Are you curious to know if parakeets can eat watermelon? Parakeets like to eat various fruits and seeds, and indeed watermelon is a tasty treat packed with many healthy nutrients. 

Parakeets can eat watermelon, and it can provide great nutritional benefits. Watermelon is a good source of Vitamins C, B5, and A. In addition, it is a good source of minerals such as potassium and phosphorous, which make it a refreshing treat but with low calories. 

This article goes over all the benefits of watermelon for parakeets and how to serve it safely. 

What Are The Benefits Of Watermelon Nutrients?

Watermelons are sweet fruits composed of 90% water, 6% sugar, mineral, fibers, and almost no fats. Parakeets love to eat them in summer when they need to have more water and liquid to get through the heat. (source)

Here are the elements you can find in watermelons: 

• Carbs
• Water
• Fibers
• Sugar
• Proteins
• Fats (minimal)
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Manganese 
• Selenium 
• Fluoride
• Lycopene
• Phosphorus
• Choline
• Folate
• Citrulline

The high water content of watermelon helps your bird stay hydrated. In addition, it is a pretty safe fruit because it contains a lot of good minerals essential for the body’s daily activities but without fats and sodium. (source)

In addition, the sugar content is pretty low compared with other fruits your parakeet likes to eat. Finally, the antioxidants in watermelon help repair cell damage and reduce decay speed. 

The lycopene is the element contributing to the red coloration of watermelon, but it also has a beneficial influence on preventing cancer. Potassium is essential in the correct functioning of the liver and kidneys and supports bones and muscle development. 

Vitamin C is essential to your parakeet to reduce inflammations and support the immune system, while fibers are essential to support proper digestion. Vitamins A and B6 help the appropriate functioning of the nerves and support healthy brain functions. 

Is Watermelon Ok For Birds?

Watermelon is an excellent addition to a bird’s diet, and it is safe. Bird benefits from the superb hydration watermelon can support muscles and eyesight. In addition, a nice slice of watermelon can help your bird improve digestion and relieve soreness in the body. 

Lycopene and citrulline in watermelon support blood circulation, while the rest of the elements are instrumental in reducing inflammation and supporting the immune system. In addition, the sugar in the fruit provides a little energy boost for birds to carry on with their play. (source)

Although watermelon contains more water and minerals and has less sugar than other fruits, you still have to consider that there is 6g of sugar every 100g of the fruit.  

Therefore, if your parrots eat too many slices, the adverse effects of sugar may cancel the provided nutrients. 

Too much sugar can lead to an increase in weight in your parakeet. Obesity can be a problem for older birds and can contribute to developing diseases such as atherosclerosis and fatty liver diseases. 

It is why parakeets must have moderate watermelon intake, and you should closely assess if your bird is becoming overweight and change the diet accordingly. 

Do Parakeets Like Watermelon? 

Parakeets and birds love watermelon because of its sweet taste and the high water content, especially in summer when they need more water to stay hydrated. In addition, parakeets love a refreshing sweet treat to boost their energy and activity level. 

In the wild, birds change what they eat depending on the seasons. For example, they search for fruits with higher water content in summer, while in winter, they might prefer other fruits, not necessarily watermelon. 

Your parakeet will appreciate a piece of watermelon during the hot season more than in winter, or you can use a slice of watermelon as a treat to reward your bird during training. 

Can Parakeets Eat Watermelon Seeds?

Parakeets can eat watermelon seeds since they are not toxic and provide great nutritional value. Parakeets and birds might even like the taste of watermelon seeds. But, the main concern with pip is their size. 

Big seeds can present a choking hazard for a parakeet. Birds might not be able to swallow them if the pip is too big and too hard. Therefore, it is preferable to remove the seeds from the watermelon, slice it first and then provide it to the bird. 

If you still want your parakeet to eat the seed, you could soak them in water for a few hours to make them softer and provide them with food. Seeds are a source of good nutrients. They contain zinc, copper, potassium, magnesium, iron, folate, amino acids, proteins, and vitamin B. 

Watermelon seeds contain the following nutrients: 

• Proteins
• Fats
• Carbs
• Calcium
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Phosphorous
• Potassium
• Sodium
• Zinc
• Copper
• Manganese
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Thiamin
• Riboflavin
• Niacin
• Pantothenic acid
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B12
• Folic acid

Watermelon seeds contain few calories and are nutrient-dense, and could represent a good food source for parakeets once in a while. The magnesium in the seeds helps support heart and bone health and the immune system.

Iron is essential for supporting blood health and helping the body convert calories into energy. Even a small quantity of seeds contains plenty of good fats that can help provide both nutrition and energy boost. 

