Canaries Can Eat Bananas! Yes, absolutely, not only will they appreciate the treat but it can be turned into a bonding experience for you and your feathery friend! Most birds are flock-minded which is why they crave attention. Sharing food can fulfill their need for attention as well as solidify a bond that will last their whole life.
**Read on to see how much banana to feed your canary as well as fun little foraging toys to increase beak strength and mimic wild canary behaviors!**
Next time you’re wondering “Can Canaries Eat Bananas?” Go for it. Try to remember moderation and you’ll have no problems. As a general rule, fruits should not make up your canary’s whole diet as they won’t cover all the nutrients and minerals needed to keep your canary healthy.
This leads me on to my next topic.
What Should Canaries Eat?
We should start with what the bulk of your canary’s diet will consist of. There are two commonly accepted foods that will make up 80% of your canary’s diet. Seeds & Pellets each have their pros and cons although I would only recommend pellets and here is why.
Seeds
Back in the day when research on a canary diet just wasn’t around, it was accepted to feed your canary seeds. But this led to health problems like obesity and clogged arteries which leads to strokes due to the high-fat content within seeds. Not to mention seeds can’t provide everything your bird needs to be healthy.
Here is a link to VCA Animal hospital with a more in-depth explanation on seeds for your canary as well as how to start the transition from a seed diet to pellets**Click Here**
Pellets
Pellets are produced to be as nutritious for your canary as possible. Made with fewer fats and packed with vitamins and minerals that your canary will benefit from greatly. Canaries love seeds as the fats taste great, whereas pellets have a wide range of flavor profiles so a bit of trial and error might be required to find the one that works for your bird!
Now that we have covered the main bulk of your canary’s diet (Roughly 80%) what about the other 20%?
Fruits And Vegetables
As a general rule, fruits and vegetables should be fed sparingly as canaries are only little. What I tend to do is share the fruits I’m eating and a great one is a banana! A couple of nibbles here and there should be great but if you aren’t too big on sharing a thin slice roughly a centimeter thick should be ample.
**Read on to find out other great foods to feed your Canary!**
Fresh Water
I know it’s a given but keeping your carnaries cage topped up with clean/freshwater will be just as important feeding them! Remember to clean their water container and full to the brim so they can bath, play, and keep hydrated if needs be!
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!“
Why Bananas Are Good For Canaries
Having pellets being the only food your canary eats is not going to cut it (Although it’s a great start). So feeding your bird other nutritional foods is going to be necessary! Here is why Banana should not be skipped when considering what to feed your bird as a healthy snack!
Here is a list of the vitamins and minerals that Banana has and why this fruit does wonders for your canary: Vitamins A, C, B6, and Potassium!
Vitamin A
- A deficiency of vitamin A leads to the overgrowth of your bird’s beak and nails! Make sure to keep these levels in check!
- Not only does a deficiency of vitamin A lead to overgrowth, but also chipping and flaking of the beak and nails. If left unchecked, this could lead to their nails and beaks breaking (which isn’t pleasant)
Vitamin C
- This is an important vitamin for your canary to have. Vitamin C is great at reducing stress.
- Having a Vitamin C deficiency can be detrimental to your little guys’ overall mental health.
- Vitamin C is great for the immune system and creating antibodies! Which will keep your birdie healthy!
Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B6 is great for breaking down proteins, which is incredibly important for healthy living!
- Lack of Vitamin B6 is known to stunt growth and cause a lack of appetite.
- Egg production can be harder with a lack of vitamin B6. Bananas can help in many ways!
Potassium
- Potassium is great for aiding the speed of their metabolism, as well as helping strengthen bones.
- This mineral is great for reducing blood pressure while at the same time helping to retain water!
- High Potassium diets help prevent strokes as well as keep diseases like osteoporosis and kidney stones at bay.
Can Canaries Eat Banana Peels?
Canaries can eat banana peels although, they shouldn’t eat too much as they can’t digest them properly! The real winner when it comes to banana peels is how much fun your bird has playing with them!
From ripping them apart to just getting messy, this newfound toy of theirs will keep them entertained for a while!
Remember to wash the peel if you’re thinking of letting your canary play with it. The peels may be coated with pesticides. While growing bananas in the fields, they coat bananas with pesticides to keep insects away! If you buy organic bananas, this should be less of a problem!
5 Fruits To Feed Your Canary
There are many great foods that should be introduced to your canary, although these five are manageable as well as available at every store! Here are the five I’ve chosen Grapes, Watermelon, Strawberries, Cucumber, and Celery.
**Click the name of the food to be taken to the article!**
Grapes are great for canaries! Although, remember to deseed them first as they may be a choking hazard for your feathery friend! However, if you forget to deseed a couple, it’s not the end of the world as one or two seeds shouldn’t be a problem!
Watermelon is great for canaries! The high water content is great for hydrating your bird and keeping them healthy! But be careful. If given too much, the high water content may turn from a benefit to a “watery” problem if not fed in moderation!
Yes! Canaries can eat strawberries! However, remember to wash them first! Not only are strawberries delicious for us, but your bird too! Naturally, strawberries are great for your bird! Strawberries are packed full of all sorts of nutrients that can provide a healthy mental state and create the requirements for fighting off diseases like osteoporosis! Pretty great, right?
Cucumber makes a great snack for your canary! Although, if you cannot find organic cucumbers, make sure to wash them first! Often, non-organic cucumbers have been polished with wax, and their peels have been sprayed with pesticides!.
The high water content in celery is great for keeping canaries hydrated and has great vitamin and mineral properties to add to the mix! Celery makes for a great healthy snack
Five Foods Canaries 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.
To start off this list of Five:
Eggs:
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 canaries 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.
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 bird. We all think “Ah, one bite won’t hurt” but your canaries’ tummy is in no way equipped to handle some of the food we make.
Instead of giving your birdie a bite of the food, you find delicious. Find a natural, GMO-free fruit or vegetable for your bird 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 canaries 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.
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 Canaries Eat Banana?
Yes, absolutely, not only will they appreciate the treat but it can be turned into a bonding experience for you and your feathery friend!
What Should Canaries Eat?
Canaries diets’ should consist of pellets (Mainly) with a mix of fruits and vegetables to fill in the nutrient gaps.
Why Bananas Are Good For Canaries
Bananas are packed full of Vitamins A, C, B6, and Potassium! Each one of these has incredible benefits for your canary!
Can Canaries Eat Banana Peels?
Canaries can eat banana peels although, they shouldn’t eat too much as they can’t digest them properly! The real winner when it comes to banana peels is how much fun your bird has playing with them!
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 fruits. 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.
