Budgies eat seeds in the wild, along with some crunchy bugs, berries, and nuts.
They have a strong sense of survival in the wild to keep them away from anything that may prove toxic.
But, your budgie relies on your discretion to serve it only that which is non-toxic and wholesome for their whole body wellness.
So, many budgie parents find themselves often wondering what is healthy for their birds.
To begin with, the primary source of nutrition for your budgie is pelleted food that is a formula containing all of the necessary nutrition that your budgie will need.
But, you can add variety to their daily meals with treats.
When it comes to human snacks like popcorn, yes popcorn!
Budgie lovers want to know if it’s safe to share popcorn with their beloved pets.
So what is the answer to the question
Can Parakeets Eat Popcorn?
In short – Yes, it is safe for your feathered friend to snack on some popcorn with you.
Yet, there are a few things to keep in mind when you offer such treats to your birds.
Let’s delve into the subject and discover the minute details about feeding your budgie some yummy, crunchy popcorn.
In this article we’re going to cover the following
- Is popcorn dangerous for birds
- Can budgies eat butter popcorn
- Do budgies enjoy eating popcorn
Sound good?
Let’s get started!
Is Popcorn Dangerous For Birds?
No, popcorn isn’t dangerous for budgies to eat.
Most human snacks like chips, cheese puffs, and pretzels are not safe for budgies.
These snacks are full of salt, yeast, preservatives, sugar, and other ingredients that can adversely affect your bird’s digestive system as well as overall well-being.
But, air-popped, unsalted, and unbuttered popcorn makes for a healthy treat for your budgies.
Popcorns are corn kernels. And birds eat corn in the wild, too, including budgies.
Yet, you cannot think of giving your budgie the same delicious popcorn awesomeness that you get in a microwavable pack for your home or in the movie theatre.
The sodium in the popcorn can cause fluid and electrolyte imbalance that will prompt excessive thirst, dehydration, kidney failure, and death.
Moreover, microwaves don’t heat food evenly.
Hence, one portion of the food is cold while the other is piping hot.
And, it’s common sense to know that feeding your bird piping hot will cause it harm.
Can Parakeets Eat Butter Popcorn?
Budgies/Parakeets can eat popcorn that’s air-popped or even lightly boiled to make the hulls softer.
But, if you’re thinking about feeding your sweet bird some buttered popcorn, then that’s a definite no-no.
You see, butter is a high-fat dairy product containing traces of lactose.
Now, for humans with lactose intolerance, butter wouldn’t make much of a difference.
But, your tiny winged friend has a delicate tummy that cannot withstand the onslaught of lactose at all.
Therefore, it’s likely that your bird will suffer from an upset tummy due to the consumption of buttered popcorn.
An upset stomach in budgies can often mean diarrhea, lethargy, and loss of appetite.
Moreover, due to its high-fat content, butter and other oily foods build up cholesterol deposits in our bodies.
The bodies of birds function the same way.
That means that if your bird particulars like to munch on buttered popcorn, it’s going to get obese and have a higher risk of cardiac conditions.
Do Budgies Enjoy Eating Popcorn?
As mentioned earlier, budgies in the wild eat seeds.
But, they enjoy other food items such as nuts, berries, or the occasional bug or two.
It is possible that when you adopt a budgie, it will refuse any other treat you offer and stick only with seeds.
But, if you’ve raised your budgie since infancy, then in all likelihood, your budgies will love their snacks, mainly if you have cultivated the habit of routinely offering new snacks as a part of its diet.
And, many budgie parents vow that their budgies enjoy eating popcorn.
You have to realize that every bird is different, just as every person has a unique personality.
So, it may be that you will come across a contrary creature who only loves to eat fruits or vegetables and shuns everything else you may present to it.
Similarly, you may even find your bird wanting to snack on popcorn more than any other treat.
Whether or not your budgie will enjoy eating popcorn depends entirely upon your budgie’s taste buds.
Wrapping It Up
So if you’re enjoying popcorn whilst just sitting around and your budgie is there with you
It is okay to give your budgie some popcorn – just make sure it’s not butter popcorn!
But make sure it is not too much and it shouldn’t replace their main meals
It’s always best to ask your avian vet if it’s okay to give popcorn or any other new food you wish to introduce
Here’s a video of cute budgies munching on some popcorn
