Many of us instinctively want to give our pets the same treats we enjoy. I know I always have a tough time saying no. But should you give your pet a piece of what you’re eating? For example, is it safe to feed your budgie some watermelon?
Giving watermelon to your budgie is indeed safe and even beneficial in moderation. Watermelon can be a refreshing treat when the weather’s warm, and it also offers a good amount of nutrients. Be wary of giving your budgie the rind and seeds, however, as they can present potential complications.
Quick Navigation
Can You Give Your Budgie Watermelon?
Watermelon is a popular summertime treat that many people all over the world enjoy. Many animals adore watermelon too. Even if your budgie has never heard it before, chances are he/she will ask for a bite.
So, what should you do if your budgie asks for some watermelon?
The good news is that you don’t have to decline your pet’s request. Giving them a few chunks of watermelon is perfectly fine. The flesh of the watermelon contains no substances that will present a threat to your pet’s health.
Should You Give Your Budgie Watermelon?
Of course, just because you can safely give a particular food to your pet, that doesn’t always mean you should. We have to be mindful of the item’s contents after all. If you’re giving something to your pet budgie, it should at least contain some beneficial nutrients.
When it comes to nutritional content, watermelons actually rate fairly well.
Lycopene is present in watermelon, and that’s something you want to include in your budgie’s diet. The aforementioned plant nutrient features antioxidant properties that are very beneficial to your pet. The antioxidants are especially prized for their ability to fight off many harmful diseases.
Watermelon also contains a good amount of vitamin C. Vitamin C is yet another nutrient that is helpful in the fight against diseases. Feel free to integrate that into your pet budgie’s diet.
One more reason why you should consider giving your budgie some watermelon is that it’s a refreshing fruit to eat. Give your budgie some watermelon to help cool them down when the weather’s especially warm.
Can Budgies Eat All of the Watermelon?
While the flesh of the watermelon itself is a harmless and even beneficial treat for budgies, the other parts of the fruit may present some issues.
Let’s start with the seeds. Birds eat seeds all the time, so why is it an issue here?
Watermelon seeds actually don’t contain any substances that can be toxic to budgies. That’s not the issue here.
The first issue is that the seeds pose a choking hazard. Because your budgie may be overeager to chow down on the watermelon, he/she may also accidentally swallow the seeds whole. You can imagine how badly that scenario can turn out, which is why it’s best to avoid it.
The other reason to avoid the seeds is that they often don’t offer much in the way of nutrition.
They’re high in fat and carbohydrates while not offering much in terms of vitamins and minerals, according to VCA Hospitals. In other words, they can fill your budgie’s stomach but fail to provide the kind of sustenance he/she needs.
If you can avoid getting your budgie hooked on seeds, that would be ideal.
You also want to avoid the rind for a couple of reasons.
Once again, the possibility of choking is a reason why you want to keep the watermelon rind away from your budgie. Unlike other fruits, watermelons feature tougher and chunkier skin. It won’t be as easy to bite through for your pet.
There’s no reason to take a risk by giving it to your budgie.
You should also avoid giving the watermelon rind because there’s a chance it has been exposed to some kind of pesticide. If you’re not sure how the watermelon was grown, err on the side of caution and just discard the rind.
How Do You Give Watermelon to Your Budgie?
Do you want to give your budgie some watermelon? We’ve already determined that doing so is perfectly safe. However, you should still prepare the fruit properly to ensure your pet budgie fully enjoys it.
Start by washing the fruit. Even though you won’t be including the rind with the watermelon, it’s still a good idea to wash the fruit before slicing it up.
You can now cut out a wedge of watermelon. Don’t make the wedge too big. Treats like watermelon should be given in moderation.
According to DirectExotic, you should limit the number of treats you give your budgie to about 4 grams. Use a weighing scale if you have one.
Once you’ve got the right amount of watermelon, take the time to pick out the seeds. Next, slice the watermelon into smaller pieces. Doing so will further lower the chances of your pet choking on a piece.
You can now start feeding the pieces of watermelon to your budgie.
Many budgies like watermelon because of its sweet flavor and how refreshing it is. Do note, though, that some budgies may not like it.
There’s no need to be alarmed if your budgie doesn’t like the watermelon. You’ll just have to find a different treat to offer.
How often Should You Give Watermelon to Your Budgie?
After getting his/her first taste of watermelon, your budgie may completely fall in love with it. That’s understandable, considering that watermelon is also a favorite treat among us humans.
While you may laugh every time you see your budgie getting excited at the sight of watermelon, you should still pump the brakes a bit. Giving your pet too much of this treatment can lead to problems down the line.
The reason why too much watermelon can be problematic is because of its sugar content. Just like with us, too much sugar in our diet can lead to the development of conditions such as diabetes.
To minimize the chances that your budgie develops that aforementioned condition, limit his/her consumption of watermelon to about once per week. At most, you should only give watermelon to your budgie after every few days or so.
What Happens if Your Budgie Eats Too Much Watermelon?
Diabetes is a real threat to the health of your budgie. It’s a kind of condition that can significantly impact his/her quality of life.
The early signs of diabetes in budgies include increased thirst and more frequent urination. You may also notice their weight fluctuates more, leading to some clear losses and gains.
Unfortunately, the adverse effects of diabetes don’t stop there.
Small cuts that may appear on your pet’s body can get infected quickly. They may require a visit to the vet in order to be treated properly.
Your pet may also start to suffer from seizures after being diagnosed with diabetes. You can probably guess how much things can get worse from there.
It’s important to be mindful of what you feed your budgie at all times. When it comes to treats like watermelon, moderation truly is essential.
What Kind of Diet Should Your Budgie Have?
Since watermelons cannot make up the majority of your pet budgie’s diet, what exactly should you be feeding him/her on a regular basis?
In most cases, the ideal budgie diet consists mostly of pellets. It would be great if those pellets made up about 75 percent of your pet budgie’s diet.
Bird pellets are good for your pet because they have been specially formulated to meet their dietary needs. You can even find pellets that work for birds of different ages.
Hopefully, your pet budgie will eat the pellets with no hesitation. If your pet is not too fond of them right away, you can try out some tricks to get them interested. Grinding up the pellets and sprinkling them over other food is something to consider during feeding time.
You still need to get your pet mostly eating pellets, though. Get your pet used to the pellets by offering them continuously.
Along with the pellets, you should also serve your pet budgies fresh fruits and vegetables. Like I said earlier, watermelon should not be given every day, but you can swap it out for other produce.
When picking vegetables, go with cauliflower, green beans, and even peas. Cook them slightly if you can so they are easier to eat for your budgie.
Other fruits you can give include apples, bananas, and oranges. Similar to watermelon, though, those fruits contain a significant amount of sugar. You should still limit how often you give them to your budgie.
Should You Give Junk Food to Your Budgie?
We are always reminded to limit our consumption of junk food. The limitations should be even stricter for your pet budgie.
If you’re thinking about giving your pet some potato chips, French fries, or other similar treats, you need to be very stingy. Don’t offer much more than a nibble.
Pastries are not as bad for them, but you should still limit how much you give. As much as possible, avoid giving your budgies junk food because you don’t want them developing a fondness for something they cannot have all the time.
