Cucumbers – a vegetable that is the universal staple in most salads. There are a few of us humans that don’t particularly love it though, and if you own a pet parakeet you have surely asked yourself whether it is safe to give it to them or not.
There are always some of us that are always looking for ways to change up their bird’s diet for the better.
To put it simply, yes, parakeets can eat cucumber, and they should always have some amount of fresh veggies in their diet, and cucumber fits that criteria to a T! Like with everything, moderation is key, and cucumber’s high water content makes it fall into the category of “feed in moderation”.
This veggie is safe to give your parakeets, and also has a lot of juicy nutritional benefits for their health!
However, you should always be aware of the balance in their diet, and the fact that too much of any one thing can be ultimately detrimental for them.
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Let’s dive in further.
Is cucumber any good for parakeets ?
Yes! Cucumber is great for parakeets, in fact it can provide a nice and needed change to their regular diet.
Introducing anything new to their diet that they seem to love is always incredibly beneficial to a parakeet’s overall health, since they can get easily bored without any variety.
Cucumbers are great for that too, along with their amazing number of nutritional benefits. They are a great source of fiber, to start. This is a central part of a parakeet’s diet, so it is really important that they get plenty of that from the food that they eat.
Cucumber is also rich in vitamins, such as vitamins C and K which are largely present, and serve a lot of different functions, and most importantly are great antioxidants. Antioxidants prevent the formation of free radicals in the body’s cells, which can cause damage over time. This makes them a must have in a parakeet’s diet.
Cucumbers are also a great source of healthy minerals, such as magnesium, manganese, and potassium, which are largely present. These minerals serve many bodily functions, ranging from regulating blood and oxygen all the way to facilitating the movement of muscles and joints.
This makes cucumbers a must have in a parakeet’s diet, however, there are some things you need to keep in mind.
Is cucumber bad for parakeets ?
Simply put, no. Cucumber, on its own is not bad for parakeets as it is not toxic or dangerous in any way, so it won’t cause them any harm when fed in the appropriate amounts.
But, this dilemma over the right amount of which to feed is pretty important, you should really only feed your parakeet a small amount of cucumber. One of the main reasons behind this is that cucumbers have a high water content. Let me explain, when parakeets eat large quantities of cucumber, they get filled up with water really quickly and they will be so full that they won’t be able to eat anything else for a while, making them miss out on all of the nutrients that they need out of their regular diet.
Moderation is key, and the recommended amount of cucumber to feed your parakeets is small chunks once or twice a week.
A portion of your parakeet’s diet needs to be taken up by fresh veggies, that being said don’t feed them just one type, keeping a variety is important as well.
If you want to provide them with the best possible balance and full nutrition, then the best plan of action is regularly swapping out their veggies while also giving them a lot of seeds and nuts as the base of their diet.
Do you need to prepare the cucumber before your parakeet eats it ?
You should steer clear of feeding them any kind of cooked cucumber, as with a lot of cooked veggies it loses its nutritional value by a lot when it is cooked.
A parakeet’s digestive system differs quite a bit from ours, and they are much more well equipped to digest small amounts of raw cucumber.
Furthermore, cooked cucumber may have even been cooked in ingredients that are generally unhealthy for parakeets, such as spices and oils. Even if it wasn’t, there still isn’t that much of a benefit in feeding them cooked cucumber, rather than the raw variant.
Is it better to feed them raw cucumber ?
Generally speaking, yes, parakeets thrive better when given raw cucumber, and this really should be the only way it is fed to them.
The best diet that you can provide for your parakeet is one that simulates a bird’s diet in the wild, so anything cooked is something you should avoid giving to them.
Cucumber in its raw form retains all of the nutritional benefits, and will also prove far more palatable to your parakeets than the cooked variant ever would. As with any veggie really, they should be given raw, full stop.
Can parakeets eat cucumber peelings ?
Yes, sure, why not. There is no reason why it would not be safe for them. However, whether they like the taste or not is another question entirely.
Parakeets are known for their individual temperaments, and they are a lot more likely, generally speaking, to prefer eating the flesh of the vegetable, rather than the skin.
With that being said, if you have any spare peelings lying around, it is better to try feeding your parakeet some, rather than just simply throwing them away. Despite all of that, peelings generally are not going to provide any nutritional benefit, so avoid giving them in large quantities.
Conclusion
Cucumbers are completely safe to give to your parakeet, and are a great addition to their diet. Their bountiful nutritional value is no joke, so make sure you feed it in moderation or it would cause some digestion problems in your parakeet.
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