Budgie · Vegetables
Can budgies eat rhubarb?
No. Rhubarb leaves are rich in soluble oxalates that can damage the kidneys, and avian vet sources list rhubarb as a toxic plant. Keep the whole plant away from budgies.
- Sugar
- 1.1 g / 100 g
If your budgie already ate some
If your budgie ate any rhubarb leaf, call your avian vet or an animal poison line promptly. For a small nibble of plain stalk, call your vet for advice and watch for regurgitation, weakness, trembling or changes in drinking and droppings.
Why
Risks. Rhubarb leaves contain high levels of soluble oxalates, which bind calcium and can cause kidney damage. The stalks contain far less, but they are very sour, offer no benefit and are usually cooked with a lot of sugar, so no part of rhubarb is recommended for a bird as small as a budgie.
Questions owners ask 1
Is cooked rhubarb or rhubarb crumble okay for budgies?
No. Rhubarb desserts are loaded with sugar and butter, and the plant offers no benefit to birds.
Rhubarb: nutrition per 100 g
| Water | 93.6 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 21 kcal |
| Sugars | 1.1 g |
| Fat | 0.2 g |
| Protein | 0.9 g |
| Fibre | 1.8 g |
| Calcium | 86 mg |
| Phosphorus | 14 mg |
| Calcium : phosphorus | 6.14 : 1 |
| Sodium | 4 mg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 5 µg |
| Vitamin C | 8 mg |
“Rhubarb, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 167758). Public domain.
Sources & method 3
The sources below discuss rhubarb for budgies (or for pet birds generally). Confidence: medium. Rated on the JOMIZOO Feeding Scale; when good sources disagree we choose the more cautious level.
- Unsafe Foods for Birds — LafeberVet
- Client education: Toxic plants — LafeberVet
- Rhubarb — Pet Poison Helpline
Other pets
More vegetables
Yes
Carrot
Yes
Broccoli
Yes
Cucumber
Small amounts
Tomato
Yes
Bell pepper
Small amounts
Chili pepper
Small amounts
Celery
Small amounts
Cabbage
Small amounts
Cauliflower
Yes
Zucchini
Yes
Sweet potato
Small amounts
Potato
Yes
Pumpkin
Yes
Peas
Small amounts
Corn
Yes
Green beans
Never
Onion
Never
Garlic
Better not
Mushroom