Bird Food

[CaraLouise]

Has anyone ever gotten glutened from wild bird food before?

[gfgypsyqueen]

Yup! That ended the bird feeder at our house! I was so busy looking for nuts to avoid the nut allergy that I forgot to consider the gluten possibilities. I react to contact of gluten, so it got me good!

[ravenwoodglass]

Not as bad as from a pet bird in the house but yes. I gave away the bird but I do still feed the outdoors ones. I fill the feeder outside, wear disposible non powdered gloves and wash when I am done. Oh and I don't fill on a windy day without a face mask. If I do all that I have no problem.

[psawyer]

Not all wild bird food blends have grain in them, but expect to pay more for one that is grain-free. There is always a cross-contamination risk with products of this nature.

gfgypsyqueen, you didn't say which type of nuts you are avoiding. Tree nuts are very rarely found in these products, but peanuts (a tuber, not a true nut) are very common. Even so, feeding options with neither grain nor peanuts do exist.

[VioletBlue]

I accept the risk as a trade off for the parakettes. I find them fascinating creatures who amuse both me and the cats. So I am as careful as I can be, wash after I handle seed or vacuum or clean up after them. You can get grain free mixtures, but as someone else pointed out, they will be harder to find and more expensive. I have a place an hour or so away that will do a custom mix but the travel and price just make it prohititive.

So I accept the risk. Gloves that you keep just for handling see are another option, or disposal gloves would work too.

Not all wild bird food blends have grain in them, but expect to pay more for one that is grain-free. There is always a cross-contamination risk with products of this nature.

gfgypsyqueen, you didn't say which type of nuts you are avoiding. Tree nuts are very rarely found in these products, but peanuts (a tuber, not a true nut) are very common. Even so, feeding options with neither grain nor peanuts do exist.