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building up fluid on the brain, causing severe damage. If you suspect your bird is suffering from excess salt consumption, get to the vet immediately!

SWEETS

Everyone loves dessert, right? Not necessarily if you have a beak and wings.

Chocolate is the biggest culprit when it comes to sweets that are dangerous for ALL animals. This is a toxic substance for other creatures and leads to severe problems if not treated. This is especially true for baking chocolate, which is one of the truest forms. Even consuming a very small quantity of chocolate can lead to the same symptoms of a bird suffering from the effects of caffeine. If your bird does come across a tasty morsel, respond with the same dosage of pepto bismol and take your pet to the vet.

Many sweets also contain milk products. Never feed a bird custard, milk, creamy pies, ice cream, pastries, or other dairy products. Birds simply cannot digest them. The only exception to this is cultured dairy products. Some examples of safe forms would be refrigerated yogurt and cottage cheese.

When in doubt, the best rule of thumb is to stay true to what your bird would normally find scavenging in his natural environment. Feeding your bird the right, healthy foods can be just as fun as offering other treats. Especially when you don't want an emergency visit to the doctor! Weaning a bird off of a favorite "junk" food may be difficult for a devoted owner who wants to give in, but like any good parent, you must keep his best interest in mind. In time, even a spoiled bird will come to appreciate the good things in life. Even the healthful ones.

Learn more about this author, Lauren Von Lehe.
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