Food safety
Can Parrots Eat Tomatoes? Ripe Fruit Yes, the Plant No
Yes, parrots can eat ripe tomatoes, but never the plant. VCA Animal Hospitals lists tomato among suitable foods for pet birds. Lafeber explains that tomatoes belong to the nightshade family, along with potatoes, peppers and eggplant, and that while the fruits are safe to eat, the plants themselves are toxic; it lists green tomatoes among the items to be careful with. So offer only ripe, red fruit, washed and cut up, and keep parrots away from tomato vines, leaves and stems.
By Matt GarnettUpdated November 13, 20264 min read4 sources
Ripe tomato is fine; the plant is not
VCA's list of suitable fruits and vegetables for budgies includes tomato alongside peppers, potato, pumpkin, squash and sweet potato, and the same foods suit larger parrots. A ripe tomato is an acceptable part of a parrot's fresh-food dish.
Lafeber places nightshade plants in its list of foods that are not recommended but sometimes fed without incident, and draws the line clearly: green tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant are nightshade family members, the fruits are safe to eat, but the plants themselves are toxic. Leaves, stems and vines should never be offered.
Why the green parts matter for parrots
Parrots chew. A bird out of its cage near a potted tomato plant on a porch or windowsill will investigate it with its beak, and that is exactly the part Lafeber warns about. Keep tomato plants out of reach during any out-of-cage time.
When you buy tomatoes on the vine or with the green calyx attached, remove all the green parts in the kitchen before the fruit reaches your bird. Unripe green tomatoes, fried green tomatoes included, are best left off the menu entirely.
How to prepare tomato
Choose a ripe, red tomato and wash it well; VCA says produce for parrots should be washed to remove chemicals and bacteria. Remove the stem and green cap. Cut the tomato into pieces sized for your bird: small chunks for a conure, wedges for an African gray, Amazon or macaw.
Serve it in a separate dish and remove it after a couple of hours. Tomato is juicy and acidic and spoils quickly in a warm room. Cherry tomatoes can be halved for medium parrots or offered whole to large ones.
Foraging for food keeps pet birds busy, so tuck a small piece into a foraging toy or clip it near a perch so it has to work for it.
Tomato sauces and cooked dishes
Ketchup, salsa, pasta sauce, pizza and canned tomatoes are usually salted and often contain onion and garlic. VCA says onions are potentially toxic to all parrots and lists very salty foods among things never to feed, along with foods cooked with oil or butter.
Lafeber adds that concentrated forms of onion and garlic, such as powders used in sauces and seasoning mixes, are more potent than the raw vegetables. Share only fresh, plain tomato.
How much tomato for different parrots
VCA's conure and cockatoo guides put pellets at about 75 to 80 percent of the diet, with vegetables, greens and fruit making up the rest. A tomato counts toward the fresh-food share, and its high water content means it is better as one ingredient among several than as the main item.
A couple of small chunks a few times a week suits a conure; a small wedge suits an African gray or Amazon. Rotate tomato with darker vegetables such as broccoli, carrot and sweet potato from VCA's suitable-foods list.
If your parrot chewed a tomato plant, and when to call a vet
If your parrot chewed tomato leaves, stems or a green tomato, remove the plant and call an avian veterinarian for advice, describing how much was eaten. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 and Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 can also advise; a fee may apply.
Watch for weakness, fluffing up, sitting on the cage floor or refusing food, and get your bird seen promptly if any appear. Call a vet too for diarrhea that persists after any new food.
This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.
Common questions
Can parrots eat tomato leaves or stems?
No. Lafeber explains that tomatoes are nightshades and that while the fruits are safe, the plants themselves are toxic. Remove all green parts before sharing tomato with a parrot.
Can parrots eat cherry tomatoes?
Yes, ripe cherry tomatoes are fine. Wash them, remove the stems and halve them for medium parrots. Larger parrots can hold a whole cherry tomato as a foraging treat.
Can parrots eat green tomatoes?
No. Lafeber lists green tomatoes among nightshade items to be careful with. Offer only fully ripe, red tomatoes, and keep fried green tomatoes for people.
Can parrots eat tomato sauce or ketchup?
No. These are usually salted and often contain onion and garlic. VCA says onions are potentially toxic to all parrots and advises against very salty foods.
Can African gray parrots eat tomatoes?
Yes, a small wedge of ripe tomato a few times a week is fine for an African gray. Remove the stem and green cap, and keep the bird away from tomato plants.
Sources we checked
This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. If your pet is unwell or injured, contact your veterinarian.
