Pigeons are some of the most commonly found birds in the world. They are mostly found in urban areas. They do not need much to survive. They do not need much to eat. In the wild, they mostly eat things like grains, seeds, and on occasion, small insects. These things fulfill their feeding requirement and provide them with a balanced diet. However, once you have a domesticated bird on your hands, you take mother nature’s role as a provider for them. You can very well feed them seeds and other foods they might seem to enjoy; however, you might be curious if strawberries are a good thing to feed your pigeon.
Strawberries are some of the most nutritious foods found in nature. They are tasty, and almost everyone likes them. You can also feed strawberries to your pigeon if you want. There are no side effects that can be caused by this fruit. However, you should wash them whenever you are feeding them to your bird. This practice can clean off and eliminate any chemicals that were sprayed on it to repel bugs and insects.
One thing you should, however, be very careful about is that you will have to practice moderation whenever you are feeding any animal. Their digestive systems are not made like ours, and there are a lot of fruits and vegetables that cannot be passed on to them. An example of that would be to avoid dairy products when you feed your birds as they are lactose intolerant. Strawberries might be safe to eat; however, an abundance of these berries can give your pet pigeon hypersensitivity because they are very high in natural sugars. You might also have a pigeon that might be allergic to them. Hence you should feed them in smaller quantities, in the beginning, to see if there are any allergies. If they are safe for them, then do keep on giving it to them once a week as a treat. Your pigeon will enjoy it very much.
benefits of feeding your pigeon strawberries:
Strawberries are some of the tastiest and good looking foods in nature. You might have seen ice cream or yogurt commercials where they show strawberries, and you might be tempted to go out and buy that product just for that. Humans are not the only being that loves to eat them. You might have even heard of strawberry crops being attacked by pigeons and insects, which is a testament to the fact that pigeons do love them. However, liking the taste of fruit and it being good for them is not the same thing. There are so many things found in nature which they might have access to and eat but can give them diseases like diarrhea. Hence, let us see what the benefits of giving your pigeon strawberries are?
FIBERS:
Strawberries are a great source of fiber. They constitute almost a quarter of the nutritional content available inside strawberries. They are very crucial in the improvement of the digestive system and overall metabolism. They also help a lot in removing excess fat and weight loss. Fibre also helps in the elimination and prevention of many diseases that your pigeon might get affected.
VITAMIN C:
Strawberries are also a great source of the antioxidant called Vitamin C. This helps a lot in the improvement of the immune system and prevention of diseases. Vitamin C is also great for the improvement of feather health which leads to your pigeon looking very aesthetically pleasing.
VITAMIN B9:
Vitamin B9 is another antioxidant that is found in strawberries. This antioxidant helps in tissue growth, which is very important in case your bird gets injured. This also helps in the improvement of normal cell functions.
MANGANESE:
Manganese is an essential mineral that is important for many processes that are happening in the body.
POTASSIUM:
Another mineral that can be found in strawberries is potassium which helps in the regulation of blood pressure and keeping it in a normal range.
can strawberries be toxic to your pigeon?
Pigeons eat a myriad of foods. They are not very picky when it comes to feeding them. They will very quickly eat whatever you present to them. However, you will have to be very choosy in the things you provide them. A perfect example of something you should never feed your pigeon is Avocado which can be very toxic to your pigeon due to the toxins inside of it. So, can a strawberry be toxic?
No, Strawberries are entirely safe from a feeding point of view as we mentioned earlier; however, you will have to wash them before you serve them to your dog. The reason for this is that wild birds like pigeons will usually attack strawberry crops to eat them. The farmers in an attempt to mitigate this put pesticide on their fields which is highly toxic to birds and insects. Hence, whenever you want to feed your pigeon strawberries or any other fruit, you should wash it. This pesticide can effectively even kill your pigeon if not washed first.
what about strawberry seeds?
You might be concerned about strawberry seeds if they are safe for your pigeon to eat. Not all seeds that come from fruits are safe. Apple seeds that are at the core of an apple are very toxic to your pet bird since they have trace quantities of cyanide inside of them. In the case of strawberry seeds, however, you can be assured that you can feed it to them with no problems whatsoever. These seeds have no poison, but a ton of fiber in them which as I mentioned earlier is useful for preventing a lot of diseases.
what about the strawberry leaves?
Strawberry leaves can be eaten so there is no harm in your pigeon taking a bite out of them as long as they have been rinsed in water. This is important to clean off any pesticide which we established earlier is very dangerous for your pigeon. Hence wash them with water and feed them to your pigeon.
how often can you give your pigeon strawberries:
As we mentioned earlier, the best thing you can practice when it comes to food for your pets is balance and moderation. Some foods may be okay in small quantities while other foods might not, so you should always know what amounts are OK for your pets. In the case of strawberries for your domesticated pet pigeon, we recommend that it be given to them only once a week as a treat. You should treat it as a treat (pun not intended) because it has very high quantities of natural sugars inside of them. High sugar quantities are not suitable for any of your pet birds due to the chance of developing hypersensitivity. So, remember not to give them this more than once a week if you do not want a sick pet bird.
what else can you give your pigeon?
We have covered strawberries as a safe and healthy food to give your pet pigeon. But are some other things that can become a part of the diet for your pigeon. Let us discuss this further:
The most important thing that should always be on your pigeon’s feeding menu is seeds. They are what drives them. They have all the needed nutrients, and they are great for them. As a rule, your pigeon’s daily diet should consist of 50 percent seeds. Seeds are not only good for them from a feeding point of view, but they also give them their glow as it nourishes their feathers. Another thing they help in is strengthening its immune system. So, you are allowed to go crazy with the seeds if you want but do keep on giving them other things from time to time.
You can also feed them other fruits as well apart from strawberries. You can go with other berries like raspberries or grapes. You can also give your pigeon apples from time to time as a treat. You should, however, cut them into small pieces to avoid the cyanide seeds lurking in the core of your apples. All of these fruits should be washed before serving to prevent your pet pigeon from getting killed by poisonous pesticides.
Vegetables like spinach, lettuce, and broccoli are also good for your pigeon due to their nutritional benefits.
things to avoid:
There are some things you need to avoid, like the plague to feed your pigeon. These things are very toxic to your pigeon, can make them sick,
and even kill them in the long run.
The first thing you need to avoid feeding your pigeon is a green called Avocado. This has a toxin called Persin which has fungal properties. This can lead to diseases like asthma and heart disease.
Another harmless-looking food item that needs to be avoided is chocolate. These are filled with caffeine which can cause a disease called Hypersensitivity which can be very bad for your pet pigeon.
High-Fat fried items like french fries are also banned due to the inability of digestion of these items in your pigeons.
conclusion:
So, in conclusion, you can very safely feed your pigeon strawberries. It will be useful to only give it to them once a week. Washing them before giving it to them is very important for the safety of your pigeon.