengthening the immune system.
Another set of chemical compounds found in blackberries are Polyphenols, which improve your bird’s neurological processes and overall mental well-being.
Besides the vitamins and minerals, blackberries are filled with anti-inflammatory features, which help restore energy and recover from muscle cramps. And finally, blackberries are fibrous, which will help your budgie keep a healthy functioning digestive tract.
So, to sum it up, blackberries are one of the best nutritious fruits you can add to your budgie’s diet — and they’re entirely safe.
Do Budgies Like Blackberries?
In our experience, budgies have reacted well to blackberries without exception. They like making little nibbles on all types of seeds and berries.
Look at this video we found of a cute baby budgie nibbling on some blackberry. Usually, it’s ideal to break the fruit down into small pieces for easier chewing and digestion. But you can also hold a whole blackberry with your hand and feed it to your budgie, as you see in the video.
How Much Blackberry Should Budgies Eat?
Serving proportion is crucial when feeding your pet bird any food item. For blackberries, it’s ideal to limit it to one blackberry per week, and going over the amount brings digestive issues. Eating more can also cause unwanted health problems. So we recommend sticking to the recommended amount.
How Do You Prepare Blackberries For Budgies?
Cut a large, whole blackberry into small bite-size pieces for your parakeet, and that’s enough for the entire week. Serve blackberries and related fruits in a fruit salad form to a parakeet.
Pair the berries with other citrus fruits and seeds and create a fruit salad. You don’t need to feed the entire blackberry in one day. Instead, we recommend adding a little bit every day and ensuring it adds up to one blackberry at the end of the week.
Can You Feed Blackberries To Baby Budgies? If So, How?
Yes! Baby budgies don’t have an issue digesting blackberries. They can eat blackberries if they are old enough to chew on other solid fruits and vegetables.
To serve baby parakeets, choose smaller blackberries. Cut them into bite-size pieces and hand-feed them. Ensure you have enough water on standby. Baby budgies are limited to one berry a week, similar to adults.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
It’s best not to go overboard on fruits regarding parakeets. Fruits consist of around 5 to 10% of their daily diet. So, stick to just a few whole berries a week and incorporate other fibers and vegetables for an entire diet.
Yes! Blackberries have anti-inflammatory properties, which help a ton in reducing illness and aiding in the recovery process.
As a general rule of thumb, if the fruit is safe for humans, it’s safe for birds too. Exceptions are high fat content, sugar content, and processed foods, such as avocados, dairy products, processed chips, and packaged products. Among fluids, alcoholic beverages are a big no.
Final Words
By reading this article, we hope you now know the answer: can budgies eat blackberries. Not only is it safe for them, but it’s also packed with tons of essential vitamins and minerals, perfect for a budgie.
Finally, we recommend not letting your budgie nimble on the blackberry’s seed. Any type of solid seeds of fruit isn’t suitable for a budgie and can cause digestive issues and even illnesses. So always deseed larger fruits before giving them to your pet. Cheers!
Do you know if your budgies can eat honey or chocolate? Read our articles about it to learn more.
