Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits include:
Grapefruit tree (Citrus paradisii)
Lemon tree (Citrus limonia)
Lime tree (Citrus aurantifolia)
Orange tree (Citrus sinensis)
The juice of citrus fruits contains citric acid. Lemon juice
contains approximately 7% of citric acid. Lemons and limes may taste
sour but the fruit and juice of all Citrus fruits are safe to feed
to birds in moderation. Irritation to the mouth is unlikely with the
concentration of citric acid present in the juice.
The fruit peels, thorns and other parts of Citrus plants contain
limonin, an irritant substance, which can cause an allergic contact
dermatitits in humans.
Because of the possiblity of an allergic dermatitis, branches of
the Citrus species are probably best avoided for perches.
Gillian Willis
Vancouver, B.C.
Copyright © Gillian A.Willis. June 1997. Permission to re-use any
part of this text (whole or in part) must be obtained from the
author.