Bread for Birds

[Lil-princess]

My bird loves bread whenever I'm eating it he will run up to me and try to snatch it away from my hand if i refuse to give it to him he will just bite me but most of the time I'll just feed it to him. Then the other day my friend told me that your not suppose to feed bread to birds because it expands when it gets wet in their throat and they can choke on it! So I was wondering if its okay to feed Kiwi bread?

[linda040899]

I try not to feed my birds bread, as a lot of it is "enriched" (extra iron added) and birds don't need extra iron. Ditto with a lot of cereals that humans eat. Non-enriched would be OK.

I've never heard that when bread gets wet, it can expand and choke a bird. However, it could just be something I'm not aware of.

Anyone else have any comments?????

[Eliza]

I can't say that I've ever heard that... I know that breads like 12 grain and other wholemeal types are popular with brotos. I wouldn't feed plain, white Wonder bread to a parrot but I can't imagine that the occasional nibble would be harmful.

[LauraO]

I'm with Linda. I've never heard that break can expand and choke a bird though I do know standard store bought bread is not good nutritionally for birds. Some of the whole grain organic health food store breads might be okay minimally, but not something I'd feed regularly. I used to feed my birds Manna bread, which is a whole grain sprouted bread. The only ingredients were water and sprouted grains. It was really healthy and my birds loved it.

[Lil-princess]

Okay thanks for the comments :) I never heard about the bread choking a bird until my friend told me the other day it was a surprise to me but now that I know its not very healthy I won't feed him it as much!

[Flapjack]

I never heard that about bread, but I did hear it about rice and that that's the reason you're not supposed to throw it at weddings anymore.