You may have been wondering, can my African Grey eat eggs? That is an “Egg-cellent” question. Honestly, your parrot should steer clear of eggs as it is widely accepted by veterinarians that repeatedly feeding eggs to your feathery flying friends’ diet will lead to clogged arteries which in turn can lead to strokes and in more severe cases even death. So, try to avoid it were possible.

Keep reading to find out other foods your bird should probably be staying away from as well as foods you probably haven’t thought about trying yet!

Table of Contents

Can African Greys Eat Eggs?

Yes, African greys can technically eat eggs, although the question is “Should African Greys Eat Eggs“. The thing is, eggs lead to clogged arteries, just like humans with high cholesterol, its root stems from repeating bad dietary habits as well as unhealthy living in general.

So, what I’m trying to say is, if your grey does happen to find/eat an egg without you knowing, as long as it’s a once-off or once every couple of months, I wouldn’t worry about it too much as long as all daily dietary requirements are met and your bird is getting enough exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Here is a link to a helpful guide to tell if your bird is happy and healthy: Health & Wellbeing For Your Bird– This link will take you to a few self-checks but should never be used as definitive health checks. Please visit a vet if you feel your bird is unwell as well as regular vet health checks(Once a year)

What Should An African Greys Diet Be?

It is usually recommended that you feed your grey roughly 40% of their body weight in food a day. On average, African greys weigh 500grams so the rule of thumb would be about 150grams of food per day, but this is a rough estimate as all birds are different and have different needs.

Here is a shortlist of the essentials for a birds diet:

  • Pellets
  • Mixed Fruits
  • Foraging Toys
  • Daily Fresh Water

Pellets

As for what your grey should be eating, doing some research as well as trial and error will be needed as birds can be frustratingly picky. As a base your grey will need anywhere between 1/2 to 1/4 a cup of pellets to fulfill most of what they need to be happy birdies.

(Seeds should not be their main diet as they lack the nutrition needed for a healthy happy birdie)

Now that we covered what the minimum is for a greys’ diet, let’s add in everything else that’s going to help your bird be all they can be.

Mixed Fruits

Pellets are a great start for your birds’ diet as they cover most of your birds’ nutrition, although they will need more! Here’s where mixed fruit and vegetables come in. Greys need a wide variety of foods to be “complete”.

To name a couple of fruits and vegetables that can do wonders for your birdie: Asparagus, Mango, and Cucumber. These are great choices for your little one to benefit from!

“Remember to remove these from their feeding area daily as they spoil quickly“

Here is a great youtube video that you can learn a lot from! “What Smokey eats & more“

Foraging Toys

This is a must when it comes to bird stimulation as well as creating and maintaining good mental health! Foraging toys mimic how a bird would find food in the wild. Not only would it keep them happy and active, but it also provides exercise for their beaks which needs to be well looked after!

“Continue to the bottom of the article for our best-foraging toys!“

Do Birds Eat Eggs In The Wild?

Yes! In the wild, birds eat eggs for various reasons. Whether it be for rivalry or nutrient intake for pregnancy. Wild animals, in general, are notorious egg thieves as eggs are nutrient-rich and easy pickings when mummy or daddy isn’t around to protect them.

However, the main difference between wild parrots and your feathery friend is the lifestyle they live. In the wild, birds don’t have many opportunities to eat foods that could lead to clogged arteries.

“Not to mention having space to roam free and flap their wings at any given whim.“

While parrots in the wild do benefit from the freedom, pet parrots have the luxury of safety and a complete diet without the hassle due to amazing owners like yourself who care enough to read up about new and exciting foods that your bird can try!

Speaking of delicious foods to try: Can African Greys Eat Asparagus? (Everything You Need To Know)

Five Foods African Greys Shouldn’t Eat!

It wouldn’t be a “don’t eat this food” article without adding a few other foods to stay away from. Granted not everything on this list is food, but will probably be news to you if you weren’t told or looked into it specifically.

To start off this list of Five, It will obviously have to be eggs as it’s the topic of this article.

Eggs:

This one will be short and sweet as most of everything you need to know has been spoken about. The main point to take away is – Stay away from eggs where ever possible, as eggs lead to clogged arteries and possibly life-threatening health conditions.

Teflon:

Birds have a keen sense of smell! Ideally, you want to have your parrots’ cage positioned in an open space away from the smoke of the kitchen and fragrances of Air fresheners.

Many kitchen pots and pans are made from Teflon, which usually is no big deal to humans. However, if overheated and burnt, Teflon emits harmful poisonous gas for birds, and in some serious cases, with no ventilation, it can cause some serious respiratory issues.

Want to know more? My article about African Grey Cages/positioning will have some great information!: African Grey Cage Setup(A helpful Guide To Everything You Need)

Human Processed Junk Foods

It may seem obvious but human junk foods need to be included on this list as some foods that we produce are incredibly toxic for your parrot. We all think “Ah, one bite won’t hurt” but your parrots’ tummy is in no way equipped to handle some of the food we make.

Instead of giving your parrot a bite of the food, you find delicious. Find a natural, GMO-free fruit or vegetable for your parrot to snack on! Everyone wants their bird to be healthy in all aspects of life, they will appreciate it!

Chocolate/Caffeine

Now, these next two. I’ve decided to combine them as chocolate contains small amounts of caffeine. I’m fully aware that chocolate and caffeine are man-made, but they truly do deserve their own paragraphs.

The reason chocolate and caffeine are so dangerous is all due to the size and strength of your parrot’s heart. Birds are only little creatures and really can’t handle the heart palpitations that coffee creates.

Have you ever had anxiety due to the feeling that your heart isn’t beating properly thanks to coffee? (I know I have, although it might be the long nights writing articles and endless cups of coffee)

Please try to remember those feelings next time you think it’s okay that they have a quick drink.

Eggs Info

If you are interested in more information about eggs themselves, “Here is a link” to the BBC about eggs!

Amazon Finds!

Recap

If you’ve made it to the end and are now reading the recap! Thank you. In this section, I like to cover the article’s highlights and go over the necessary information!

Can African Greys Eat Eggs?

You may have been wondering, can my grey eat eggs? That is an “Egg-cellent” question. Honestly, your parrot should steer clear of eggs as it is widely accepted by veterinarians that repeatedly feeding eggs to your feathery flying friends’ diet will lead to clogged arteries which in turn can lead to strokes.

What Should An African Greys Diet Be?

It is usually recommended that you feed your grey roughly 40% of their body weight in food a day. On average, African greys weigh 500grams so the rule of thumb would be about 150grams of food per day. This is a rough estimate as all birds are different and have different needs.

Do Birds Eat Eggs In The Wild?

Yes! In the wild, birds eat eggs for various reasons. Whether it be for rivalry or nutrient intake for pregnancy. Wild animals, in general, are notorious egg thieves as eggs are nutrient-rich and easy pickings when mummy or daddy is not around to protect them.

Five Foods African Greys Shouldn’t Eat

Granted not everything on this list is food but will probably be news to you if you weren’t told or looked into it specifically. Eggs, Teflon, Most foods processed by humans, and caffeine/chocolate.

Any Questions you have relating to this article or just for me in general, leave a comment down below in the comments section.  

Disclaimer: I am not an expert. Some parrots may react differently to different foods. Please make sure you always slowly introduce a new food into their diet and keep an eye out for any adverse reactions. If your pet does start displaying symptoms of an adverse reaction, please contact your vet for advice.

Amazon Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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