Can budgies eat fruit pits?
No – toxic. Budgies should never eat fruit pits. According to the AAV, the pits and seeds of apricots, peaches, plums, cherries, pears and apples should never be fed to pet birds. They contain amygdalin, a cyanide compound. Merck advises avoiding apple seeds, and UC Davis says to remove pits and apple seeds.
Did your budgie eat some?
If your budgie ate some or seems unwell, the AAV says to get help from an avian vet immediately, even if you only suspect it.
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply)
- Tell your vet what your budgie ate, how much and when.
Better choices, for example
Questions
My budgie ate fruit pits. What should I do?
If your budgie ate some or seems unwell, the AAV says to get help from an avian vet immediately, even if you only suspect it.
Is a single apple seed dangerous?
In its guide to household dangers, the AAV says an occasional apple seed won’t harm your bird, but you should still never give fruit seeds on purpose. In its blog, the AAV says pits and seeds should never be fed to pet birds – so we cautiously rate fruit pits “Toxic.” If your budgie ate some or seems unwell, the AAV says to get help from an avian vet immediately, even if you only suspect it.
Sources
- Association of Avian Veterinarians – Enrichment: toxic seeds/pits (2024)
- Association of Avian Veterinarians – Protecting Your Pet Birds from Household Dangers (2022)
- Merck Veterinary Manual – Nutritional Diseases of Pet Birds
- UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine – Nutrition for Birds
Last checked: November 2026