Quote:
Originally Posted by LissaKokoKiwiKaseySam
are these fresh or canned sardines? Canned are preserved with lots of salt, no? Packed in oil? I'm not a sardine eater myself, but this is what I remember....
Some things in moderation is fine, but things that are loaded/preserved with salt are probably not a good idea.....jmo
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Yeah, they are canned sardines, and they are NOT a major dietary component for our birds. They are packed in olive oil, which is not a problem, but too salty for regular consumption. The packaging lists an entire tin (of perhaps 20 sardines) at 430mg, about the same as ordinary canned veggies or tomato sauce. Certainly too much salt if I let her eat the whole tin
but not a problem for the perhaps 1/3 of a sardine she is permitted to eat. There are NO preservatives, just olive oil, fish, and salt. High in omega-3 oils, too.
That being said, Joey usually gets a little taste of everything we are eating that is not out-and-out toxic (NO chocolate, avocado, caffiene, etc...,
of course). I'd wager that most people here (especially those with larger, more adventerous birds) share a bit of their people-food with their birds - and much of it is every bit as high in salt. Is there anyone whose birdies never get tastes of pizza, Chinese food, pasta in sauce (you haven't lived 'til you have seen a white 'too wrapped up in a plate of spaghetti and meatballs), chicken wings or fried chicken?
I don't think ANYONE is suggesting any of these items as a major dietary component. I think they are invaluable in terms of enrichment, dietary variety, bonding with your bird, and helping your bird to parse and accept a wide variety of food items. The bird that nibbles the occasional small bit of chow mein or snags the occasional passing tortilla chip with bean dip is probably also the bird that is getting a wide variety of fruits, veggies, and whole grain, as well as plenty of owner attention. Dinner is not typically shared with those poor cage-bound creatures living on a sunflower seed diet
jMo...