Nuts are a healthy treat for birds. They are packed with protein, vitamins and minerals and essential fats.
Nuts provide exercise and fun for birds who are able to break open the shells and get to the meat. But the problem arises when your bird thinks the shell is food.
Most birds toss the shells aside or play with them. But some large species of parrot have been known to eat the broken pieces of shell.
Shells cannot be digested and remain in the bird’s system causing blockages. Often there are no signs of distress and the bird just dies.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give your bird any nuts. You don’t want to remove a good source of nutrition and fun. However, you should watch your bird when feeding nuts and remove any small pieces that s/he might ingest.
Alternatively, you can give your bird some shelled nuts although this does take away the fun.
