Dear Parrots magazine,
Peanuts
I read with interest Eb Craven’s column about peanuts in shell in the February issue and also Caroline Feur’s comment in the April issue of the magazine. The ‘peanuts in shell’ issue has been going on for some years and I have known parrot owners who are still puzzled as what to do for the best.
For those who have not long kept parrots as pet companions, I suspect the issue of peanuts will continue to cause some confusion, and I can understand that peanuts tend to be a popular food item to give to parrots, especially for beginners in the hobby.
It seems that the problem with aflatoxin and peanuts starts with how they are harvested, stored, and packaged for the retail market. Over the years I have seen some awful examples of how not to store/display peanuts and have on occasion made comments to those sellers that they need to pay more attention to the condition of the peanuts.
I buy from a reputable seller that packages the peanuts in an excellent way and they all look very clean and in good condition. However, as a precaution I always bake mine for at least 15 minutes, which I think would remove any risk of bacteria in the shells. Peanuts that are in good condition should not present any risk and consider they make excellent treats, as it provides such interesting foraging when they enthusiastically open the shells and extract the nuts. I have never had any problems.
As has been mentioned previously, if you really want to use peanuts in the shell as a treat and are unsure of their condition, consult an avian vet for their expert opinion.
Miranda Sale, by email