Apples for Amazons...

[Jayd]

APPLES, for our chunky buddy's, High in fiber and pectin, they contain anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory agents. Apples can be a weapons against high cholesterol. In some animal tests, the pectin in apples has lowered or normalized cholesterol and triglycerides. Jay

[BaxtersMom]

Wow, I knew they were good but I didn't know they were that good!!! Luckily, my amazon and the rest of the gang do like their apples. Just curious, do apples do all the same stuff for humans too? Anti inflammatory, lower high cholesterol, etc?

[SunnyBird]

However, apple seeds are poisonous and should be avoided. Right?

[luvparrots]

My fids love their apples and beets!

[Jayd]

Yes, great for all, Renate is 100% correct, no seeds...Theirs a lot of info on the net about the benefits of apples, it's the "Pectin" that doe's the trick, apples have a lot of sugar,[I'm diabetic] so what we do is use organic apple cider vinegar, we use 1 tsp per 16oz water. [this was vet recommended]


Here's one site of many...

http://www.webmd.com/diet/apple-cider-vinegar<br><br>Post edited by: Jayd, at: 2010/01/12 20:38

[BaxtersMom]

Yes, the seeds can be toxic and should always be removed.

[TPU]

Hello All,

Apple seeds and also cherry, peach, plum, pears and apricot pits contain the same amygdalin compound which turns into cyanide when it comes in contact with digestive enzymes in our intestines. This chemical acts as a natural preservative to keep the seeds viable so they can grow the next season.

Many wild and farm animals eat whole apples in large quantities when they are in season. Apple seeds have a very tough coating and need to be chewed up to release the amygadalin.

It takes about 100 grams (1/2 cup – 600 seeds – ~ 6 seeds / apple) of crushed apple seeds to make a human ill. Even if you ate the seeds from 100 apples, or your amazon size bird ate 2 apples worth of seeds, all at the same time, the gut will easily detoxify these small quantities of cyanide as it was created.

In the last 25 years Hartman Aviary has accumulated more than 8,000 adult bird years of experience, and over 4,000 babies learning to eat adult food. We have fed tens of thousands of apples, never removing one seed, and never noticing one sick bird.

And, I am sure that many of our birds like to peel the seeds and some ingest them. They actually taste a little like almonds. I have eaten them myself.

Survival of an escaped parrot may hinge on its ability to find apples in a tree. We try to teach all of our pet birds to forage in a tree to eat things hanging on the limbs. If you bird has only eaten food from a dish, your plate, or your hand they may not be able to find enough food to survive until you find them. Usually there is something around for them eat if they can fly and recognize foods. All of our birds can fly well and are harness trained so we can take them outside wearing a bird harness and let them climb on a tree branch. Hand them treats when they are on the branch. Then put the food on the limb so they have to pick it up. You should go as far as tying apples and nuts to the branch so they have to reach down and pull them off. I can hear someone in the background screaming ‘they might get poisoned’. Bottom line is that is a short sighted response that I will not go into at this time. Since we have been dealing with many thousands of flighted birds over the last 25 years we have lots of experience helping owners retrieve escaped pet birds. It is rare that a bird raised at Hartman Aviary does not make it back home.

This will also teach your bird to be comfortable standing on a shaky tree limb, with the wind blowing leaves in their face. Most escaped parrots are so scared of just being on the limb that they are unable to jump off and fly to you.

Best Regards,

[Jayd]

Thank you for your input. Many recent researches show the inherent danger to our fids ingesting apple seeds etc, there is a number of reports on the net showing death from this cause... It is best to use caution, it only takes 1 mistake....Jay

[SunnyBird]

Thank you Steve! That's fantastic advice and as usual, the Greek proverb applies - Pan Metron Ariston - every with measure - i.e a little of anything can't hurt.

I still owe you a photo with Sunshine in his harness with the Acropolis or something in the background.... I haven't forgotten! Hopefully during this summer I will realize that goal.

Would you mind also telling us, if you know, whether seeds from citrus fruits - oranges, mandarins, etc. are good for our parrots? They taste bitter to us but my bird eats them.

They are high in flavenoids which are responsible for the colors of many fruits and vegetables, are found also in grains, nuts, leaves and flowers, and studies suggest there value in the treatment of a number of disorders. They are considered one of the most common biological constituents in plants.

They have a gentle, beneficial action on numerous physiological processes in the body and may benefit the heart, blood vessels, liver, immune system, connective tissue, adrenal glands, kidneys, musculature and nervous system. Flavonoids may act as anti-oxidants, "anti-allergics", anti-inflammatories, immunostimulating, anti-hepatotoxic, anti-neoplastic and hypoglycemic along with numerous other actions including stabilizing capillary permeability.

Have you noticed anything beneficial or detrimental in the consumption of them?

Cheers, Renate Marios and Sunshine, Athens, Greece

P.S. Also, thanks for the great training tips - survival training - that's a great idea. I have every intention to pursue it with my amazon.<br><br>Post edited by: SunnyBird, at: 2010/01/13 20:19

[TPU]

Hello SunnyBird,
I knew about apple seeds from a class in college so I have been tuned into all of the misinformation over the last 25 years.

My birds eat all of the seeds you mentioned but I have not investigated their nutrient contributions.

Hello Jayd,
If you have any information where there is documented proof of parrots getting sick from eating apple seeds I would like to see it. In the last 25 years all I have been able to find is someone who knew someone who had heard something that someone thought they might have heard from someone else who…

I am not exaggerating when I say that I have fed tens of thousands of apples, never removed one seed, and have never seen one bird get sick from apple seeds, or any of the foods we feed. We also have many volunteers with many thousands of bird years of experience that do not remove the seeds and have not had a problem.