Kiwi fruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is associated with New Zealand. The fruit was originally native to the East, earning it the name the Chinese gooseberry.
Many parrots will love the taste of kiwi, as it’s sweet and juicy. Some parrots also enjoy pecking their way through the fuzzy skin that houses kiwi. A kiwi’s flesh, seeds, and juice are safe for parrots.
Kiwi is packed with vitamins and minerals that bolster the health of parrots. This fruit contains calcium, which staves off hypocalcemia, and lots of Vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system.
Antioxidants are also found in kiwi, staving off serious illnesses as parrots age. At the same time, the fiber in kiwis promotes an active and healthy digestive tract.
All fruit must be served to birds in moderation, and no parrot should eat more than one kiwi a week. Smaller breeds of parrots should only eat half a kiwi at most.
Do Parrots Like Kiwi Fruit?
All parrots have unique likes and dislikes, but kiwi is likely to be a universal favorite.
Most parrots are drawn to sweet tastes, and the sugar found in kiwi will override the acidic properties of this fruit. Many parrots also eat kiwis in the wild.
If you offer kiwi to a parrot, it’ll likely accept the fruit without a second thought. Knowing that parrots enjoy kiwi is only half the question, as we also need to ask, “is kiwi safe for parrots?”
Are Parrots Allowed Kiwi Fruit?
While all fruit needs to be fed to parrots in moderation, there are undeniable health benefits to bringing kiwi into your bird’s diet. The nutritional information for 75 grams of kiwi fruit is as follows:
| Calories | 42 |
| Fat | 0.4g |
| Sodium | 3.8mg |
| Carbohydrates | 10.1g |
| Fiber | 2.1 |
| Sugar | 6.7g |
| Protein | 0.8g |
| Vitamin C | 56mg |
| Potassium | 148mg |
The only real issue is the sugar content, as kiwi contains more sugar than many other fruits, which can lead to stomach and digestive upsets in parrots.
Calcium
Perhaps the most significant advantage of bringing kiwi into your parrot’s diet is the high quantities of calcium in the fruit. Clinical Endocrinology of Companion Animals confirms that hypocalcemia (calcium deficiency) is a common concern in birds.
Parrots rely on their diet to obtain this mineral. By feeding kiwi to your parrot, you can negate the need to offer supplementation. Vary kiwi with other calcium-rich fruits.
Vitamin C
Despite the acidic qualities of kiwi, it’s not a citrus fruit. However, kiwi is just as high in Vitamin C. Introducing kiwi to your parrot’s diet will ensure a robust immune system.
Digestive Health
Look back over the nutritional data of kiwi, and you’ll notice that the fruit is high in fiber.
The European Journal of Nutrition explains how one-third of this is soluble and the remainder insoluble. Both types of fiber ensure that your parrot enjoys a healthy digestive tract.
Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your parrot’s stool, making excretion easier for a parrot. Meanwhile, soluble fiber helps your parrot digest solid foods and absorb vitamins.
Antioxidants
Kiwi is considered a superfood due to the presence of antioxidants in the fruit, as confirmed by the Biological and Clinical Sciences Research Journal. Choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin are all prominent in kiwi, neutralizing free radicals in a parrot’s body.
Antioxidants are critical to parrot health, as they minimize the risk of developing serious illnesses later in life. Kiwi is also rich in flavonoids, which work with Vitamin C to keep a parrot healthy.
Is Kiwi Dangerous for Parrots?
There are few particular risks to feeding kiwi to a parrot beyond the usual caveats; any fruit should be fed sparingly and not make up a parrot’s primary diet.
Kiwi is also higher in sugar than some fruits, so that should be taken under advisement.
According to Advances in Dermatology and Allergology, it can send humans into anaphylaxis. Parrots can experience anaphylaxis, so ensure your parrot isn’t allergic to kiwi before feeding.
How to Feed Kiwi to Parrots
It’s inadvisable to offer a parrot a whole kiwi fruit to eat in a single serving. Larger parrots may be able to consume the fruit without adverse effects, but kiwi spoils quickly at room temperature once peeled.
It’s better to cut the kiwi into slices and feed it over several days. Keep the fruit refrigerated between servings. Once you have done so, there are four components to kiwi, all of which are safe for parrots to enjoy in moderation.
Kiwi Flesh
When offered this fruit, most people look forward to a kiwi’s juicy, chewy flesh. Parrots are no exception; your bird will likely go crazy for this delicious snack.
Kiwi flesh should be chopped before feeding it to a parrot. Once this has been done, you can hand-feed your parrot. Alternatively, dice the kiwi into small, bite-sized chunks and place them in a bowl in the cage.
Kiwi Skin
Most people peel away the distinctive furry skin that coats a kiwi fruit.
It’s optional whether you do the same before offering kiwi to a parrot. Some birds enjoy working through the skin, while others find it irritating and frustrating.
If your parrot does have a taste for kiwi skin, plenty of benefits will be gained – most notably, a sizable presence of folic acid and Vitamin E, both of which are essential to the long-term health of a parrot.
Kiwi Seeds
Unlike some popular fruits, kiwi seeds don’t contain cyanide.
They’re also very small and unlikely to pose a choking hazard in even the smallest parrots. Better yet, kiwi seeds are packed with goodness that will benefit parrots.
The main benefit of kiwi seeds is the presence of Omega-3 fats.
The Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery warns that atherosclerosis (the hardening of arteries) is a common concern in companion birds, and Omega-3 works to minimize this risk of atherosclerosis.
Kiwi Juice
Water is important to parrots, but they can be fussy about hydration. If your parrot isn’t drinking enough, a range of health concerns can present themselves.
Can parrots drink kiwi juice? They certainly can, and this is another excellent way to get Vitamin C into your parrot, as well as staving off the risks of dehydration.
Be mindful of offering a parrot pure kiwi juice to drink, as this can make them more reluctant to consume water. Try squeezing a few drops into a water bottle.
This will sweeten the taste of water, attracting a parrot but still providing hydration.
How Much Kiwi Can Parrots Have?
Any fruit, but especially is high in sugar like kiwi, should be served to parrots sparingly.
It’s inadvisable to offer more than one whole kiwi to parrot in a week. Excess sugar can lead to weight gain, while parrots can also get too much calcium.
Equally, parrots can be fussy eaters, especially once they develop a taste for a particular food. Parrots may start rejecting other foods, including those that contain essential vitamins and minerals, if they think more kiwi may be an option.
Kiwi fruit contains plenty of nutrition that benefits parrots and can be a great addition to any bird’s diet, especially when used as a training reward or a treat.
Kiwi is among the tastiest and healthiest fruits you can offer a parrot.
