I received a call from a perspective new customer today. Her son is EXTREMELY allergic to peanuts. Can't be anywhere near them.

He absolutely loves birds. He is severely allergic to his dog. (Poor kid -sounds like he is doomed).

The problem is this: most pellets contain peanuts. Since we do not feed a seed based diet, I could only suggest a Lorikeet.

Anyone have a peanut allergy?

I have a nut allergy (peanuts, walnuts, pstachios, macadamia, brazillian nuts, etc.). Started as mild and is getting worse, probably due to my exposure to nuts because of our birds.

Here is what I do to get around that problem. I do not feed any peanuts, walnuts, etc., while they are out with me. All such treats are in the cage. I wear gloves to handle their food so that I do not get it on my skin, as any area that touches a peanut, walnut, etc., will swell.

I understand that pellets contains peanuts, but they do not cause any problems for me. It is the actual nut dust and oils that are the problem for me. It may be the same for her son, but she can have her son wear a mask when feeding the birds, as well as gloves. Also make sure that no treats contain nuts and that they do not put any foods with pellets or nuts out when he is handling the birds. It can be done. I do it all the time.

The treats and foods we put out include nut free birdie bread, Garden Flora, Sesame Sticks, Birdie Nuggets, Just Veggies, popcorn.

They could feed their bird roudybush rice diet- as far as I know it does not have peanut in it, and is ment as a maintence for birds with allergies or plucking- it is a complete diet and can be fed all the birds natural life. I feed it to my plucker and she loves them- Higgins will actually go over to her cage and steal her food too so I give him some aswell.

I really feel for that kid. I am severely allergic to cats, and my brother is allergic to dogs, so we coudln't have either. So we had gerbils, etc. We had no idea we were bird lovers!

My mom says she wishes she had known how lovely birds can be as pets. She would have gotten us a cockatiel or something like that. I would have loved that so much.

Now, my brother and I are in our 30s, and I have Humphrey, my brother has Franklin the CAG, and my mom has Corbett.

I hope they come up with a solution so that boy can have the love of a bird in his life!