SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Polly want a cracker? How about a chocolate chip cookie? Players in the "Minecraft" video game can befriend a parrot with a chocolate chip cookie, but in real life, don't. Even small amounts of chocolate can poison a parrot. A campaign of concern broke out on Reddit that millions of children who play the game would try to tempt the family's blue-eyed cockatoo with chocolate chip cookies. Jens Bergensten, "Minecraft's" lead designer, says the cookies were intended to be a sly reference to the Nirvana song "Polly," but the game's next update will offer treats that are more friendly to parrots. Real parrots have a diet of seeds, nuts, berries, insects and larvae. I got to see "Minecraft" larvae.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "POLLY")
NIRVANA: (Singing) Polly wants a cracker. I think I should get off her first. I think she wants some water to put out the blow torch. It isn't me. Have a seed. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
