Salt is an important mineral for parrots, as it is for all living beings. It is required in various physiological processes and helps regulate the proper balance of water and minerals in the body.
However, parrots require much lower amounts of salt compared to humans. If a parrot ingests salt in excess, it can cause an increase in blood-sodium concentration in its body leading to a condition called salt toxicosis.
The early symptoms of salt toxicosis include excessive thirst (polydipsia) and subsequent polyuria (watery droppings), which helps parrots get rid of the excess sodium in their bloodstream. However, if the parrot cannot find a water source, it may experience symptoms like severe dehydration, lethargy, and even seizures.
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Can Parrots Eat Salt?
Parrots can eat salt but excessive intake can cause salt toxicity. You do not need to monitor your parrot’s sodium intake as long as you’re feeding them healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Most whole foods don’t contain a lot of sodium and can be consumed by parrots without the risk of toxicity. But many human foods that we like to share with our birds are often too high in sodium.
Foods high in sodium can pose a risk for parrots. Salt is virtually in all human foods, but certain foods like bread, pizza, fries, etc., contain too much sodium.
If a parrot consumes these foods even in small quantities, it can be ingesting more sodium than it should. This is why parrots should be kept away from such foods.
What Is Salt Toxicosis In Parrots?
Salt toxicosis, also known as hypernatremia is characterized by the presence of high levels of sodium in the bloodstream.
Birds maintain a different balance of electrolytes in their body. Their Sodium-to-Potassium Ratio is much different and therefore they need lower amounts of sodium.
If an excess amount of salt is ingested by the parrots, the concentration of sodium in the blood increases significantly, which can create electrolyte imbalances.
What Are The Symptoms Of Salt Toxicosis In Parrots?
The signs of salt toxicosis in parrots vary depending on the amount of salt ingested and the extent of the poisoning. If a parrot experiences salt toxicosis, it will seek out water to dilute the concentration of sodium in the body. However, if there is no source of fresh water available, the condition can escalate quickly:
Symptoms of salt toxicosis in parrots include:
- Increased thirst (Polydipsia)
- Weakness
- Ataxia
- Muscle tremors
- Seizures
- Gastroenteritis
How Do Parrots Consume Too Much Salt?
Salt does not build up in the bloodstream over time, instead, it occurs when the bird ingests too much sodium in a short period of time. This means inroder for the parrot to experience the toxic effects of salt, it would have to consume it in copious amounts within a limited period of time.
This is unlikely to happen from eating normal whole foods such as vegetables and fruits as they contain negligible amounts of sodium. However, if you feed your parrots packaged human foods such as canned vegetables, canned meat, salted nuts, and other processed items, it can lead to an excessive intake of sodium.
Hypernatremia can also occur as a result of limited access to water. Parrots can compensate for high salt in their diet if they have access to fresh drinking water.
In the early stages of salt toxicity, the parrot will drink water excessively to induce urination which is the body’s way of flushing out excess salt from the system. But if the parrot cannot access fresh water, it can cause the salt toxicity to exacerbate.
Another reason parrots may overdose on sodium is through salty drinking water. If the area you live in has salty tap water, it may not be able to properly hydrate your parrot. While a parrot may not get salt toxicity from drinking salty water alone, combining that with salty foods may increase their risk.
How Much Salt Is Too Much For Parrots?
The amount of salt that can cause toxic effects in a parrot depends on the size and overall health of the bird. Parrots have a much lower tolerance for salt compared to humans, which means they cannot consume a lot.
According to a study published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases on passerine birds, it has been found that ingestion of around 1,500 milligrams or more of salt per kilogram of their body weight can lead to salt toxicity.
The birds that ingested high levels of salt showed symptoms such as depression, inability to fly or perch, and even death in extreme cases.
A parrot might handle salt differently, depending on its body weight. But it’s important to be careful about how much salt they eat outside of their regular diet.
What To Do If Your Parrots Has Had Too Much Salt?
If you suspect that your parrot has eaten too much salt, you need to take it to a veterinarian immediately.
In the meantime, it can be a good idea to offer it some water. This can help the parrot regulate the electrolytes by peeing out the excess sodium.
In mild cases, fresh water can help fight the toxic effects of salt and the symptoms may subside.
However, don’t let your parrot drink too much water at once. You should offer water at frequent intervals to your parrot.
This is because rapid changes in electrolytes can potentially cause a condition called cerebral edema or brain swelling.
During salt toxicosis, there is a sudden increase in the sodium content in the blood, which pulls body fluids out of the cells.
To avoid losing too much water, the body reacts by trying to hold onto water. So when sodium levels drop suddenly again, water can rush into the cells which can cause swelling of the brain cells.
Rebalancing the electrolytes after salt toxicosis needs to be done very carefully. To correct the body fluids, the vet will conduct appropriate testing which may include urinalysis and bloodwork.
Depending on the severity of the poisoning, the parrot may be given fluid therapy to slowly bring its electrolytes to optimal levels. Once the sodium levels are controlled, it may take a few days to a week for the parrot to fully recover.
