flowers for cockatiels and lovebirds?

[archil]

I like to put greenery and flowers in my parrots' cages every now and then for a bit of fun and atmosphere etc.
I have a lot of agapanthas [or agapanthus]
Is it safe to put them in the cage with my cockatiels or lovebirds?

 

[TwoCrows]

Yes, this plant is toxic to birds. It causes vomiting and or diarrhea. The sap causes skin irritations. So I would not put these in with your birds.

 

[archil]

thanks heaps

 

[Pineapple]

When I had finches, there was an old wives tale (or maybe it was truth?) that marigolds help with brightness of color. I'd throw a few in the cage every summer and they'd always peck at them with glee. I'm not sure if they ate them or just tore them apart, but they liked them. I also gave them nasturtiums and sunflowers, which they did the same thing with. Basically, any flowers that are edible by people are safe for birds.

 

[archil]

awesome thanks I was looking at buying some colorful edible flowers for them

 

[Pineapple]

You're welcome!

By the way, marigolds also keep nematodes and a few other pests away, so if you grow them in or near the cages, that might help. Marigold smell is one you either love or hate, but I love it. It reminds me summers as a kid gardening with my grandma.

 

[archil]

My grandma always used to have marigolds, actually, she might still have some. Maybe I can nick a few off her.

 

[Pineapple]

They're really easy to grow. They're "supposed" to die off after the first frost but it's not uncommon for me to have them still blooming in December. They're also one of the few flowers that DIDN'T die a few years ago when we had a drought (the others were zinnias, which I don't think are edible, and sunflowers, which were planted with vegetables so got watered).