Grapes are great for canaries! Although, remember to deseed them first as they may be a choking hazard for your feathery friend! However, if you forget to deseed a couple, it’s not the end of the world as one or two seeds shouldn’t be a problem!
In this article, you will find out more than if your canaries can eat grapes, so read till the end to find out how much grape your canaries should be eating and what happens if your canary eats too many grapes!
Here is an article I’ve written about a canaries’ diet in general! This article should have some interesting information that you might find handy! “
If you’re looking for a great article on something else lovebirds can eat, try my article “Can Canaries Eat Watermelon (Plus Are Watermelon Seeds Safe?)“
Table of Contents
- Can Canaries Eat Grapes?
- The Health Benefits Of Grapes For Canaries
- How Many Grapes Should Canaries Eat?
- Can Canaries Eat Too Many Grapes?
- Five Foods Canaries Shouldn’t Eat!
- The Dirty Dozen
- The Recap
Can Canaries Eat Grapes?
Canaries love grapes! The benefit of adding grapes to your canaries’ range of tastes can do amazing things! From the stress relief benefits of vitamin C to the potassium properties of keeping their metabolism in check!
Grapes are definitely a great berry you and your canary can bond over while having a healthy little snack together!
Although, try to remember moderation when it comes to grapes, as too many can cause some problems! However, there are plenty of warning signs that will let you know that something isn’t quite right!
The Health Benefits Of Grapes For Canaries
Grapes are packed full of nutritional goodness. Although grapes are not meant to be part of your bird’s main diet, the vitamins and minerals that come inside this juicy berry have been known to help prevent chronic diseases!
If that’s not enough, how about reducing stress? Grapes have a good Vitamin C content which is great at helping your bird stay mentally stable. Sounds pretty great, right? But the list of beneficial nutrients doesn’t stop there. Read on to see a little more into what grapes can provide for your canary!
Let’s look deeper into the nutrients found in grapes, and what they can do for your canary!
- This is an important vitamin for your canary to have. Vitamin C is great at reducing stress.
- Having a Vitamin C deficiency can be detrimental to your little guys’ overall mental health.
- Vitamin C is great for the immune system and creating antibodies! Which will keep your birdie healthy!
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
- Thiamin keeps your bird’s nervous system in check! Keeping their coordination and motor controls working the way they should be!
- A deficiency in Vitamin B1 can be a miner as a loss of appetite to something more serious as seizures and even, in some extreme cases, loss of life.
- Don’t worry! Many foods have enough vitamin B to keep them happy and coordinated while clambering from curtains to cages!
- Potassium is great for aiding the speed of their metabolism, as well as helping strengthen bones.
- This mineral is great for reducing blood pressure while at the same time helping to retain water!
- High Potassium diets help prevent strokes as well as keeping diseases like osteoporosis and kidney stones at bay.
- Vitamin B6 is great for breaking down proteins, which is incredibly important for healthy living!
- Lack of Vitamin B6 is known to stunt growth and cause a lack of appetite.
- Egg production can be harder with a lack of vitamin B6. Grapes help in many ways!
- This is a great compound for helping to fight free radicals! Which damages cells over a period of time.
How Many Grapes Should Canaries Eat?
When it comes to how many grapes a canary should eat, the rule of thumb is roughly 1-2 grapes a week! Try not to feed your canaries grapes two days in a row as this will lead to problems that we will talk about soon! Sticking to one or two grapes a week will be ample!
I like to remember the rule “80/20” when it comes to food for birds. Usually, 80% of your canaries’ diet will come from pellets, and the other 20% will be berries/ fruit and vegetables. This way, the bulk of their nutrition will be covered by their main food source, and the great benefits of the fruit and vegetable will cover the rest! This will also be a great way to open your bird up to new flavors as well as bond with you while you spend time with them!
Now that we have covered the 80/20 rule, when it comes to eating grapes try to either cut it up into pieces and feed them bit by bit or letting them go wild on a whole grape! Either will keep them entertained for a bit!
Remember to rinse your grapes first, even when buying organic! This is a great good habit to get into when feeding your bird fresh produce!
Can Canaries Eat Too Many Grapes?
