September is National Papaya month, making it a great time to introduce your bird to some papaya if you have not already done so.
Papaya is sometimes also called PawPaw and Tree Melon and although it began in southern Mexico and certain parts of Central America, papayas today are grown throughout tropical regions. Most commonly found in your local grocery store is the Hawaiian variety and usually weighs in at about a pound. When ripe, papaya has a semi-sweet taste not quite like any other fruit.
Papaya is a tropical fruit that contains many vitamins and nutrients, including:
Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Lycopene (a phytonutrient that gives papaya its orange color and has anti-cancer properties), Antioxidants, as well as potassium, folate, and trace amounts of other vitamins and minerals. Healthy yumminess.
Whether the seeds of the papaya fruit can be safely eaten by parrots seems to differ among people, from birds in the wild eating the seeds with no problems, to only a few as too many of the seeds can be toxic. Because it's not a definite yay or nay, I prefer to not serve the seeds. Chopping into slices or small chunks works best for my flock.
Papaya whether fresh or dehydrated is a favorite among many of our birds, especially our Amazons and Conures. Fresh papaya is especially loved by my Cockatoo Cookie. Why not take some time to cut some fresh up for yourself and share it with your bird. Just peel the skin off, remove the seeds, and cut into chunks big or small depending on your bird's size.
If on the other hand, your bird prefers his or her papaya not quite so soft, check out some prepacked dehydrated papaya. Just be sure there is no added sugar or other additives, just natural. Dehydrated can be just as yummy tasting to your bird, and especially easy when you just don't have the time to cut up fresh.
