Crisp

[CherryBun]

Hi we are the recent owners of a Galah Cockatoo. This morning she ate a salted crisp (UK) (potato chip). This is something she would not be given as part of her diet, but now my son is mortified that she will die or become ill.

I know that this food should not be fed, but can anyone reassure us that she will be OK after eating this?

Many Thanks,

 

[Betrisher]

She should be just fine! Our galah once got into (literally) a family pack of crisps and had a wonderful time chewing up all that salt. Despite our horror, nothing happened beyond him wanting rather more water than usual. Of course, it's not a good idea to allow a bird to eat crisps because excessive salt consumption can razz up their electrolytes and cause real problems if allowed to continue over time. A one-off shouldn't be a problem, though.

Congratulations on choosing a Galah! There are few more affectionate companions in the parrot world and I miss mine very much indeed.

 

[Kiwibird]

Lol. She will be fine. There are thankfully very few foods acutely toxic to parrots, chips (or what you folks in the UK call “crisps”) are not one of them. Our bird actually gets a little piece of a tortilla chip as a treat sometimes. Those kinds of food are only “dangerous” if consumed often, in large quantities and over long periods of times. The dangers of salty junk food for parrots is similar to what it is for humans- obesity and related health conditions when eaten in large quantities over long periods of time.

 

[ChristaNL]

Oh no worries - there is a huge area between 'unhealthy' and 'completely and utterly lethal'.


Sometimes, despite all our precautions, they will ingest things not meant for birds, like salt or all those transfats that reside in human food...as long as they are incidents -> they'll be fine.


Compliments to your son for knowing it isn't right and worrying about it!
He is going to be a great parront.

 

[Siobhan]

No worries. I give mine a little treat like that now and again. I eat stuff that isn't healthy, too. As long as it's only now and then, and only a little bit, it's fine.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Welcome to our Community, AND to the world of doting, concerned (sometimes paranoid), besotted parronts!

 

[CherryBun]

THANK YOU EVERYBODY!

I will tell him in the morning and we can have worry free day tomorrow!

xxx