Last but not least, the zinc provided by the seeds supports the immune system and the digestive system. (source)

Can Birds Eat Watermelon Rinds?

Watermelon rinds are entirely edible, and birds can eat them. However, if you do not buy organic watermelons, it is not a good idea to feed the rind to your bird. 

Rinds collect the pesticide residues and other chemicals used by farmers, which can be poisonous to parakeets. 

However, if you can get organic watermelons, the rind is packed with excellent nutrients different from other fruits. The peel contains more fibers and potassium than the watermelon flesh, making it a perfect treat to support the heart. 

It contains citrulline, which supports blood circulation, combats fatigue, and supports the immune system. 

In addition, the rind also has a lot of fibers and less sugar than the watermelon; having both at the same time means threads in the peel slow sugar absorption. (source)

How To Serve Watermelon To Your Parrot?

The best way to serve watermelon to your parrot is to remove all the seeds, take the rind, and chop a slice of it into small pieces. Once you cut the watermelon into small pieces, you can serve your parakeet. 

If your parakeet doesn’t eat it all and there are leftovers, it is better to remove it to prevent the fruit from being eaten when it is not fresh anymore. It is essential not to give too much watermelon to your parakeet but serve it once in a while. 

Parakeets should have a varied diet containing seeds, vegetables, berries, and fruits; too much of one element can create nutritional deficiencies. You can mix watermelon with other foods to make the bird’s diet more balanced. 

Can Parrots Have Watermelon Juice? 

Parrots can have watermelon juice the same way as the actual fruit. Watermelon is very easy to make into a liquid; once you get rid of the seeds and the rind, it should be cut into pieces and blended. 

Watermelon has similar nutritional benefits to fruit. It is full of water, minerals, sugar, and vitamins. However, parakeets might enjoy juices better because of the sweet taste, and they might prefer to drink them instead of water. 

The nutritional benefits of watermelon juice are very similar to the benefits of fresh fruit. It contains a lot of water, vitamin A, B6, and C, many amino acids, potassium, and minimal calories. 

You can expect your parakeet to benefit from watermelon juice in the following way: (source)

• Stay hydrated
• Get an energy boost
• Improve metabolism
• Improve potassium and mineral levels 
• Improve eyesight
• Support the immune system 

How Much Watermelon Should I Feed My Parakeet? 

In general, parakeets require a varied diet, and fruit must be between 5 and 10%. Watermelon should be part of the fruit in the right season. It could be given once in a while as a 4-5 gram treat. However, it cannot replace other essential nutrients. 

Parakeets are small birds, and they do not need a lot of food to get going. However, too much watermelon can make your parakeet health issues, such as diabetes and weight gain. 

Pet parakeets are not moving or exercise as much as a bird living in the wild; for this reason, it is essential to monitor their diet and make sure it is as healthy as possible. 

What Other Fruits Can I Give To My Parakeet?

Although parakeets like to eat fruits, there are some that they should avoid and others they can eat safely. Amongst the fruits parakeets can eat without problems, there are: 

• Grapes
• Oranges
• Apples
• Blackberries
• Cherries
• Bananas
• Apricot
• Blueberries
• Melon
• Mango
• Pears
• Strawberries

Apples are very good for parakeets, but you have to remove the seeds (because they can be toxic for birds) before feeding them to your birds. Likewise, apricots are very healthy fruits for birds, but you have to get rid of the pit because it is not safe. 

Bananas are seedless and sweet fruits and can be another nice treat for parakeets. Blackberries are small-sized fruits and are a perfect serving size for birds; although they have seeds, they are entirely safe, and you do not need to remove them. 

Cherries are also parakeet-friendly because they are a great source of minerals, but you have to make sure to remove the pit. Grapes are an excellent source of copper, and you can feed them without being seedless, too, to prevent any choking incident. 

Oranges and mandarins are a great source of vitamin C and can help your bird maintain a healthy immune system. However, you must remove the seeds because they are toxic once in the digestive system. (source)

More Delicious Fruits That A Parakeet Can Eat

Last but not least, peaches are a great source of vitamin C, water, and vitamin A, and they are also delicious. However, you must remove the pit first because it is toxic, and you will need to cut the peach into small pieces.

Pears are a very hydrating fruit and sweet at the same time. Parakeets can enjoy a nice treat full of fibers, but you have to remove the skin and the seeds and serve it in small pieces. Mangoes are very soft and sweet fruits, very palatable for parakeets. 

They are low fats nutrient-dense treats. They contain many vitamins such as A, B6, C, E, and K and many essential minerals such as potassium, iron, and calcium. Because of all of these nutrients, an occasional treat is excellent to help birds maintain a bright feathers color and healthy skin. 

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