Lavender is a popular flowering herb with medicinal properties. The lavender plant typically grows in arid climates, which means it is naturally absent from a wild parrot’s habitat. But if you grow lavender in your backyard, you may be wondering if it is safe for your parrot.
Lavender can be safely fed to parrots. It can either be added to their meals or you can prepare it as a herbal tea and give it to your parrot. Parrots seem to enjoy nibbling on it and it is also very healthy for them. Besides being a great source of nutrition, lavender is also helpful in providing calm and relaxation to parrots. You can feed your parrot the entire lavender plant including the the leaves, flowers, and stems.
Quick Navigation
Benefits Of Lavender For Parrots?
Parrots can consume small amounts of lavender. Dried or fresh lavender can be added to your parrot’s food or water. It helps support their heart health and improves digestion. Like all other herbs and spices, lavender should be fed no more than a teaspoon or be given as a treat.
If your parrot eats too much of this, it may experience side effects like indigestion and stomach upset. But aside from that, lavender is a healthy herb for parrots. Below are the health benefits of lavender for parrots:
Antioxidants And Nutrients
It is high in vitamin A, calcium, and iron. It is also loaded with antioxidants and phytochemicals that strengthen immune function by protecting cells from free radical damage.
Calming Herb
Lavender is also a calming herb for parrots. If you have a parrot that is stressed or frequently gets night fright, lavender can help reduce stress levels in them. Cockatiels are often more prone to night terrors. Introducing lavender to them can be extremely beneficial.
Pain Management
Lavender has been shown to reduce pain and inflammation in humans. There have not been any studies on whether lavender has the same benefits for parrots, but anecdotal evidence suggests that it works to soothe minor discomforts in parrots. If you have an older parrot who suffers from arthritis, including lavender in its meals sometimes can provide them relief.
Aids Digestion
Lavender has antimicrobial properties that can help remedy gastrointestinal issues and strengthen the digestive system in parrots.
What Parts Of Lavender Can Parrots Eat?
All parts of the lavender plant are safe for parrots to eat, including the leaves, flowers, and stems. The flowers and leaves can be used fresh, while the buds and stems can be used dried.
Flower
The lavender flower has antioxidant properties and a number of nutrients. It’s great for fighting certain diseases and reducing inflammation.
Leaves
Lavender leaves can be used for making tea. They have many of the same nutrients as the flowers as well as antioxidants.
Stem
You can feed the stem of lavender to your parrot, though it does not contain many nutrients and mostly offers just fiber. It also doesn’t add to the flavor.
Is Lavender Oil Safe For Parrots?
Lavender oil is generally safe for parrots, but you should be cautious while using it for your pet bird. Essential oils are concentrated extracts derived from plants with aromatic and medicinal properties.
They are commonly used for aromatherapy. Lavender is safe to use for aromatherapy in parrots. However, you should not apply it to their feathers and skin. It is also not safe for parrots to ingest lavender oil.
How To Feed Lavender To Parrots
Lavender can be fed to parrots in several different ways. If you want to feed fresh lavender to your parrot, make sure you buy organic or grow it yourself at home. Fresh lavender can be added to the parrot’s meal. Diced up and sprinkled over their veggies and fruits.
You can also leave the lavender flower inside your parrot’s cage for them to chew and shred. Parrots love eating flowers this way and once they like shredding them while doing it. But remember to keep it in their cage after your parrot has eaten its meal. Otherwise, they might have too much of the flower, which is not ideal.
What Varieties Of Lavender Should You Give To Your Parrot?
Technically, all varieties of lavender are edible and suitable for consumption by parrots. However, there are only a few types of lavender that are used for culinary purposes. There are certain types of lavender have a strong odor and a pungent flavor that can make them taste bitter.
English lavender and French lavender are the most popular types of lavender that you can feed your bird. However, there are subspecies within these plants as well.
Some of the popular culinary lavender varieties include: (Source)
L. angustifolia ‘Croxton’s Wild’
L. angustifolia ‘Royal Velvet’
L. angustifolia ‘Miss Katherine’
L. angustifolia ‘Wykoff’
L. angustifolia ‘Buena Vista’
L. angustifolia ‘Melissa’
L. angustifolia ‘Folgate’
How To Make Lavender Tea For Parrots?
Making lavender tea for your parrot is quite easy. Below are the steps to make lavender tea for parrots:
- Put 4 tsp of fresh lavender buds in a cup.
- Pour boiling water into the cup.
- Let the flower steep for 10 minutes.
- Wait for it to cool down before serving it to your parrot
How Often Can You Feed Lavender To Your Parrot?
Parrots only need a small quantity of the lavender herb to get the health benefits. Herbs in general should be fed in moderation and offered occasionally.
Lavender does not contain carbohydrates, sugars, fats, or any unhealthy nutrients that may harm parrots. However, frequent consumption can cause stomach upset in parrots.
A couple of sprigs of lavender once a week should be enough to give to your parrot. Also, it is a good idea to mix up and give a variety of herbs to your parrot. Rather than feeding one herb to your parrot, try switching to another herb.
That way your parrot will get a wide range of nutrients and benefits from these herbs. It is also a form of enrichment for parrots to switch up their herbs as they like trying new things.
Other Herbs Parrots Can Eat Safely?
There are a variety of herbs that you can give to your parrot. Below are some of the safe herbs for parrots:
- Lemon Grass
- Rosemary
- Dill
- Mint
- Cinnamon
- Thyme
- Turmeric
- Sage
- Parsley
- Basil
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Peppermint
- Chamomile
- Milk Thistle
- Oregano
- Dandelion Greens
Conclusion
Lavender is one of the most popular options of flowering herbs to give to parrots. The entire lavender plant can be consumed by parrots and offers a myriad of benefits. The lavender herbal tea is particularly liked by parrots. Parrots also seem to find the aroma of lavender pleasant.
