Food safety
Can Parrots Eat Watermelon? Yes, as a Juicy Summer Treat
Yes, parrots can eat watermelon. VCA Animal Hospitals lists melons among suitable foods for pet birds, and most conures, African grays, Amazons and cockatoos enjoy it. Watermelon is mostly water and sugar, though, and VCA suggests fruit at only about 10 percent of a conure's daily intake for that reason. Wash the outside of the melon, offer a piece sized to your bird, and take it away after a couple of hours so it does not spoil in the cage.
By Matt GarnettUpdated November 13, 20264 min read4 sources
Why watermelon is a treat for parrots
VCA's list of suitable fruits and vegetables for budgies includes melons and cantaloupe, and the same foods suit larger parrots. Watermelon is not toxic to parrots, and its bright color and juiciness make it a favorite on hot days.
VCA's conure guide explains why fruit is kept to a small share: it is high in water and natural sugar. Pellets should make up about 75 to 80 percent of a conure's or cockatoo's diet, with vegetables and greens carrying most of the fresh-food portion and fruit a smaller part.
A foraging treat for larger parrots
Parrots like to hold food in a foot and work at it. A wedge of watermelon with a strip of washed rind gives an African gray, Amazon or cockatoo something to tear into, which many owners use as enrichment on warm afternoons.
If you offer rind, wash the outside of the melon thoroughly first. VCA says fruits and vegetables for parrots should be washed to remove chemicals and bacteria. Remove the wedge once your bird loses interest, and within a couple of hours at most.
How to prepare watermelon
Wash the melon before cutting so the knife does not carry dirt into the flesh. For a conure or caique, cut a small cube of red flesh with the dark seeds picked out. For larger parrots, a thin wedge with some rind attached is fine. VCA notes peeling is generally not necessary for birds.
Serve watermelon in a separate dish from pellets and water. VCA warns that fresh fruit left in the cage all day may spoil and cause digestive upset, and melon spoils especially quickly in warm weather. Expect wetter droppings afterward.
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 much watermelon for different parrots
VCA describes parrot portions well: a small handful for a cockatoo is equivalent to a dinner plate for a person, and about a tablespoon of table food is plenty for a conure. Fruit should be scaled the same way.
A cube about the size of a thumbnail suits a conure a few times a week in summer. A thin wedge suits an African gray, Amazon or cockatoo. Rotate watermelon with other fruits and, more often, with vegetables, which should outnumber fruit.
Summer cookout dangers
Watermelon often shares a picnic table with foods parrots must never eat. VCA says avocado and onions are potentially toxic and should never be offered to any parrot, and Lafeber explains that avocado contains persin, reported to be a cardiac toxin to birds. Guacamole, salsa and onion dips are all off limits.
VCA also lists salty snacks such as chips and pretzels, chocolate, caffeinated drinks and alcohol among things never to feed. Watermelon cocktails and salted watermelon are therefore not for parrots. Keep your bird away from the table during a cookout.
When to call an avian vet
Wetter droppings after watermelon are expected. Call an avian veterinarian if your parrot has diarrhea that persists, stops eating, fluffs up and sits on the cage floor, or seems weak.
If your parrot ate avocado, chocolate or another toxic food, call your vet straight away. 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.
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 watermelon rind?
Larger parrots often enjoy chewing a washed strip of rind as a foraging treat. Wash the outside of the melon well first, as VCA advises for produce, and remove the piece within a couple of hours.
Can parrots eat watermelon seeds?
Most keepers pick out the dark seeds for smaller parrots to keep the portion simple. Pits from cherries, plums, apricots and peaches are the real hazard, and Lafeber says they contain cyanide.
Can African gray parrots eat watermelon?
Yes. A thin wedge a few times a week in summer is a reasonable treat for an African gray, alongside a pellet-based diet with plenty of vegetables, as VCA recommends.
Can conures eat watermelon?
Yes. Offer a thumbnail-size cube a few times a week. VCA suggests fruit at about 10 percent of a conure's daily intake because it is high in water and sugar.
Why are my parrot's droppings watery after watermelon?
Watermelon is mostly water, so wetter droppings afterward are expected. If your parrot has diarrhea that persists, stops eating or seems unwell, call an avian vet.
Sources we checked
This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. If your pet is unwell or injured, contact your veterinarian.
