Which kind of peanuts to feed birds? (1 Viewer)

[debbielevi]

Hi all! I have a question maybe someone can answer. I have a peanut feeder for the birds-although the squirrels chew threw it as well, but that is okay- I love the squirrels.ANYWAY,I buy peanuts ready to eat - NOT in shell - my question is - do birds need SALT and/or SUGAR? I have gotten honey roasted peanuts before but then I wondered if that was good for them. Regular peanuts have salt. I finally went to salt free plain until I figure out which if any is best to feed them- all the same price so it doesn't matter to me - except that I like to eat the honey roasted myself, so I usually eat a handful as I fill the feeder for the birds and squirrels. LOL. Any info would be appreciated. THANKS. Happy birding everyone

 

[turkish van]

No salt or sugar! Just raw, unshelled peanuts, which can be bought specifically as 'bird nuts' or for human consumption, generally from a wholefood shop rather than supermarket.

 

[steveo]

I agree with turkish van. Kaytee makes a 5 pound bag of peanuts for around 7 dollars. It is specifically for birds so don't eat them yourself. Good Luck.

 

[KnockerNorton]

Salted will definately kill them. Sugar may also cause problems. Only feed raw nuts, no salt or sugar.

 

[luvdabirds]

All posts above are correct that you should only use raw peanuts without salt or sugar.

But since you have given the birds salt or sugar in the past, I wouldn't worry too much.

(You can go to McDonalds and watch the "McDonalds Sparrows" eat salted french fries daily and continue to nest and breed all Summer long).

As long as they have access to water, they can Osmoregulate. (May be very important in desert areas).

Just as too much salt or sugar is not good for us, it stands to reason that it is not good for birds either.