As a first-time pet bird owner, it may be extremely confusing to determine what fruits should be given to your feathery friends and whatnot. Initially, I myself was confused and not sure about whether oranges could be a good choice to give to my parrots when I brought home one.

But now, after having years of experience of raising not only one but three parrots, I can say for sure whether or not oranges are a good choice for them.

So, can parrots eat oranges? Yes, parrots can eat oranges since they are safe fruits for parrots. However, the amount of orange given to the parrots must be restrained as they are highly acidic fruits. When given in moderate amount and occasionally, oranges can be a good source of offering your parrots Vitamin C, B, and A.

I have always loved birds, but having one as your pet is a different story since you need to be extremely careful about what you feed them. Oranges are safe and a good choice of fruits to give to your parrots as long as you maintain restraint in the amount you offer your feathery friend.

Oranges being highly acidic fruits when given in a too much quantity or regularly can cause digestion discomforts in your bird.

To know in detail about how and in what quantity should oranges be given to your parrots or how they prove to be safe and excellent fruit choice, keep on reading.

A detailed insight into giving your parrots oranges

The majority of birds love to eat fruits and parrots are certainly one of them. Parrots are also tremendously social eaters and like sharing meals with their human companions. However, not everything that humans can eat or love to eat is healthy for your parrot.

And especially, when it comes to fruits, there are some fruits that parrots should never be given due to their toxic properties and negative effects on their health. (You should be careful with grapes, for example. We explain why in our grape article here.)

But then there are also fruits that are not only safe for parrots to eat but are also encouraged to be often included in a parrots’ diet.

Oranges are certainly such safe and healthy fruits for parrots.

However, whether you give your parrots fresh slices of oranges or dried oranges or orange juice, there are some precautions to be followed.

Nutritional value of oranges

Oranges are considered to be an extremely rich source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B, and Vitamin A. Oranges are also rich in dietary fiber and potassium. When fed in moderate amount, oranges can be a healthy and tasty supplement to your parrot’s diet.

It can be also given as a delicious and juicy treat. The vitamin C present in oranges helps in strengthening the immune system of parrots while promoting the digestion as well.

Then again, the sugar content being high in fruits like oranges, limiting the amount you give your parrots is also important.

Should orange peels be avoided or given to the parrots

While some parrots like to feast on the orange peels as well along with the inside part, some avoid eating peels. But it’s better to remove the peels and then give the oranges to you parrots since peels often contain elements of pesticides.

If you give oranges to your parrots that are grown and freshly plucked from your own garden, then it’s fine. But otherwise, the peels of oranges are often painted, sprayed heavily with pesticides and even waxed sometimes.

Hence, to avoid such harmful elements from entering your little pet’s body, it’s better to remove the peels. Plus, the majority of the nutrients are present below the peels and not in the peels.

Though orange peels may have a different nutrient composition than the rest of the fruit, it’s safee to avoid giving your parrots oranges with peels.

People also often ask whether the peel of bananas is good for parrots or not. We answer that question in this article!

How to give oranges to your parrots

Oranges are high in ascorbic acid which is also known as Vitamin C. And giving too much acidic fruit to your parrot can pose a health threat. Hence, remember, giving oranges in moderate amount is the key to utilize this particular acidic fruit in your parrot’s healthy diet.

Let’s see, how you can feed oranges to your parrot without harming its health in any way:

• It’s not suggested to give your parrot only slices of oranges regularly, and nothing else. Rather, along with following your parrot’s daily healthy diet, include slices of oranges as an occasional treat. Feed your parrot oranges in a small amount
• If you intend to give your parrots orange juice, make sure to not give it as raw or directly. Rather, first, dilute the orange juice as much as possible with water and then give it to your pet. Instead of giving your parrots packed orange juices, it’s better to give them homemade ones. Because the preservatives present in the packed orange juices may interfere with the health of your avian friend. Store-bought orange juices often contain artificial flavor and color, which are also a strict no-no for parrots
• When giving your parrots oranges as dried fruits, make sure that they are free from sulfates and sulfides
• When giving your parrots oranges remember to discard if there’s any moldy or spoiled part. If given the whole fruit (with peels), make sure to wash the oranges thoroughly to get rid of dirt and traces of pesticides, if there’s any, from them

In case you have difficulties in determining the right amount of oranges, how and when you should feed it to your parrot, if it causes any health issues, consult your nearest avian veterinarian right away. Remember, overdoing any fruit is never suggested.

Eating oranges and change in your parrot’s urine output

Do you know that almost 87% of the delicious fruit orange is water? Yes, orange is one of those fruits that have the highest water content. And eating watery fruits such as oranges often leads to urine changes in your parrot.

The increased amount of urine output or softer feces or a change in the color of urine are often noticed when parrots eat oranges.

But you don’t need to be alarmed about it or consider it as diarrhea as this condition is natural in parrots after eating watery fruits like oranges. This condition is referred to as polyuria and it is healthy and natural in parrots.

Related Questions

What fruits are safe for parrots? Fruits are necessary for parrots due to their various health benefits. Fruits that are perfectly safe and healthy for your parrots are apples, apricots, pear, tangerine, pineapple, papaya, pomegranate, grapefruit, kiwi, watermelon, oranges, cherry, mango, banana, peach, cranberry, strawberry, etc.

Can parrots eat vegetables? Giving your parrots the right veggies is important. Some safe vegetables for your parrots are broccoli, spinach, beans, tomato, cauliflower, carrot, celery, radish, bell pepper, etc. However, some vegetables should be given 2 to 3 times a week and not daily such as cooked sweet potato, lettuce, etc.

What are the forbidden food items for parrots? There are certain food items that should never be given to parrots even though they like to share the food that their human friends eat. Such food items include chocolate, milk, spices, fried foods, meat, foods with artificial colorings and flavors, alcohol, soft drinks, coffee, sugar, salt, etc.