No matter our age, the vast majority of us love ice cream.
I don’t know about you, but a nice ice cream snack from time to time that hits the spot.
Whether it’s after a sporting event, a dessert, a post-workout reward, or just an overall craving for ice cream, there isn’t a bad time to eat ice cream.
In fact, I even have my own ice cream maker, it’s this one on Amazon!
However, as we all know, eating too much ice cream can cause serious health issues.
Thus, why it’s best to eat ice cream as a treat, and not a daily meal.
Nonetheless, if you’re reading this then you’re probably wondering if parrots can eat ice cream.
To answer this question…the answer is for the most part, yes, parrots can eat ice cream on occasion. Although they shouldn’t be fed ice cream every single day, a little bit of ice cream on occasion won’t hurt them.
Plus, parrots are lactose intolerant which means they’ll get an upset stomach or worse upon eating dairy.
Luckily there are a lot of dairy-free options available that might be a little better for them.
It’s also important to note that certain kinds of ice cream should be completely avoided since parrots can die from some of the flavors in ice cream.
To understand more about parrots eating ice cream, this article is going to take an in-depth look at the subject.
We’re going to go over whether or not they even like ice cream, how much they can eat, the benefits and negatives of a parrot eating ice cream, and everything else pertaining to the subject. Let’s take a look!
Do parrots like ice cream?
Who doesn’t love ice cream?
Just like you’d expect, parrots really enjoy ice cream.
Because of their love for it, you might want to give them ice cream more often than not, but you should really try to avoid this.
Since a lot of parrots, if not all of them, are lactose intolerant, something heavy in dairy like ice cream will upset their stomach.
Thus, why it’s important to not go too crazy with feeding them ice cream.
How much ice cream can a parrot eat?
As noted, a parrot shouldn’t eat a lot of ice cream.
For the most part, giving them an ice cream treat once a month should be okay.
However, if they react negatively to it then obviously don’t give them any more ice cream.
Once you check with their veterinarian to make sure they’re okay to eat ice cream, only give a tiny bit of ice cream on a spoon.
It shouldn’t be anything larger than a teaspoon of ice cream because as noted, they’re lactose intolerant.
Related – Can Parrots Eat Jello?
What are the benefits of a parrot eating ice cream?
Surprisingly enough, there are some benefits of a parrot eating ice cream. Let’s go over what those benefits are:
Gives a burst of energy
Ever eat some ice cream then all of a sudden have a burst of energy?
That’s due to the amount of carbohydrates that are in ice cream, which causes someone to have a temporary boost in energy.
Although there is a downswing afterward that causes people to want to rest, there is technically an initial boost of energy.
That same boost of energy occurs in parrots when they eat ice cream as well.
Promotes happiness
On a hot and sweaty day, there is nothing better than a little bit of ice cream.
It makes us happy and thrilled with joy as we eat our tasty frozen dessert.
That same sense of happiness from ice cream occurs in parrots as well.
Especially in their world since they’ve never tasted anything like ice cream before.
Has calcium in it
The only real nutritional benefit that comes from ice cream is the calcium that’s in.
Since it has a lot of dairy in it, ice cream is loaded with calcium.
Just like humans, parrots need calcium.
Next time you eat a gallon of ice cream, just tell people you’re getting your calcium for the week.
What are the negatives of a parrot eating ice cream?
As expected, there are countless negatives of a parrot eating ice cream.
Let’s go over what those negatives are:
Lactose intolerance
As stated already, parrots are allergic to dairy.
Their bodies can’t handle processing foods that contain dairy.
Although it’s not as difficult for them to process the milk in ice cream, too much of it will eventually upset their stomach and cause an issue down the line.
There are dairy-free alternatives, but the sugar content and ingredients found in those aren’t much better health-wise.
High in sugar
As we all know, ice cream is extremely high in sugar.
Other than the sugar found in fruit, parrots shouldn’t be on a high-sugar diet.
Thus, why treats like ice cream shouldn’t be a common thing to give to them.
Low in nutrients
As you can probably guess, ice cream has hardly any nutritional value to it.
It’s a big reason why ice cream is extremely unhealthy to eat frequently.
Parrots need to get their daily nutrients and ice cream isn’t a good source to achieve said nutrients.
Thus, why something like ice cream should only be eaten on occasion after they’ve already eaten their required nutrients.
Has a lot of calories
Another issue with ice cream is the amount of calories that are in it.
A parrot doesn’t require a ton of calories and overfeeding your parrot will cause them to have some health issues.
Which is why it’s best to stick to their normal diet and only give them a special treat like ice cream every once and a while.
Can parrots eat chocolate ice cream?
Out of all of the flavors of ice cream available, chocolate ice cream should always be avoided with a parrot.
Parrots are extremely allergic to anything with chocolate in it and can die from it.
Just like dogs, parrots cannot eat chocolate otherwise they’ll face some major health issues.
Whenever you decide to give your parrot some ice cream, always double-check to make sure there isn’t any chocolate in it.
Since it’s so harmful to them, even just a little bit of chocolate can cause serious complications.
Can parrots eat vanilla ice cream?
Of the dairy-based ice creams available, a plain vanilla ice cream is suitable for a parrot.
If you and your family are enjoying some vanilla cones, consider giving your parrot a couple of drops of your vanilla ice cream.
They’ll love it and the plainness of vanilla ice cream won’t upset their stomach too much.
However, as noted throughout this article, don’t give them too much.
Can parrots eat dairy-free ice cream?
If you want to give your parrot some ice cream, your best bet is to give them a vanilla plant-based ice cream.
With the recent emergence of plant-based diets, there are countless options to choose from in the non-dairy world of ice cream.
Almond-based ice cream is probably the best option for them to eat, but soy-based ice cream can work as well.
The only issue with soy is that some parrots are allergic to soy.
Nonetheless, get a plant-based ice cream that doesn’t have any chocolate in it and they should be good to go.
However, realize that they shouldn’t be overfed plant-based ice cream.
Although it’s dairy-free, it’s practically just as unhealthy as normal ice cream.
A treat every now and then isn’t too big of a deal.
What other kinds of ice cream can a parrot eat?
For the most part, parrots can eat any kind of ice cream that is plain and not filled with other flavors.
Vanilla is the best option, but they can eat a bit of vanilla peanut butter ice cream as well.
However, just like dairy, a bird shouldn’t eat too much peanut butter since it can be harmful to them.
A peanut butter ice cream probably isn’t the best option to give them.
If you can think of other flavors like mint to feed them, it’s probably okay for them to eat, but always double-check with their veterinarian and make sure there isn’t any chocolate in it for them to eat.
What kinds of ice cream should a parrot avoid?
The unfortunate reality is that most flavors of ice cream should be avoided for a parrot’s diet.
They’re not meant to eat ice cream, but plain flavors like vanilla is probably okay for them to eat every now and then.
If you decide to feed your parrot a bit of ice cream, it might shock you how much they end up loving it.
Remember to avoid chocolate at all costs since it can potentially kill them.
Just like us, parrots love ice cream, but it’s better to avoid it most of the time than it is to give to them.
With the end of this article, you should have more knowledge on the dangers of parrots eating too much ice cream, and how it’s harmless for them to eat it every now and then.
If you eat ice cream frequently, then obviously don’t give some of your ice cream this frequently to your parrot since it can cause them a lot of harm.
Every month or so, maybe give a little bit of plain vanilla or plant-based vanilla ice cream on a spoon for them to eat.
They’ll love it and the two of you can enjoy some ice cream together!