I am under the impression that salt is not good for birds. True?

Lake & Rio have been licking a Salt globe I have - it's a candle holder that is mined rock salt with a core drilled in it for the candle. Every time they're near it they start licking!
here's kind of what it looks like - although this one is electric, it is the same stuff.


Himalayan salt lamps are artisan crafted healthy lights

I have read that processed salt (like on junk food) is not good for them because they can't eliminate it.

I feed Harrison's pellets which contains Sea Salt. Just to name a few others; Lafeber Nutriberries, Zupreem and Roudybush contain Iodized Salt.

So I would say that they do need some salt in their diet. But what the ratio is I don't know. I don't give mine any extra than what they get in the Harrison pellets.

I was really wondering - seemed like they were doing it because they 'needed' some. I was/am prepared to relocate the globe.

Salt is really not good for birds. They love it and manufacturers add it to their products because a) salt enhances other flavors and b) their pellets are made of stuff like sunflower seeds, soy beans and peanuts -meaning no veggies. But there are no sources of pure salt in the jungle, as far as I know, so large quantities of it cannot be part of their natural diet. They do need a low amount of sodium but this is best derived from fresh vegetables (celery been the highest but also beets, beet greens, carrots, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach, Swiss chard and white turnips). Although I do give them supplements (things like methionine during molt, herbal organ cleansers , probiotics and such), I prefer they get their dietary needs from natural sources instead of something added to a man-made product, you know?

That was very helpful -

Bea are these items that should be limited because of their sodium content?

My birds get a different veggie, fruit and green every day so there is no chance of them overdoing it regardless of whether something is high on any one nutrient and/or low in another. That's why I always recommend people feeding the largest variety possible to their birds and always (and I do mean ALWAYS) expanding it by adding new stuff to it.

The only time that I would recommend eliminating these veggies is when there is a bird with high uric acid levels. High sodium makes them retain liquids and that means a more concentrated urine.

Birds are not great drinkers because the fruits and vegetable matter they were created to eat has a high water content and they derive their hydration needs from them so, when you have a bird consuming sodium, his kidneys are not been flushed properly and that's is essential to reduce uric acid levels.

Thanks for the info Bea.
I never use salt when cooking for the birds or humans but I know that most everthing has salt in it.

Thanks Bea!

Yes, indeedy. Most anything that has been processed does. Canned veggies been right up there, that's why frozen or 'No Salt' ones should be the only kind we use for birds.