The best way to feed birds is to feed them what they would naturally eat in the wild. You may also be considering feeding birds human foods in addition to this basic diet, human foods like cheese

I like cheese just as much as the next person. If you own birds you may be considering feeding birds this food, but is this creamy dairy snack actually food for birds? Can birds eat cheese? This article looks into it

Birds can eat cheese. This food offers birds a number of nutrients and good fats. When feeding birds cheese, make sure it does not contain ingredients toxic to birds like onion or garlic, and make sure it is served in small quantities only as a snack. Do not make cheese the majority of your bird’s diet.

Can birds eat cheese?

Yes, birds do eat cheese. It doesn’t hurt to give your pet bird a treat from time to time and cheese is a great treat for birds. Birds love cheese and adding cheese to your pet bird’s diet is a great idea.

Cheese isn’t simply a tasty snack that humans and birds enjoy, it’s also highly nutritious and can be one, out of a number of snacks, that you and your animal companion can eat to stay healthy.

Benefits of birds eating cheese:

Healthy bones: Cheese contains an abundance of calcium, calcium is an essential nutrient for healthy and strong bones in birds. It also has vitamin B which helps birds absorb calcium.

Healthy fats: Fats are an essential part of a bird’s diet.

Cheese is a good source of healthy fats for humans and animals and should be included in the diet of your pet bird. The fats in cheese help to keep your bird full and also help the bird’s body absorb vitamins.

Boosts the immune system: Several studies have shown that cheese can boost the immune system of humans and birds by acting as a carrier of probiotic bacteria – this is good bacteria that helps improve the body’s ability to combat all kinds of infections.

Rich in protein: Protein is a necessity for both humans and birds. When protein is lacking in a bird’s diet, this can result in a shrinkage of the bird’s muscular tissues, and a weak immune system.

Cheese is an excellent source of protein and should be eaten by both humans and birds. The protein in this food will help the bird grow strong feathers which allow the birds to fly at their best

High in vitamin B12: Cheese is rich in vitamin B12, this vitamin helps in the production of red blood cells in birds. A deficiency in vitamin B12 can lead to muscle weakness, lethargy, and neurological damage in these animals.

The good news is that you and your pet bird can easily get this essential vitamin just from eating cheese.

Warnings about birds eating cheese:

There are many benefits of birds eating cheese, but still, one has to be extra careful when feeding this snack to birds.

You should be sure that the cheese offered to your bird doesn’t contain onions or garlic as those spices can be toxic to birds.

This is one of the reasons why it is always important to check the ingredients of a certain cheese product before serving it to your bird(s).

You should also properly check the condition of the cheese to make sure there are no molds. Moldy cheese carries a variety of bacteria and can be harmful to birds.

Regardless of how much your pet bird loves cheese, you should only serve them in small quantities. Cheese is a good and healthy snack, but too much of it can be bad for birds.

Can birds have milk and other dairy products?

Dairy products like milk are rich in calcium, calcium is an essential mineral for humans and animals.

If you have birds or want to feed birds, milk is a good snack to serve. This dairy product should also be served to the bird(s) in small amounts.

Some of the best dairy products to give birds include cottage cheese, lactose-free yogurts, or goat milk.

Can birds eat non-dairy cheese?

Non-dairy cheese, or vegan cheese as it’s commonly called, contains plant proteins and fats and can be made from seeds, almonds, cashews, tapioca, soybeans, rice, coconut, and other ingredients – many of these ingredients are a bird’s natural food in the wild.

Vegan cheese is rich in calcium and other essential minerals and can be offered to birds. Just like dairy cheese, you have to make sure that the cheese is offered to birds in little amounts.

What can you feed birds from your kitchen?

Kitchen leftovers can provide your pet bird or backyard bird with essential nutrients and minerals. So rather than throw them away, you could feed them to birds.

Some popular and safe kitchen scraps to feed birds are eggshells, stale bread, cakes, crust, biscuits, peas, sweet corn, pasta, rice, baked potatoes, bruised fruits, unsalted bacon, and cooked eggs.

Birds eat a variety of foods. Here are some articles looking at if birds eat quinoa, watermelon, pineapple, cucumber, celery, and eggs. Click the links to read more

Conclusion

Feeding cheese to birds is perfectly ok.

You can share that tasty snack with your pet bird. There is a wide variety of cheese on the market to choose from, but you have to be certain the cheese purchased for your bird is free from ingredients harmful to birds.

If you have no cheese to feed birds, you can also feed them kitchen leftovers. A lot of kitchen scraps you throw away are rich in nutrients and can be very beneficial to birds.