Why Do Parrots Eat Green Chilies?

Parrots are cute pets, and they love to eat green chilies. Many people keep them in their homes or gardens in cages. 

Why do parrots eat green chilies? Parrots eat green chilies because they love to taste food with seeds. In addition, it has an adequate number of calories, is easily digestible, and helps parrots talk and do funny tricks. Furthermore, they do not feel the heat sensation of chilies on their tongue and enjoy its taste. 

They are entertaining pets and require continuous attention and care. They keep themselves clean and love to swing in their cages.

Parrots have limited sensory organs, but they enjoy the flavor of chilies and are widely accepted by them. They do not have a good sense of smell and taste; that’s why they can eat chilies.

Can parrots eat green chilies?

Parrots can eat chilies, and they like their spicy hot flavor and strong taste. However, the birds have different receptors than humans, so they do not sense the fiery taste of chilies. 

Parrots choose these as their favorite snack because they find them delicious.

They do not feel a burning sensation while eating due to the absence of receptors.

When they feel hungry, they can eat anything placed in front of them.  

I have grown green chilies in my small garden, and many wild parrots come over. They do not have any other food options; that is why they pick the chilies from plants and eat them. 

If you want to train your parrot, then you can also use it as a treat.

Adding different foods like fruits, raw veggies, and nuts to their diet makes them happy and healthy.

I did a survey in which 365 people participated who have parrots as pets in their homes for more than a year.

We put different food items, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, and chilies, in the basket and let them choose.

230 people (63%) out of 365 said their parrots picked green chilies from the basket.

130 people (35.6%) observed that their pets picked other food items.

While 5 people (2.4%) said that their parrots never liked the taste of chilies.

In another survey, we put chilies in the form of slices, pieces, whole skin, or flesh, with seeds or with the removal of seeds. 90% of parrots choose chilies with seeds because they are fond of nibbling seeds and spread them in the surrounding. 

Are green chilies harmful to parrots?

If the chilies are given in higher amounts to pets, it results in loose motions. On the other hand, overfeeding can make your pet sick and angry. 

These contain an adequate amount of fiber, and if consumed in excess, it causes watery diarrhea or stomach inflammation in parrots.

Some people say that if parrots eat green chilies, it does not cause heartburn or stomach upset, but it helps indigestion.

If you give your pet eats it regularly, it causes inflammation and irritation in the stomach. 

I have parrots in my home, and I observed that if I give them more than 2 chilies at a time, they show aggressive behavior. Then, the birds started biting their owners or other birds in their cages, and I noticed the shedding of feathers in them.

Some people notice that their pets become hyperactive and make noise.

How to feed green chilies to parrots?

There are many ways to feed your parrot chilies, put them in their cage or provide them with your hands.

Firstly, wash them; you can give them whole chili with skin, flesh, and seeds. They will choose their favorite part and leave the rest.

Secondly, you may cut them into smaller pieces or fragments and divide them into two parts. 

Mix them with other vegetables as they like the variety of food items in their diet.

Most people give raw vegetables to their pets because they do not like it in the cooked or boiled form.

They scatter the seeds in their cages; you can remove the seeds from inside and give them without seeds.

You can also offer them in the form of slices or even in cubes. Finally, you can feed them in the form of pellets by adding green chili in it. 

Do not throw the chilies in the cage; instead, hang them with thread, and it will attract the bird’s attention. Then, give them one by one; otherwise, they will leave the first one and pick up the second. 

I give them a portion of green chili; they pick over the seeds and some skin. However, they love the addition of green chilies in their diet as it is their favorite snack.

Sometimes I take out my parrots from the cage and offer them chilies in the palm of my hand; they love to have these in this way. 

These pets prefer to eat by their owners’ hands if you put them in their bowls; they do not eat the chilies.

How often and how much to feed? 

The eating or feeding pattern varies from one species to another, even in birds. Therefore, do not overfeed them as they are bored eating the same food in every meal.

It depends on your pet whether they like the taste or feel the urge to eat or not.

Preferably one or two chilies per parrot are the ideal dose of feeding. However, some people prefer to give them a treat snack after their talking training is completed.

The newly born parrots do not eat chilies; they feed on semi-solid food with the help of syringes. They can not eat by themselves as they need help feeding them.

I suggest you offer them in small cubes and make sure they like it or not. 

When they reach the age of 1, they prefer to eat various foods, including veggies, fruits, and treat foods.

At the age of 2, they can have chilies 1 or 2, mostly during their talking sessions, as a reward. 

Feeding young parrots depends upon their preference, mood, taste, and acceptability. 

Some people prefer to feed them once a week as a treat. For example, I give my parrots chilies 3 times a week.

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