Can Parrots Eat Cashews? Vet-Reviewed Health Considerations
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This article has been reviewed for factual accuracy and completeness by a qualified veterinarian. It should be taken as a guide for food safety and not replace dietary advice tailored to your pet, by your veterinarian. Parrot owners are urged to consult with their veterinarian when making dietary decisions for their pet.
The cashew “nut” is the edible seed of the cashew tree or shrub (Anacardium occidentale), however, as it is commonly referred to as a nut we will use this for the purposes of this article. Seeds and nuts are generally considered safe and palatable to parrots of all sizes and breeds. However, they are high in fat so they should be fed sparingly, ideally as an occasional treat and only as part of a balanced diet. Macaws, which have a higher fat requirement in their diets, can have more nuts, including cashews, in their diets. However, no species should be fed a diet consisting solely or even primarily of seeds or nuts.
Below, we look at whether parrots should eat seeds and nuts, focusing on Macaws, African Greys, Amazons, Parrotlets, and Lovebirds, covering the full spectrum of Parrot sizes and types. However, because every species has different dietary and nutritional requirements, you should do your research to ensure that it is safe to feed your bird any ingredient.
Pros & Cons of Cashews
The main benefit of feeding cashews to your parrot is that they love the taste and it adds some variety into their diet. For those birds that need a little more fat in the diet, like Macaws, cashews can help provide this for them. Cashews also have some vitamins and minerals your bird could benefit from like potassium, magnesium and vitamin E.
High In Fat
Cashews are high in fat (around 43% fat) which can be a problem as pet parrots are prone to putting on too much weight and suffering from obesity. African Greys and Amazons, especially, are prone to obesity, which is defined as being more than 20% over the bird’s ideal weight.
Even if you let your bird out of its cage for 2–3 hours a day, and encourage physical activity, a pet parrot does not usually get the amount of exercise that a wild parrot does. This, combined with a typically higher-fat diet, predisposes captive parrots to obesity. Because nuts are high in fat, they can be a major contributing factor to parrots putting on too much weight. Feed sparingly, using them only as treats or training aids, to avoid this problem.
Low In Other Nutrients
Birds have a need for vitamin A in their diet and are prone to vitamin A deficiency. Cashews, and other seeds/nuts in general, have no vitamin A. This deficiency can be a big problem if your bird eats a seed-based diet. Signs of vitamin A deficiency include respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, due to a weakened immune defenses
Another requirement in birds is having about double as much calcium in the diet compared to phosphorus. This is because these two minerals work together to make healthy bones. Unfortunately cashews (and other seeds and nuts in general) are high in phosphorus and low in calcium, which leads to a relative calcium deficiency. Calcium is essential for healthy bones, egg laying and growth.
Avoid Salted and Processed Nuts
When feeding any nuts, avoid those that are processed for human consumption. These can be high in salt, sugar, and other ingredients. Ideally, you should try to feed raw, natural, and unprocessed nuts. Roasted nuts are also bad for birds because they have been dipped in oil, which makes them even fattier and an even greater obesity risk.
Common Species & Their Required Diets
1. Macaw
Like most birds, the Macaws’ diet varies according to what season it is and what is available. However, they typically eat from the treetops and have a diet that is higher in fats than other parrots. As such, their diet is better suited to the consumption of cashews than any other species. They eat a variety of nuts as well as seeds, fruit, and berries, as well as leaves and other vegetation. For pets, a species-appropriate pellet diet will provide very good nutrition for your Macaw.
Although Macaws do have a higher ratio of nuts in their diet, and cashews are considered healthy nut choices, they still should not be fed as the bird’s primary foodstuff.
2. African Grey Parrot
African Greys eat from trees and rather than flying from one food spot to another, they will clamber between branches. They are susceptible to deficiencies in vitamin A and calcium and are one of the species of parrots that are especially prone to obesity.
Thus, susceptibility to obesity means that nuts of any kind, including cashews, should only be fed occasionally and sparingly. Use them as treats for training every few days, rather than as a supplement to their diet. Pellets are considered the best type of commercial for African Greys and should usually make up around 70% of their diet, with the rest being fruit and vegetables.
3. Amazon Parrot
Amazons have a very similar diet to African Greys, as well as similar feeding habits. They are especially keen on the fruit of African Oil Palm Trees. As with the African Grey, it is best to reserve nuts as training aids.
4. Parrotlet
Parrotlets are some of the smallest parrots and, as such, it is very easy to overfeed them, especially foods that have a high fat content. They typically enjoy a diet consisting of around 40% pellets and 20% seed mix with the remaining 40% being fruit, vegetables, and legumes. Use cashews as a very occasional treat and not part of the bird’s daily diet.
5. Lovebird
Lovebirds have very similar dietary requirements to Parrotlets, which means a diet consisting of pellets, seed mix, and fresh food with cashews and other nuts being fed only as an occasional treat.
Conclusion
Although different species have different dietary requirements, most parrots have similar needs. In the wild, they would eat plant matter including seeds, berries, fruit, vegetables, and some nuts. As pets, it is important to remember that parrots do not usually get the exercise they would get in the wild, pet parrots are prone to putting on too much weight.
Because nuts contain a lot of fat, you should not feed too many of any nuts, including cashews. However, cashews do make a tasty treat and are safe to feed as occasional treats. They can also make very effective training aids because they are considered a very appealing treat.
See also:
- Can Parrots Eat Crackers? Vet-Approved Health Considerations
- Can Parrots Eat Cabbage? Vet-Approved Facts & Explanation
Featured Image Credit: AkhilKokani, Pixabay
