Many parrots are native to countries where mangos are grown, including macaws, African gray parrots, Senegal, Eclectus, Alexandrine, quaker, and Amazon parrots.
Parrots can eat mango flesh and skin, but the stone contains traces of cyanide, so it must be removed.
This nutritious tropical stone fruit provides vitamins A, B6, C, and K and potassium, iron, and folate. A mango’s phytochemicals have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Mangos (Mangifera indica) are sweet, juicy, and flavorful, which parrots enjoy eating.
Is Mango Good for Parrots?
Mango consumption is encouraged due to its numerous health benefits. Mango is a delicious treat for parrots who crave this succulent tropical fruit’s sweet flavor and juiciness.
Fruit is essential to a parrot’s diet because it provides vitamins and minerals they may not get from other food sources. Fruit is found in abundance in their natural habitats.
However, mangos have a pit in the center. While mango seeds are edible when cooked, the raw pit is toxic. So, mango must be appropriately prepared before being offered to parrots.
The flesh of the mango is healthy for parrots, so it’s okay for them to eat. Mango is perfectly safe as long as the pit is removed before serving.
Mango contains vitamins and minerals that can keep a parrot healthy. When fed as part of a balanced diet, mango reduces the chances of various health conditions developing.
Mango offers the following health benefits:
Vitamin C
There’s 36.4 mg of vitamin C per 100 g of mango. While this isn’t as much as guavas (228 mg), mango contains more vitamin C than many other popular fruits, such as bananas and apples.
Parrots need vitamin C (ascorbic acid) for the following reasons:
- Robust immune health.
- Reduced blood pressure and decreased risk of stroke.
- Healing from cuts, wounds, and abrasions.
- Blood sugar regulation.
- Preventing respiratory issues.
- Cataract prevention.
However, unlike humans, parrots can produce vitamin C from glucose in the liver.
Vitamin A
According to MSD Manual, vitamin A is crucial for a healthy immune system. Parrots fed an all-seed diet are most at risk from vitamin A deficiencies.
The signs of a vitamin A deficiency (hypovitaminosis A) include:
- Nasal discharge.
- Sneezing.
- Swelling around the eyes.
- Conjunctivitis (red eye).
- Shortness of breath.
- Passing large amounts of urine (polyuria).
- Excessive thirst or drinking.
- Poor feather quality.
- Feather picking.
- Malnutrition.
- Secondary bacterial infections.
With 54 mcg per 100 grams, feeding your parrot mango is one way to avoid a vitamin A deficiency.
Vitamin K
There is 4.2 ug of vitamin K in every 100 grams of mango. While mango doesn’t have as much vitamin K as lettuce, it still gives parrots a welcome boost.
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for strong bones and healthy eggshells, reducing the chances of chick mortality.
It also promotes blood clotting, preventing cuts and scrapes from bleeding profusely. When a parrot has a severe vitamin K deficiency, it’s at risk of internal hemorrhages.
Antioxidants
According to MDPI, mango is a rich source of polyphenols, including:
- Mangiferin.
- Gallic acid.
- Gallotannins.
- Quercetin.
- Isoquercetin.
- Ellagic acid.
- β-glucogallin.
Mango contains 25 carotenoids. As described by Science Media Exchange, carotenoids convert into vitamin A, improving a parrot’s immune defenses and preventing cellular damage.
Potassium
Psittacines need trace minerals, such as potassium, in their diet. Potassium is necessary for bone development, regulating fluids, muscle and nerve function, hormone creation, and heart health.
There’s 168 mg of potassium in 100 grams of mango. Bananas are another rich source of potassium if you’re seeking an alternative fruit that a parrot enjoys eating in the wild.
The consumption of high-potassium fruits should be moderated if the parrot has kidney problems.
Folate
Mango is a rich source of folate. Parrots need folate to form uric acid, a waste product expelled from the parrot’s body in the form of urates.
Parrots with a folate deficiency may experience the following:
- Anemia.
- A weakened immune system.
- Impaired cell division.
- Under-development of the reproductive tract.
Nutritional Information of Mango
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), one cup of raw mango (165g) contains:
| Nutrient or Mineral | Amount |
| Calories | 99 kcal |
| Protein | 1.35 g |
| Fat | 0.627 g |
| Carbohydrates | 24.7 g |
| Sugars | 22.5 g |
| Fiber | 2.64 g |
| Calcium | 18.2 mg |
| Magnesium | 16.5 mg |
| Phosphorous | 23.1 mg |
| Potassium | 277 mg |
| Folate | 71 µg |
| Vitamin A | 89.1 µg |
| Vitamin C | 60.1 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.196 mg |
| Vitamin K | 6.9 µg |
Can Parrots Eat Mango Skin?
Some owners mistakenly believe mango skin to be inedible and throw it away.
However, the skin of mangoes is high in antioxidants and essential nutrients, including fiber, which is beneficial to a parrot’s digestive system.
While the skin is fun for parrots to tear through, it has a slightly bitter taste, which some parrots might not enjoy. The skin also contains urushiol, which is a mix of organic chemicals.
Although not toxic, it causes an allergic reaction in some parrots.
Can Parrots Eat Mango Seed?
As mango is a stone fruit, mango seed contains a compound called amygdalin. When eaten, it’s broken down into hydrogen cyanide, which is poisonous.
Cyanide isn’t a heat-stable substance that doesn’t survive cooking, so roasting the mango seed is the best way to make them safe for parrots to eat. However, it’s recommended that the stone is removed.
Can Parrots Have Dried Mango?
Freeze-drying locks in a mango’s beneficial vitamins and minerals. However, when getting dried mango from the grocery store, check the ingredients list.
Avoid products that contain sulfides, as they sometimes cause an allergic reaction. Similarly, avoid any products that contain preservatives and additives.
Can Parrots Drink Mango Juice?
As long as mango juice is prepared from fresh mango, it’s okay for parrots to drink. You can put it in a parrot’s water dish. If the flavor is too strong or sweet, you can dilute it with fresh water.
Store-bought mango juice is high in sugar and additives to keep it fresher for longer. So, it’s unsuitable for parrots as it may lead to weight gain.
Due to the manufacturing process, it might not have the same nutrients as fresh juice.
How To Prepare And Feed Parrots Mango?
Wash the mango, remove the seed/stone, and cut the fruit into manageable portions. Feed the mango directly to the parrot and let them tear it into pieces.
Alternatively, remove the skin and seed and cut it into small bite-sized chunks. Then, put them in a dish and let the parrot pick them out. This is the cleanest method, but it removes nutrients below the skin.
Mangos are a good source of vitamins and minerals for parrots. Most parrots love the taste, texture, and juiciness of the fruit. However, limit the parrot’s mango intake due to the high sugar levels.
