# Salsa?



## Duckybird (Sep 13, 2010)

I see a bunch of bird foods and dried veggies mixes that are spicy, or have peppers in them. Which leads me to wonder is salsa would be ok for birds? I eat a really yummy brand that's organic, and I wouldn't give them a whole lot. But Ducky and Callie LOVE brown rice, and I know that I like it with salsa mixed in. Would it be ok to mix a tiny bit of salsa into theirs?


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## Raven2322 (Mar 1, 2008)

I don't think you could because most have onions. You could always make your own mix for them with pepper and such. That would probably be the most safe thing to do.


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## Duckybird (Sep 13, 2010)

I was thinking about the onions too...what about just the strained tomato juice from salsa? I wonder if that would be ok?


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## HAJiME (Sep 20, 2009)

A bit off topic, but are peppers and chillies okay for birds then? We were growing hot peppers in the greenhouse last year and I NEVER thought to give them to the birds.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Hot peppers are fine for birds and many of the bigger species love them. I don't know how cockatiels would like them, since chilies aren't native to Australia as far as I know.

Birds have much more limited taste buds than we do and they can't detect the heat. Some scientists think the heat of chilies actually evolved to attract birds (as seed spreaders) and simultaneously keep away mammals, who have more sensitive tongues.


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## shelagh (Nov 2, 2010)

tielfan said:


> Hot peppers are fine for birds and many of the bigger species love them. I don't know how cockatiels would like them, since chilies aren't native to Australia as far as I know.
> 
> Birds have much more limited taste buds than we do and they can't detect the heat. Some scientists think the heat of chilies actually evolved to attract birds (as seed spreaders) and simultaneously keep away mammals, who have more sensitive tongues.


I've been wondering the same thing as Hajime about hot peppers. It does make sense that they wouldn't be sensitive to capsaicin as seed-spreaders though.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Hot peppers are mentioned here http://www.suite101.com/content/cockatiels-and-parrot-food-a29386
http://www.justanswer.com/pet/0ibrp-cockatiel-eat-hot-pepper.html
http://www.mypetspages.com/petinfo/cagebirdsandparrots/feedingacockatiel.php


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## Kaoru (Sep 14, 2010)

Try the peppers! they love them here 
Taro always has his whole beak smudged with it (not a very neat eater  )


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