Providing your lovebirds with different types of food can be proved much beneficial but before it is important to know the pros and cons of the food. Tomato is good or bad? It is one of the hot topics among owners of lovebirds.
Lovebirds can eat and love tomatoes, but they must be given in a specific manner and quantity. Tomatoes can be a good source of energy for your beloved birds and a great food for the general health.
This article will provide you with useful information about tomatoes for your pet birds, how you can use them and what benefits tomatoes can provide as part of your pet’s diet.
When feeding tomatoes to your pet birds, be sure to give them in small amounts. Tomato is full of acid. As you know excess of everything is bad. Large amounts can cause gastrointestinal problems and ulcers for lovebirds.
Before we proceed, let’s discuss the health benefits that tomatoes can provide to your beloved bird.
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Health benefits of tomatoes
Tomatoes are packed with nutrients that provide excellent health protection. They contain multiple vitamins such as vitamins K, A, and C. These vitamins are good for lovebirds’ skin, bones, heart and immune system.
Vitamin K present in tomatoes helps in faster healing of wounds. It prevents bleeding from the wound. This ensures that the bleeding stops as quickly as possible during an injury to your beloved bird to prevent serious distress to your little pet.
Antioxidants in tomatoes help boost the immune system of lovebirds, providing protection against viral infections.
Other vitamins such as B, C, and A help with proper cell function, strengthen bird tissues, and are good for pet birds’ feathers.
Heart problems are one of the major diseases of parrots today. Potassium helps maintain blood flow and maintain blood pressure, which lowers the rate of heart problems in lovebirds. The lycopene in tomatoes provides a strong barrier against cancer-causing agents.
Negatives of tomatoes for lovebirds
Besides it has good effects on the lovebirds, here are some things that should be in your mind. Tomatoes are from the nightshade plant family. Nightshade plants have vines, leaves, and shrubs. These leaves are extremely bad for the birds if they eat them. Don’t serve tomatoes with the leaves.
Solanine can make your bird sick. It is present in greenish tomatoes. Even a small dose of the solanine can cost you the fee of a veterinary. So avoid the use of green tomatoes.
How much they can eat?
As a lovebird owner, this is the most important thing you should have in mind. The acidity of tomatoes makes them harmful to birds. So for better results it should be given only a quarter slice. Add tomatoes to your bird’s daily diet. You cannot give it daily but weekly or after 15 days. As a daily dose, it damages the stomach.
Tomatoes should be fresh, preferably green in color as they are less acidic than red.
How to serve them?
We can make this thing easy for you. You can make a percentage of tomatoes with the lovebirds’ diet. You can serve them in little pieces without their seeds so that birds eat them completely and avoid wasting tomatoes.
Avoid cooked tomatoes. Sometimes in our homes, we have been tomatoes that cooked in oils. This type of tomato can be dangerous for your lovebirds. Never give this.
When to give them?
In winter for hydration
Tomatoes are about 90% water. It can serve your lovebird as a great source of hydration. Especially in the winter season when your lovebirds don’t drink too much water, you can use this as a source of food plus water.
During hatching
It can also be wonderful for female lovebirds. It consists of calcium that requires in the hatching of eggs. You can use it for the female lovebird before you are going for the hatching process and can get better results.
Can we give lovebirds all kinds of tomatoes?
If this is your question, then the answer is NO. Some tomatoes can be dangerous for your pet. But don’t worry here is a brief detail about the types of tomatoes which you can use or not.
Organic tomatoes:
Organic tomatoes can be served as a food source. They are free from pesticides and fertilizer effects. You can use them by just cleaning their upper layer.
Stored tomatoes:
You can also use them but wash them gently before use. Stored tomatoes have powder on them for ripening purposes. This powder can be dangerous if go into the tummy of your lovebird. After washing them properly, you can use them as food for the birds.
Canned tomatoes :
Many owners of the lovebirds take canned tomatoes from the market in a bulk quantity for their pets but it damages their lovebirds’ health. Canned tomatoes are not fresh and they have an acidic layer on the upper side. It can cause harm instead of benefit. That’s why it is not recommended.
Ripened tomatoes:
Ripened tomatoes are full of acids. The red color tomatoes have more acid than fresh tomatoes. They are also harmful to your bird. They are not suggested to use.
You can use tomato ketchup as well
Tomato ketchup can also be used. It is easy to serve to the lovebirds. But it can be served moderately. It has a higher level of sugar than tomatoes which can be bad for birds. In tomato ketchup, acid is less than tomatoes usually have. If you want to use ketchup, then it should be of a well-recognized brand.
Can tomatoes eat grapes, apples, watermelon.
Final words
Tomatoes can be a beneficial food for your pet birds if they are served properly. A very high percentage can cause health problems. You can use them in many ways. This article has provided you with in-depth information. It may also be beneficial to consult a specialist to get more positive results. Thanks