While I was at my local farmer’s market, I found a stall selling guava.
I wasn’t sure what guava was, so I quickly checked Google on my mobile phone before making my purchase.
After finding out some interesting facts about it, I decided let’s figure out if guava is also safe for my parrot.
Let’s answer the question; can parrots eat guava?
Yes, parrots can eat guava. Your parrot may not enjoy the skin due to it having a bitter taste; however, the sweet flesh of the fruit they will find enjoyable. Officially on the non-toxic, safe foods list, you can confidently offer guava to your parrot.
It is always recommended to choose organic fruits or vegetables for your parrot with fresh food items to ensure optimal health.
Thoroughly wash all fruit and vegetables before offering them to your bird.
In this article, we will take a look at what guava is; if guava is safe for your parrot, is the entire fruit safe for my parrot, and much more.
Let’s jump into all the facts and work out the benefits of guava for our pet parrots.
What is guava?
Guava is a tropical fruit, round or oval in shape depending on the species, and has a familiar lemon scent.
Grown in countries such as India, China, and Thailand, they produced a phenomenal 55 million tonnes of guava fruit in 2019 and distributed it worldwide.
The guava has a strawberry taste combined with a pear, and some even say a mango flavor.
It is sweet when ripe but can be very sour if not riped, so be aware that if your parrot refuses the fruit, it could be due to it being unripened.
Can my parrot eat the entire guava?
Yes, wild parrots will devour the entire guava reasonably quickly, including the skin and seeds.
The skin and seeds can be bitter in flavor, so our pampered parrots may refuse these elements of the fruit, but it won’t harm them if they eat it.
It is worth noting that the seeds may cause a choking hazard for small or young parrots, and a worst-case scenario of choking is death.
Remove the seeds for young or small birds for this reason.
The one thing to be aware of is that the guava fruit is particularly susceptible to fruit flies, which accelerates the fruit’s rotting process.
If you can see any signs of fruit fly infestation, do not serve it to your parrot.
That can cause health complications and make them very unwell.
What are the benefits of guava for my parrot?
The guava fruit is packed full of fiber and vitamin C as well as folic acid.
Let’s take a look at how these things benefit our parrots.
Fiber
Fiber is very healthy for parrots and helps with their digestion.
Fiber stimulates the movement through the gut; therefore, it helps absorb other much-needed vitamins and minerals, optimizing your parrot’s all-around health.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, otherwise known as ascorbic acid, is essential for bone structure, blood vessels, connective tissues, and muscles.
It also helps aid the absorption of iron which assists red blood cell production.
Vitamin C deficiency can cause parrots issues, such as heat stress, and poor growth, and affects shell strength, leading to egg production problems.
Folic acid
Folic acid helps with cell division and aids the reproduction cycle.
It also helps with iron absorption, and without folic acid, a bird will become anemic.
This will cause other issues such as poor growth, reproduction failure, deformity of the upper mandible, bending of bones, and perosis.
Can parrots eat fresh guava?
Yes, fresh guava is the preferred choice for parrots.
Fresh, organic, and well-washed fruit are best for our parrots.
It is advised not to cook, mash or stew any fruits for parrots.
This causes a chemical reaction with the fruit to release fats and sugars, which is not beneficial.
Can parrots eat guava seeds?
Yes, parrots can eat guava seeds; however, they are bitter and sour in flavor.
Your parrot may refuse to eat them unless surrounded by the flesh of the fruit itself.
The seeds are not recommended for a smaller or young bird as they create a choking hazard.
How do I know if guava is ripe for my parrot?
First of all, you will want to check if the fruit is ripe.
Your parrot will likely refuse an unripened fruit due to its bitter taste; it is only when ripe it is sweet.
When guava ripens, the color will change from dark green to a lighter yellow-green; they can even have a pink hue.
Choose a light-colored fruit and check for any blemishes or entry signs of fruit flies.
A ripe fruit will have a soft touch under your fingers when squeezed lightly.
Also, check for the fruit’s scent.
You should be able to smell a sweet lemony scent without having to put it up to your nose.
You can buy unripened fruit which will be firm to the touch and a dark green color.
Placing guava at room temperature in a paper bag with other fruit such as bananas or apples will encourage the riping process.
The fruit may be covered in an edible wax to delay the ripening, so ensure to thoroughly wash your guava to aid them to ripen and remove anything harmful to your parrot.
Once the guava is ripe, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
How do I prepare guava for my parrot?
You can feed the whole fruit to your parrot; however, if you want to remove the skin and seeds for your bird, here is how to do it.
Simply wash the fruit to remove anything that may harm your parrot and dry.
Place the fruit on a chopping board, halve it, and cut it again into quarters as you would with an apple.
You can serve it this way to your bird if you are confident about the fruit’s skin and seeds.
If you wish to only feed your parrot the fruit’s flesh, take a spoon and scoop it out as you would with a kiwi.
Guava can have white or pink flesh, so don’t be surprised if it differs from time to time.
The seeds can be removed using the tip of a small knife- they are edible, but if you prefer to remove them, feel free.
Can all parrot species of parrots eat guava?
Yes, all parrots can eat guava safely.
Check your parrot’s dietary requirements as some species require different levels of fruits and vegetables.
A balance of all fresh food is needed for your parrot’s best possible health so ensure they have a varied intake.
Remember, small or younger parrots may struggle with the seeds so remove if required.
There you have a full and comprehensive account of all things guava and parrot related.
We have learned about the benefits of guava fruit for our parrots and the things to watch out for.
You can now enjoy the full preparation of guava fruit for your bird while they tuck into a new and exciting snack.
If you are ever unsure of new food in your parrot’s diet, always seek professional advice from your veterinary practitioner.