Can budgies eat peanuts?

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With caution
Peanuts · for budgies

Yes, with care — human-grade, shelled, unsalted peanuts are okay as an occasional treat. The risk is aflatoxin, a mold poison that causes liver disease in birds.

What it means for budgies

Because budgies are prone to obesity and fatty tumours, treat peanuts as an occasional, rationed treat rather than a regular food — a little goes a long way for a bird this size. A budgie portion is tiny — a single bite or a little grated amount is plenty.

The full picture on peanuts

Peanuts themselves are not toxic; the danger is Aspergillus mold, which produces aflatoxin and thrives inside peanut shells — especially in bulk bins and bird-feed-grade nuts. Chronic low-dose exposure causes liver disease; a moldy nut can cause acute poisoning. Peanuts are also fatty enough to crowd out better foods.

See the full peanuts guide or the Budgie diet guide for more.

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