Food safety
Can Parrots Eat Grapes? Yes, Washed and as a Small Treat
Parrots can eat grapes, but two precautions come first: wash them thoroughly, and keep them a small part of the day. VCA Animal Hospitals says produce for parrots must be washed to remove chemicals and bacteria, and suggests fruit at only about 10 percent of a conure's daily intake because it is high in water and sugar. With those rules in place, grapes are a safe treat. VCA lists grapes among suitable fruits, and they are not toxic to parrots the way they are to dogs.
By Matt GarnettUpdated November 13, 20264 min read4 sources
Grapes are not a parrot poison
The ASPCA warns that grapes and raisins can cause kidney damage in dogs, which cannot process tartaric acid. That warning is specific to dogs and is often repeated for every pet without being true for every pet.
For birds, VCA includes grapes on its list of suitable foods for budgies, and the Merck Veterinary Manual suggests apples, papaya and grapes as fruits for nectar-eating parrots such as lorikeets, which are sensitive to iron. Grapes are a normal parrot fruit when served sensibly.
How to prepare grapes for a parrot
Wash the grapes, pull them off the stem, and remove any seeds. Size the pieces to the bird: halves for a conure or caique, whole grapes for an African gray, Amazon or macaw. VCA says peeling is not necessary.
Many parrots like to hold food in a foot and work at it, so a whole grape can make a satisfying foraging treat for a large bird. Serve grapes in a separate dish from pellets and water and remove them after a couple of hours, as VCA advises, since fresh fruit spoils.
Fresh foods spoil fast in a warm room; offer them in a clip-on dish in the bird cage and remove leftovers within a few hours, or hide a piece in a foraging toy.
How many grapes for different parrots
VCA describes portions for parrots vividly: a small handful of food for a cockatoo is equivalent to a dinner plate-size portion for a person, and about a tablespoon of table food is plenty for a conure. Fruit portions should be scaled the same way.
As a guide, one or two grape halves a few times a week suits a conure, and two or three whole grapes a few times a week suits an African gray or Amazon. Rotate grapes with other fruits and, more often, with vegetables.
Raisins, juice and wine
Raisins are dried grapes, with sugar concentrated into a small, sticky piece that is easy to overfeed. A chopped raisin now and then is not dangerous, but fresh grapes are the better treat. Grape juice and grape jelly are sweetened and processed; VCA advises avoiding processed foods for parrots.
Wine is out entirely. VCA lists alcohol among things never to give a parrot, along with chocolate and caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea and soda.
Common questions
Are grapes toxic to parrots?
No. Grape toxicity is a known problem in dogs, according to the ASPCA, but VCA lists grapes among suitable bird foods and Merck suggests them for lorikeets. Wash them well and keep them a treat.
Can African gray parrots eat grapes?
Yes. Two or three washed, whole grapes a few times a week is a sensible treat for an African gray, alongside a pellet-based diet with plenty of vegetables, as VCA recommends for parrots.
Can parrots eat grape seeds?
It is simplest to remove them or buy seedless grapes. Taking seeds and pits out of every fruit you share is an easy habit that keeps a parrot's fruit dish simple and safe.
Can parrots eat raisins?
A small piece occasionally is not dangerous, but raisins concentrate sugar into a sticky bite. VCA keeps fruit to a small share of a parrot's diet, so fresh grapes are the better choice.
Can conures eat grapes?
Yes. Offer one or two washed grape halves a few times a week. VCA suggests fruit at about 10 percent of a conure's daily intake, with pellets and vegetables making up the rest.
Sources we checked
This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. If your pet is unwell or injured, contact your veterinarian.
