Ask Lafeber

Budgies Eating Dandelion Leaves

Hello! So recently I read that budgies like to eat dandelion leaves so I’ve been giving them a handful whenever I let them sunbathe outside for the past three days bc recently it got warmer, but their droppings suddenly became very black and hard. Now I’m worried that something’s wrong and I shouldn’t have given them the leaves, so was wondering if I need to take them to get checked. Or is this something that can be waited out until their stomachs are fine and just be more wary of feeding them.

Hi,

It’s good to keep in mind that too much of even a good thing can be bad. Any greens, fruits and veggies should only make up 20% of their daily diet. But you should only offer small amounts of each food. So it does sound like they had too much. As for whether this has made them sick, only a Vet can determine that. If you got these from outside, you have to be sure they have never been sprayed with pesticides. You also need to wash them very thoroughly. If you are concerned about their health, I would consult a Vet. And then next time, just offer a small amount, 2 or 3 times a week and not daily. If you research it, there may be some guidelines for how much is safe to offer. I do know they are packed with nutrients, but this also means they can get too much of a vitamin or nutrient if they eat too much.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda