Melon seeds?

[BeatriceC]

I generally shy away from seeds as anything but treats, but I was told yesterday that Scarlett really loves the seeds from the inside of melons, and I can't find them mentioned specifically anywhere.

Are melon seeds as fatty and unhealthy for birds as other types of seeds? It's my understanding that her old owner would scoop out the seed portion of melons like honeydew and cantaloupe and put those on top of her regular food in the mornings (which is a bean and pasta mix that the old humans made for her and sent me home with a small portion of, then they add fresh fruits and veggies to her bowls throughout the day). I have a cantaloupe I'm cutting up for her post-breakfast snack (along with some other stuff), but before I add the seeds to anything, I wanted to check if I should be treating them as food or as treats.

:red:

 

[Terry57]

I add melon seeds right to my bird's chop...they really love them. I would say that just like with everything, only in moderation. How is Scarlett doing this morning?

 

[BeatriceC]

She was a little scared when I first went near her, but after talking to her soothingly for a few minutes she relaxed. I think she's doing as well as she possibly could be. It's going to take a while for her to settle in and get to know me, so I'm happy with what she's doing so far. The room she's in is the last one to get light in the mornings, so I didn't go down there until about 7:45 (it's 8:10 now), so once she's finished up her breakfast I'll put her on her play perch and just bring my laptop to the other side of that room (it's a nearly 900 square foot room) and just hang out there most of the day, splitting my time between her and the other birds, so they don't feel neglected.

The vet opens at 8:30, so I'm waiting to call and get her an appointment. I'm honestly leaning towards the introduction of the dog as the cause of the plucking, as the old humans stated that the plucking stared within days of the dog being introduced. We don't know her history before four years ago, including why that wing is gone, so one hypothesis is that there was a dog that terrorized her sometime in her past and when the people who I got her from brought home a dog, she went into panic mode. It's just a hypothesis, but it's as good as any other I could come up with.

ETA: If melon seeds are fine in the chop, then I will do that. I've never given my birds melon seeds, but I've never had a macaw, so I'm sure I'll have a lot of questions as Scarlett and I begin our new journey together.

 

[greytness]

My birds, especially my Ekki ADORE melon seeds, especially cantaloupe seeds.

 

[plumsmum2005]

FYI folks

SAFE SEEDS:
The seeds contained in grapes, cantaloupe, cranberries, watermelon and pomegranates are all safe for birds to eat as well as the seeds of citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits and lemons. While they are not fruits, the seeds from squashes and pumpkins are also safe. Sometimes giving these seedy portions of fruits and vegetables will entice a bird to eat the flesh around them.