Hi y'll,
A couple of weeks ago I had to have one of my dogs put to sleep . I was talking with the vet about my IRN Pretty Girl about her diet and what I feed my Lovebirds. He told me that I should not feed my Lovebirds peanuts. He said it will kill them because it destroyes their liver. Is this also true with IRN? I forgot to ask he that. I know you said they need a good mix of fruit and vegetables, but Pretty Girl will only eat banans and grapes. Sometimes a little apple. Thanks in advance for your help .
Your vet is right; however, I think he did not explain too well what he meant. Peanuts are enjoyed by all parrots, including Ringnecks. Just make sure you use unsalted and unfired peanuts. These are very fatty and do cause fat to build up around the liver. Peanuts that are uncooked and natural should be fed only. Peanuts should be limited, but so should pellets, and so should fruits and vegetables. Everything your Ringneck eats should be limited. Don’t stress to much on this issue and use peanuts as a reward. You’ll have a happy and healthy Ringneck if you provide variety in his food choices.
Also, about your Ringneck not eating other fruits and veggies. Just keep placing them inside the cage, curiosity will get the best of him. In time, your Ringneck will lean to enjoy all kinds of fruits and veggies. Try different approaches. Steam some carrots or shred raw ones, mash a potato or cut it into slices. The list could be endless. Just keep experimenting and you’ll come to learn what your parrot prefers and what he does not.
My IRN likes peanuts very much and I have been giving him roasted peanuts. So, would like to confirmed whether that is not good for him also. In that case, does that mean we should be giving him raw peanuts?
I know this is an old thread but it's an important one!!
I prefer NOT to feed raw peanuts due to mold!! that is most likely why your vet said not to feed peanuts. they are very suspectible to molds. here's a bit of an article on raw peanuts:
One potential problem with peanuts is their susceptibility to aflatoxin. Aflatoxin comes from the mold Aspergillus flavus and this substance has the ability to cause cancer and it can be deadly if consumed in significant amounts. Actually this mold can appear on just about any grain, legume, vegetable, or fruit, but peanuts, corn, rice, wheat, cottonseeds, soybeans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, and barley are more susceptible than other types of foods because they tend to be grown in warm, humid climates. Rain which has fallen on crops left to dry may also develop aflatoxin-producing mold. Additionally, any stress, such as poor nutrition, insect damage, or unseasonable temperatures may increase the growth of this mold in growing plants. The FDA has set a maximum permissible level for aflatoxin of 20 ppb and the USDA inspects peanuts for signs of mold and will ban any food with detectable contamination.
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If you feed roasted make sure they are unsalted. roasted is better too because they keep longer. You can feed raw just make sure they are from a very reliable source..Valencia or Spanish peanuts have been recommended as being better for raw. It's amazing what we have to watch for when feeding our animals and ourselves!!
mine love peanuts too and I give them lots, I just watch where they come from! they like to rip off the shells, it's also good work for them to sit there and destroy things! I've only had a problem with peanuts ONCE! but I always check them carefully! peanuts are fattening though so I give in moderation haha
. I was talking with the vet about my IRN Pretty Girl about her diet and what I feed my Lovebirds. He told me that I should not feed my Lovebirds peanuts. He said it will kill them because it destroyes their liver. Is this also true with IRN? I forgot to ask he that. I know you said they need a good mix of fruit and vegetables, but Pretty Girl will only eat banans and grapes. Sometimes a little apple. Thanks in advance for your help 
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