Unfortunately, yes. Canaries can eat too many grapes. Usually, grapes contain 12grams of fructose (natural sugars) which is fine for humans. However, birds don’t create enough of the enzyme necessary to break down the sugars and could lead to problems down the line which could be minor as upset tummies (which could get messy) to more serious problems such as obesity and diabetes!
If their tummies do get a bit upset, get ready for some squidgy poos! Not to worry, reduce their grape intake and add some fiber! They’ll be happy in no time. Remember, grapes are a great snack when given in the right amount but should only be given as a healthy snack. Don’t forget, usually, fruits and vegetables should only be 20% of your canaries’ diet.
Yes! Birds can get diabetes too. Too much sugar, just like with humans, can lead to diabetes and other diseases, as well as heart disorders. Sugar can be a great treat or a harmful toxin, depending on the quantity. Before you throw out all sugar, remember moderation. Keep to one or two grapes a week, and you will keep your friend happy, healthy, and active.
Five Foods Canaries Shouldn’t Eat!
Granted not everything on this list is food, but will probably be news to you if you weren’t told or looked into it specifically.
To start off this list of Five:
Stay away from eggs where ever possible, as eggs lead to clogged arteries and possibly life-threatening health conditions.
Birds have a keen sense of smell! Ideally, you want to have your canaries cage positioned in an open space away from the smoke of the kitchen and fragrances of Air fresheners.
Many kitchen pots and pans are made from Teflon, which usually is no big deal to humans. However, if overheated and burnt, Teflon emits harmful poisonous gas for birds, and in some serious cases, with no ventilation, it can cause some serious respiratory issues.
Human Processed Junk Foods
It may seem obvious but human junk foods need to be included on this list as some foods that we produce are incredibly toxic for your bird. We all think “Ah, one bite won’t hurt” but your canaries’ tummy is in no way equipped to handle some of the food we make.
Instead of giving your birdie a bite of the food, you find delicious. Find a natural, GMO-free fruit or vegetable for your bird to snack on! Everyone wants their bird to be healthy in all aspects of life, they will appreciate it!
Now, these next two. I’ve decided to combine them as chocolate contains small amounts of caffeine. I’m fully aware that chocolate and caffeine are man-made, but they truly do deserve their own paragraphs.
The reason chocolate and caffeine are so dangerous is all due to the size and strength of your canaries heart. Birds are only little creatures and really can’t handle the heart palpitations that coffee creates.
Have you ever had anxiety due to the feeling that your heart isn’t beating properly thanks to coffee? (I know I have, although it might be the long nights writing articles and endless cups of coffee)
Please try to remember those feelings next time you think it’s okay that they have a quick drink.
The Dirty Dozen
A CNN article linked “here” says, “After strawberries, the “dirty dozen,” in order, are apples, nectarines, peaches, celery, grapes, cherries, spinach, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers.” This article is definitely worth a read!
In short, remember to wash your grapes first to get rid of any nasty pesticides that could be harmful to your canary! Buying organic can help reduce this, but I usually wash them regardless, to be sure!
On to the final topic!
If you’ve made it to the end and are now reading the recap! Thank you. In this section, I like to cover the article’s highlights and go over the necessary information!
Can Canaries Eat Grapes?:
Yes, not only do canaries eat grapes, but it can be turned into a great exercise for you and your canary to bond over!
The Health Benefits Of Grapes For Canaries:
Grapes have amazing health benefits, and as long as they are fed in moderation can do provide stress relief, create the framework for a healthy mental space, and much more!
How Many Grapes Should Canaries Eat?: The rule of thumb here is going to have to be one or two a week. This will provide your canary with everything they need without becoming a risk!
Can Canaries Eat Too Many Grapes?: Yes, unfortunately, giving your canary grapes in abundance and missing all the warning signs can lead to some pretty serious problems like diabetes and heart disorders after a while.
Any Questions you have relating to this article or just for me in general, leave a comment down below in the comments section.
Disclaimer: I am not an expert. Some birds may react differently to different fruits. Please make sure you always slowly introduce a new food into their diet and keep an eye out for any adverse reactions. If your pet does start displaying symptoms of an adverse reaction, please contact your vet for advice.