I used to offer my Senegal Parrot, Kermit small servings of chopped garlic cloves and he enjoys it just like I do. As we all know garlic contains anti fungal properties and is often use as a natural remedy to treat yeast and fungal infection. Since garlic is used as a natural antibiotic, by offering our parrots with garlic can help prevent any fungal infection.

Until recently, I happened to come across a report on a health magazine indicating the possible impact to human health when over-consuming garlic. After reading it, this bring to my concern pondering whether is it safe to offer parrot garlic clove?

The report in the health magazine highlighted that over consuming of raw onion or garlic leads to anemia. Anemia is actually a decrease in the number red blood cells. With decrease in red blood cells, this can leads to lack of oxygen (hypoxia) in organs. It does sounds quite bad to our health.

But will parrots have similar health condition just like humans?

I decided to search through the web for concrete reports on the adverse effects caused by garlic consumption in birds. Interestingly, I found a report saying that onion and garlic contain a kind of sulfur compound which may leads to Heinz Body Hemolytic Anemia in animals. Heinz Body Hemolytic Anemia leads to low red blood cell count, whereby garlic or onion cause the red blood cells in animals to rupture.

Possible symptoms of animals suffering from Heinz Body Hemolytic Anemia:

• Appear weakness
• Lethargy
• May appear increase in heart rate.

Apparently we still can’t confirmed as reports above are based on scientific studies on dogs and cats. Although I’ve yet to find any concrete evidences or reports of any studies performed on birds to date, but there might be chances that garlic could also cause Heinz body hemolytic anemia in birds too.

Garlic maybe a helpful ingredient in prevention of fungal infection, but I guess for now it’s best to avoid them (including onions, chives) totally until we see concrete evidences that garlic is deem safe for birds!