Caiques and cheese?

[Julianna]

Hi, my baby white-bellied caique arrived home earlier this week and I'm looking for household foods to feed her. I've read about some people saying their caiques like cheese, but I've also read that dairy is bad for birds. Does anyone have experience in feeding cheese? Also, if cheese is ok, what kind of cheese is best? Thanks for any help!

 

[Auggie's Dad]

You have a cheese-caique

Auggie *loves* cheese. As soon as he sees it, he'll go right for it and rip it out of my hand (or even my mouth) if I don't offer him some.

Cheese is certainly not health-food for them, but it's not bad in moderation. It's got protein and calcium which are both good, but of course fats which aren't. As long as it isn't a meal, though, it's perfectly safe in moderation.

EDIT: as for types of cheese - whatever he likes. Auggie prefers mozzarella.

 

[MikeyTN]

Like Auggie says, moderation is best!

 

[Julianna]

Thanks! I'll give her some with her breakfast tomorrow and see how she likes it.

 

[JadeC]

Yay!!! Another white bellied caique owner!! It seems like most people have the black heads! Congrats on your new baby I just got mine a few weeks ago

 

[Julianna]

Thanks! I got Pippi on monday, and I'm so so so excited!

 

[JadeC]

He looks super cute!! Congrats! He's so much brighter colored than mine!!!!

 

[Pajarita]

Be careful with dairy products, birds are not mammals so they don't have the enzymes to digest them properly and some get diarrhea from anything made out of milk (and you need to be especially careful with a baby). Cheese also has a lot of salt which is very bad for birds (all the salt birds need they get from plants or licks).

 

[Irishj9]

The mad gang love cheese. I limit it, but it is definitely one of their favourite treats