Perhaps you’ve been wanting to give your budgie something green and then you thought about giving it some cucumber but then the doubts arise. Can budgies eat cucumber?
Well, the simple answer is yes, budgies can eat cucumber flesh and the skin.
Cucumber is among the list of recommended fruits and vegetables for budgies and can be given as an occasional treat as well as offering up other tasty fruits and vegetables to their diet.
It’s ok knowing that you can feed it to a budgie but you also need to know how to prepare cucumber ready for your budgie too and what parts of the cucumber it can and cannot eat.
How to Prepare Cucumber for Budgies to Eat?
First, you have to wash the cucumber to make it safe for eating, just like you would do to your fruits. Bacteria can exist on the surface of the cucumber in even the cleanest of environments.
Even if you buy an organic cucumber, it should always be washed under the tap with cold water to remove any contaminants that may have been picked up in transit or handling by the retailer.
Next, it’s best to remove the peel from the edge of the cucumber as it can be tough for your bird to peck and maybe off-putting when introducing cucumber for the first time.
The best way to remove the peel is to use a potato peeler and remove the peel as you would for potatoes as this is more practical and as easy as peeling potatoes too.
Cut the cucumber into slices so the inner light green parts can be revealed, then take out the seeds as they can be harmful to small birds like budgies, cockatiels and canaries.
Place the cucumber between the bars of the cage, serve from out of your hand or simply place the cucumber into the feeding bowl for your budgie to eat it when it’s ready.
As cucumber is largely made up of water, ensure that you don’t leave it out too long if your budgie shows no interest because the flesh of the cucumber will quickly dry up and be unappealing.
Are Cucumbers Good For Budgies?
Budgies can eat Cucumbers and are definitely a good food source for your budgie especially as an occasional treat or as part of a balanced diet that consists of seed, vegetables and fruit.
Cucumbers are high in vitamins, minerals and provide your bird with additional water to its diet via the juicy flesh of this nutrient-rich fruit. Yes, cucumber is a fruit, not a vegetable.
Cucumbers are especially high in vitamins such as;
- Vitamin B
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
These vitamins can help the bird’s immune system, skeletal structure, whilst vitamin B is good for growth and energy. Deficiency in Vit B can affect hatching rates and high mortality in young birds.
Cucumbers are also rich in minerals too such as;
- Copper
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Magnesium
These minerals are vital for the sustained health of your budgie and assist with strengthening and maintaining the immune system (copper), bone development, storing energy and cell function.