Why

Sweet potato is a safe and highly nutritious vegetable for budgies, but the important rule is that it must be cooked, as raw sweet potato is hard for a small bird to digest and contains compounds that are best broken down by cooking. Once cooked it becomes soft, easy to eat and an outstanding source of beta-carotene for vitamin A, which supports healthy skin, feathers, eyes and immune function. Naturally sweet and popular, it is one of the most valuable vegetables you can offer, served plain.

How to feed it

Cook it thoroughly by boiling, steaming or baking until soft, with no butter, oil, salt or seasoning of any kind, then let it cool completely. Offer a small piece of the soft flesh or lightly mash it. Skip the raw vegetable entirely. Because cooked food spoils faster, remove any uneaten sweet potato within a couple of hours, especially in a warm room.

How much & how often

A small cube or teaspoon of cooked, cooled sweet potato a couple of times a week is ideal. Its rich vitamin A content makes it valuable, though its natural sugar means moderate portions are best.