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 Post subject: Chilli pepper, jaapeno etc. whole plants
PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 2:21 pm 
Lovebird
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The bird room has a great esposition to sun during morning and early afternoon, so I am thinking of planting a few things for them to enjoy.

I know that they like hot peppers and don't feel the heat, but I was wondering whether the leaves of the plant will be edible as well.
I found a nice variety that grows like a little tree with the peppers hanging, but... will the leaves be poisonous?



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 Post subject: Re: Chilli pepper, jaapeno etc. whole plants
PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 2:50 pm 
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I tried looking online for information on pepper leaves and I didn't see anything saying that it isn't or is allowed so I'm not sure what to say. A pepper garden? Lucky birdies. Just be sure they won't demolish the plant before the fruit even grows lol. We know our birds well enough.


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 Post subject: Re: Chilli pepper, jaapeno etc. whole plants
PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 4:07 pm 
Lovebird
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LOL yes you are right!
My idea was to grow them on the windowsill inside the mesh frames, so they can't reach them until they are grown, that way they surely destroy them but they will have to wait until I move them where they can reach them :plot2:



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 Post subject: Re: Chilli pepper, jaapeno etc. whole plants
PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 9:44 pm 
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This is a difficult question to answer. The leaves are considered to be poisonous, but so are the peppers if they're eaten in large enough quantity. I can't figure out whether the leaves are any more toxic than the peppers are. I'll ask around and see what I can find.



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 Post subject: Re: Chilli pepper, jaapeno etc. whole plants
PostPosted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 4:37 am 
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Ive never feed mine the leaves... don't know if they are harmful or not!



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 Post subject: Re: Chilli pepper, jaapeno etc. whole plants
PostPosted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 6:08 am 
Parrotlet
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I'd be a little nervous, just because peppers are closely related to tomatoes and eggplants which definitely have toxic leaves, and the Solancanae family in general tends to be a bit poisonous. However, I can't find anything about pepper leaves specifically. The leaves do have nicotine in them, but I don't know how that affects birds.

EDIT: Okay, there is info on nicotine poisoning in birds, so it's definitely not good for them as it can cause death from respiratory paralysis. However, these are generally poisonings from curious birds finding and eating their owner's cigarettes, which contain far more nicotine (among other nasties) than pepper leaves. So whether the amount contained in pepper leaves is safe, I can't say.


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 Post subject: Re: Chilli pepper, jaapeno etc. whole plants
PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 12:36 pm 
Lovebird
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Ok, thank you, I will scrap the jalapeno plants idea.

It's still safe to give them the pepper itself though, right? Not as a common food, but once in a while?
Sometimes I hang one on the trellis and they love picking at it.



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 Post subject: Re: Chilli pepper, jaapeno etc. whole plants
PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 5:07 pm 
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The pepper itself is generally considered to be safe for birds, although technically it's toxic to both humans and birds in large amounts. That hot spicy flavor was developed so mammals would leave it alone but birds would eat it and spread the seeds - they can't feel the heat.

I was never able to find any definite information on whether the plant itself was any more toxic than the chilis. But it's best to err on the side of caution and not give them the leaves. There are lots of safe houseplants that you can let them destroy.



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 Post subject: Re: Chilli pepper, jaapeno etc. whole plants
PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2014 3:15 am 
Cockatiel
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The pepper and the inside seeds are safe...
Mine go banana's once I get them out...
I leave the seeds on the stork thing and fix it in the cages.... they luv it..



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 Post subject: Re: Chilli pepper, jaapeno etc. whole plants
PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2014 9:41 am 
Parrotlet
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I have a lot of tall wild and ornamental grasses around my property. Now that they are drying and seeding for winter, I bring in long stalks and hang them in Peach's cage. She loves them!



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