Mangos

[Tikkajazz94]

Can peafowl have mango?

 

[zazouse]

Yes, but not avocados

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
What's the deal on avocados?

 

[AquaEyes]

Quote:
What's the deal on avocados?

I seem to be reading the same threads as you, Kuntrygirl....

Avocados are high in lipids and vitamin E, and also contain a substance called persin (persin is found in highest concentration in the skin and seed and any flesh touching these parts, as well as in most parts of the growing plant). All three of these can be toxic in adequate amounts, and while I'm still unsure about exactly WHY, I can say that some species are able to utilize avocados as food, for others it can be toxic. Personally, I think it's a matter of being toxic above a certain amount for some species, but I'm not too comfortable with the idea of trying it out. I do know that many birds in the avicultural category of "softbills" are fine eating avocado, yet it's considered toxic to parrots (although, I've read of softbill breeders who also raise lories (which are parrots, but have diets similar to softbills, and have reported no ill effects of including avocado in their diets....

). Being as avocados are commonly eaten by people in South America, and they have chickens, and those chickens are fed kitchen scraps, I'd think that asking some South Americans what happens when chickens eat avocado would be the best way to find out. I'd wager that if it's safe for chickens, it's safe for peafowl.

 

[MinxFox]

Oops...Avocados are toxic?! Several times I have taken half of an avocado to them and sprinkled sunflower seeds over it. They eat it all up. My peas haven't died from it. I think they know what they can eat and what they can't, but than again some people's peafowl eat plastic and weird things like that so maybe not all of them are so food wise.

 

[AquaEyes]

Quote:
OK, so we know they won't DIE from eating some of the fruit...now the question is did they get sick at all? Or perhaps they might get sick, but they'd need to eat a lot more?

Frankly, I don't think avocados are as toxic as people say. I think some species are sensitive to it, and reports from livestock were of animals getting sick from eating a lot of the skin and other "leftover" bits (as well as feeding on the leaves), but I can't seem to understand how a species of plant that is native to south america (where there are SO MANY birds) could be edible for people but toxic to so many birds. I know that resplendant quetzals feed on wild avocado as a major part of their diet.

I guess it all comes down to people being afraid to test it on their birds. And I'm right there with you in that fear. But I think the "fear" is larger than the actual danger.