Apples—one of, if not the, staple fruit of the western world.
They’re in virtually every kitchen and are great as snacks or as ingredients.
When they are around this much, it’s natural to cautiously wonder whether we can share them with our parrotlets—so can we?
Yes, parrotlets can eat apples. Apples make a great addition to their diet and work really well as a special treat and snack. However, treat is the key word here—they should only eat apple in moderation otherwise it can have harmful side effects. Keep that in mind, and apples are great for parrotlets.
In short, yes, parrots can eat apples—you’ve just got to be wise about how exactly they get them.
They’re really helpful and beneficial when fed in the right amounts, and your parrotlet will almost certainly love them.
It’s just important not to get carried away—moderation in all things!
Let’s look further into this.
Are apples good for parrotlets?
Yes, they are, in a great many ways!
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, your parrotlet will love the taste of apple, and it will be very happy about getting this special treat.
Don’t underestimate the importance of this in their diet.
They might love seeds, but they’ll also get a bit fed up if it’s all they can ever eat.
A good range and balance of snacks in their diet will do wonders for their mood, and this will have knock-on effects on their health.
Beyond that, though, apples have many specific benefits for your parrotlets.
Firstly, apples are a great source of fiber.
Fiber is an essential nutrient for parrots, promoting a healthy gut and ensuring that the rest of their diet moves smoothly through their digestive system.
Your parrotlet will always benefit from more fiber.
Further, apples are loaded with all sorts of vitamins.
They contain copious amounts of vitamin C, which, among other things, is a powerful antioxidant.
Antioxidants prevent the formation of free radicals in your parrotlet’s cells.
Free radicals cause oxidative damage over time if left unchecked, and this leads to a variety of degenerative illnesses.
Apples are also rich in vitamin K.
Apples also contain healthy amounts of some really important minerals.
Copper is most prevalent, and apples are fairly uncommon in fruit terms for their high copper content.
Copper helps your parrotlet form red blood cells and keeps blood vessels and nerves healthy.
It also helps your parrotlet to absorb iron.
Finally, apples also contain a good deal of potassium.
Among other things, potassium helps maintain the levels of fluid inside your parrotlet’s cells.
So, plainly apples are very good for parrotlets—but, as always, there are important caveats.
Are apples bad for parrotlets?
No, apples are not inherently bad for parrotlets.
They won’t do the parrotlet any harm, and they aren’t toxic or poisonous.
Eating a small piece of apple will not harm your parrotlet.
That said, there are some important things to remember.
As you can see, apples are extremely nutrient-rich.
They contain a great deal that will benefit your parrotlet.
But your parrotlet is only small, and so it really only needs to eat a small amount to get the full range of benefits from it.
If it eats too much, the negatives will quickly outweigh the benefits.
Too much apple will mean your parrotlet is straining to digest it, and thus it will cause digestive problems and pain.
This can lead to simple cramps which pass with time, but it can also lead to diarrhea.
The other thing to remember is that apples are high in water content, which can also fill your parrotlet up quite quickly.
So, while apples are not bad for parrotlets, they certainly can be if you overfeed them on apples.
At most, you should give your parrotlet apples in small slices once or twice a week.
During the rest of the week, swap the apple out for other fruits and vegetables.
This will achieve two things.
One, it will mean your parrotlet is getting the best range of nutrients and health benefits while not overfilling on ay one thing.
Two, it will mean your parrotlet is not getting bored of the same old treats all the time.
This, as I mentioned, is just as important in many ways.
Now, with that out of the way, there’s more than one part of an apple—is it all safe?
Can parrotlets eat apple flesh?
Let’s start with the flesh.
You will probably not be surprised to learn that your parrotlet can eat the flesh of an apple just fine, and this is what it will be most interested in.
This is also the part of the apple most nutritious and beneficial.
So, yes, your parrotlet can eat apple flesh.
As I said, it’s best to cut the apple up somewhat to prepare it for them, as they might struggle with a whole apple.
Their beaks will be able to eat it a bit, but it’s still worth making it easier for them.
What about the skin?
Can parrotlets eat apple skin?
Yes, your parrotlet can also eat apple skin.
It probably won’t be as interested in the skin as it is in the flesh, but it will nonetheless want to eat it.
And, as is often the case with many fruits, the skin does actually contain a higher concentration of vitamins than the flesh of the fruit.
So, eating the skin does have its benefits.
Your parrotlet will enjoy eating the skin of the apple, and there is a benefit there for it.
However, try to give it more flesh than skin—the skin is really just a bonus for them.
What about the seeds?
Can parrotlets eat apple seeds?
I would advise removing the seeds before letting your parrotlet have the apple.
You may be surprised to learn that apple seeds actually contain cyanide, in very small amounts.
However, for a parrotlet who has ground up the seeds to be able to eat them, this is when the seeds can become most dangerous.
Again, it is unlikely to do any real harm, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Don’t let your parrotlet have apple seeds.
Does the same apply to the core?
Can parrotlets eat apple cores?
A deseeded apple core is probably fine for your parrotlet, but I would still exercise caution.
Again, personally, I would just give them slices of apple, and not worry about the core or the seeds.
The core will also contain trace amounts of cyanide—probably not enough to be a problem, but there’s not much benefit to it, either.
Don’t give your parrotlet the apple cores—just give them the apple, and make things easier for them.
What about varieties of apples?
Can parrotlets eat green apples?
Yes, parrotlets can eat green apples.
There are obviously countless types of green apples out there, and the vast majority are perfectly fine and healthy for your parrotlet.
The only thing I would avoid is cooking apples, which are typically green.
These are going to be a bit tough for your parrotlet, as well as harder to digest and ultimately more nutrient dense.
This may sound like a good thing, but again, it’s just going to fill them up too quickly.
Any green variety like Granny Smith will be just fine for your parrotlet.
Can parrotlets eat red apples?
So, what about the red varieties?
Again, yes, there is really nothing wrong with any variety of apple.
They’re all mostly water anyway!
But, again, the only thing I would really advise you to stay away from is cooking apples.
Some varieties of red apple are quite a bit more sugary than some, though, like red delicious.
So, if you can get something else, that would be ideal.
But for the most part any variety will be fine, it’s just a case of remembering not to give them apple too often, being sure to remove the seeds, and slice it up for them before you let them have it.
So, avoiding the seeds and the core, parrotlets can eat any and all kinds of apples.
They will make a great addition to the parrotlet’s diet, and your parrotlet will benefit both in terms of nutrition and the excitement of a new treat.
Just remember that they need balance and variety just as we do, and apple alone cannot sustain them.
See it as a treat on top of their regular diet.