Is it alright for birds to drink milk?

[bickitrainer]

Every morning, Bicki is with me while I'm eating breakfast for school. He never eats the breakfast, but today, he drank some of the milk in the cereal.

Is milk bad for them?

[abby-oldaccount]

Milk isn't good for them. The occasional sip isn't going to kill them though. My understanding is that birds can't digest lactose properly. Soy in large amounts is also apparently not good. If Bicki has the occasional sip don't get too fussed but I'd try not to let it become a habit.

[bickitrainer]

Oh ok coz I thought calcium + vitamin D = good for birds.

[abby-oldaccount]

They'd get stuff all calcium out of the milk. The lactose would cause too many issues for them to get a sufficient amount. You'd be better off getting a supplement with Cal and D3. I give my grey a liquid calcium in his water as he's still growing and greys have a greater calcium need then some other birds. My lorikeets if I can see that their colour is off. The rest have calcium bells in their aviaries/cages.

[vankarhi]

My understanding also is that milk is not good for birds. But if they drink your tea or eat some of your cereal that isn't going to kill them...........mine do that. They can however have some yogurt or cheese......not large amounts. My ekkies (or more specifically Skye) seems to need calcium or she seems to get toe tap, so when this happens I feed her up on cuttle fish bone and boiled egg in the shell and plenty of fresh fruit and veges. Now though I have resorted to putting some calcium on their food to make sure they get it and vitamins too if I think they are lacking something or like now I am expecting to have Skye and Shrekie breeding this year so I am giving them vitamins and calcium.

[robert]

just found this www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/dairy.html from Robert

[courtzrocks]

Thats a great link! Yeah milk isnt good for birds cos they cant take lactose.