My bird is eating lady bugs

[AndrewBarnes]

Hello all. How are all of you? Lea and my self are doing amazingly. Although I have an odd question, Lea eats ladybugs, in fact he loves them and gets very up set when I try and stop him from eating them. I am not sure what this means. Any suggestions.

[LauraO]

I'm not sure what eating lady bugs means either. I would try and prevent it if at all possible. I've found that most lovebirds get upset when you try and stop them from doing what they want whether it's bad for them or not.

:) :)

[michael]

Hi Andrew and Lea! Good to hear you both are doing amazingly well. You know, I'm not quite sure about what to think in regards to Lea's current obsession with lady bugs, although it does sounds like Lea's doing a wonderful job of warding off an invasion. Maybe their not only appealing to the eye, but to the pallate as well. I'm thinking the same as Laura though in that maybe its not such a great idea as who knows what they may be carrying besides protein. Maybe check up on using Camicide to help get rid of them...................:)

[Chickobee]

Why would it be bad for a lovebird to eat a bug, as long as the bug wasn't dead from insecticide or something? Wild birds eat bugs...

I have watched our birds when a fly is in the house and they all seem mesmerized watching it. I think they would eat if it they had the chance. I never worried that this might be a bad thing. Now it seems I have something else to worry about.

Now I'm wondering if you have an outside aviary or if you have ladybugs in your house...?

One year in the fall we had thousands of ladybugs on the outside of our house and trying to get into the windows. Some of them made it and wintered somewhere inside or in the cracks of the windowframes. In the spring we had ladybugs in the house. Maybe they hibernate through the winter and revive in the spring...?

Linda

[linda040899]

Actually, in the wild, lovebirds do eat some bugs! While it may not be appetizing to us, it's protein....

As far as I know, lady bugs are not toxic in anyway, although they leave a funny smell on your fingers if you handle them. Other than that, I don't recall reading any negatives regarding them. :)