Is it safe to feed my pigeon cashew nuts? How should I prepare them?

Pigeons eat a variety of grains, seeds, greens and fruit. they will occasionally dine on insects or earthworms. A commercial pelleted pigeon diet should comprise about half the diet. the other half can be a combination of fresh, chopped greens, vegetables and fruits. Your pigeon can eat almost anything you do. Do not feed avocado, chocolate or anything greasy or oily. A comprehensive list of appropriate foods is too long to fit here, but you can get an idea of what to feed at the link below. http://www.pigeonrescue.org/birds/care/pigeon-feeding-dove-feeding/

I would not give her too much as the oil and seed itself is fatty and doesn't provide much nutritional value, but would keep trying to offer her the seed without oil as an option. As a treat once in a while, it may be OK, but I would look toward finding healthier alternatives such as fresh fruits and veggies that Sheephony may enjoy more instead.

Thanks for reaching out. Rice is a carbohydrate and has little nutritional value and can lead to obesity. The carbohydrate could lead to intestinal bacterial overgrowth. A little should be okay but should not be offered much. Good luck.

You can feed wheat to Sheephony as a snack, however a balanced diet is best to ensure she gets the right balance of nutrients. The wheat can be soaked/sprouted to increase nutrient value as well. Doves and pigeons have very similar nutrient needs, so a commercial dove food, such as [this Kaytee formula](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/kaytee-supreme-daily-blend-dove-food) or [Brown's](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/browns-dove-pigeon-and-quail-blend-bird-food), can be used for feeding a pet pigeon. Additional fruits, grains, veggies and even live insects can be fed to help round out the diet and provide some fun and interesting snacks as well.

Thanks for reaching out about Sheephony. The entire hard boiled egg, including the shell can be chopped and offered, probably once weekly. Fruits are not that healthy and should be offered sparingly. Vegetables should include green leafy but also red/yellow/orange vegetables to provide a wide range of vitamins/minerals. Good luck.

Unfortunately, fried peanuts are not an appropriate diet item for cockatiels (or any bird species). Peanuts in general are not a good choice, in any form, including raw and unsalted. They have very little nutritional value, are high in fat, and can potentially have fungus that grows easily on them in the non-human grade types that are often sold for bird consumption. More appropriate nut choices for birds include almonds, walnuts, and Brazil nuts. For a cockatiel, 1/4 of an almond or walnut per day is an appropriately sized treat, and an equivalent size of a portion of Brazil nut (since they are quite large).

If your bird has been injured it would be best to have the injuries addressed by a veterinarian first to make sure they are not impeding his ability to eat and causing him to worsen. Your vet may also want to give fluids or other IV medications if he cannot eat properly or is too weak to. If he is able to eat food that is in a mash, you can offer something such as baby bird food in a syringe or his regular diet blended and then mixed with water. This will help provide him with more balanced nutrition while he recovers. Rice cereals don't provide as much nutrition as a diet formulated for birds would. Monitoring how full his crop is (it will feel like a balloon under his chin) can let you know if you're feeding enough or not.